Musical Dispatches from Europe with Ed Ward.

Historian and author Hillel Schwartz. His latest book is "Century's End: A Cultural History of the Fin-de-Siècle From the 990's through the 1990's." (Published by Doubleday.) According to Schwartz, certain events happening now, as we approach the year 2000, are part of a pattern that repeats itself at the end of each century. Schwartz's earlier book about dieting, "Never Satisfied: A Cultural History of Diets, Fantasies, and Fat," has just come out in paperback. (Published by Anchor Books, Doubleday.)

World music commentator Milo Miles gives an overview of the Japanese pop scene, focusing on Ryuichi Sakamoto (ree-OO-chee sa-kuh-MO-to), who starred with David Bowie in the film, "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence," and composed the soundtrack. Milo says Sakamoto manages to combine many musical styles into a harmonious whole.

Critic Laurie Stone comments on a successful little book being sold at bookstore cash registers. It's called "A Kiss is Just a Kiss" and it's a collection of photographs of people kissing. Laurie says the book could have been too sappy, but it's not.