Anna Quindlen writes the syndicated column "Life in the 30's," which originates in The New York Times. Her work focuses on the ordinary, everyday aspects of day-to-day life. Her columns are collected in a new book called Living Out Loud. She joins Fresh Air to talk about her career, motherhood, and her controversial column about amniocentesis.
Musa Mayer's memoir explores her relationship with her father, painter Philip Guston. Mayer and Guston were close; she says she was his confident. But Mayer didn't really know who he was as a person until she interviewed family members after Gunston's death.
Ed Ward profiles Chuck Willis, who helped lay the groundwork for soul music. Despite his success as a songwriter, performer and recording artist, Willis was a secret alcoholic. He died at 30.
Book critic John Leonard reviews historian Jonathan Spence's newest work, about a Chinese convert in France who is institutionalized by a Jesuit priest name Jean-Francois Foucquet. Leonard says that the historical novel feels more like a poem about history.
Writer Nick Tosches wrote the book Hellfire, profiling rock progenitor Jerry Lee Lewis. Now he has a novel called Cut Numbers, about small-time loan sharks in New York City.
The drummer's new album incorporates dueling saxophones and electronics. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says DeJohnette's band leaves behind their more minimal approach for a more contemporary, commercial sound.
Doyle McManus co-authored a book with John Mayer about the second term of President Reagan. Many on Reagan's staff believed he was unmotivated, uninformed and unfit for office, even suggesting that the 25th Amendment be invoked. McManus says that Reagan's lack of leadership resulted in ineffective policymaking and scandals like Iran-Contra.
Herb Alpert co-founded the label with Jerry Moss. In addition to his work as a record producer, he's an accomplished trumpet player, recording both with the Tijuana Brass Band and as a solo artist. Alpert's new album is called "Under a Spanish Moon."
Critic-at-large Laurie Stone reviews the photographer's new exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Nixon's photos document the progression of sickness and disease -- including AIDS -- in his subjects. Stone says Nixon's moving work neither sentimentalizes nor intrudes.
Performer-in-residence Dick Hyman talks about the late musician's approach to jazz. Hyman briefly studied with Wilson, who had a light touch and clarinet-like phrasing.
Investigative reporter Howard Kohn has covered stories like the Patty Hearst kidnapping and the death of Karen Silkwood. When his father's health started to fail, Kohn decided to move back to the family farm in Michigan. His new memoir, The Last Farmer, documents that experience, and considers the relationship between parents and their adult children.
Krassner, who died July 21, published and edited the magazine The Realist from 1958 until 1974 and became known as "the father of the underground press." Originally broadcast in 1988.
Bill Griffith's comic strip character Zippy appears in alternative and mainstream newspapers nationwide. Fresh Air host Terry Gross describes Zippy as a hulking, pop culture and somewhere between the age of 14 and 35.
Krassner publishes the countercultural and satirical magazine The Realist; he founded it in 1958, while he still lived with his parents. He also cofounded the yippies, who sought to combine politics and theater--and participated in the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Krassner now brings his left-leaning politics to the comedy stage.
Film critic Stephen Schiff says the new biopic about the late zoologist, Gorillas in the Mist, is malarkey, with a script that shies away from the most compelling parts of Fossey's story. But star Sigourney Weaver shines.
In an age when musical distinctiveness is paramount, the band Was (Not Was) switches genres -- and lead vocalists -- from song to song. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews their new album, What Up, Dog, which features guest singers Elvis Costello and Frank Sinatra Jr.
Rather than features songs from the 1970s in the recent Patty Hearst biopic, the filmmakers recruited composer Scott Johnson to write the soundtrack. His dense score combines synthesizers with heavy percussion, but retains the accessibility of pop music.
Tom Waits' music is changing, incorporating new styles like tango and Tin Pan Alley. He has a new performance film called Big Time, which features Waits singing different personas, and an album of the same name.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz never saw She Loves Me on Broadway, but recently discovered the reissued original cast recording. He says the musical has the feel of classic operetta, and succeeds at everything it sets out to do.
