Nicaragua

Journalist Sam Dillon. Dillon was part of the Miami Herald's team of reporters that won a Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the Iran Contra scandal. His new book, "Comandos: The CIA and Nicaragua's Contra Rebels," looks at the history of the contras during their ten year struggle with the Sandinistas. ( published by Henry Holt).

Journalist Stryker McGuire. He covered the Nicaraguan revolution for Newsweek where he is Chief of Correspondents. After the war, he came back to New York but discovered that he hadn't settled in his own mind what he experienced in Nicaragua. He began a 20,000 mile driving trip from North America to South America to try and understand what had happened and to get a different look at Latin America. His book, "Streets with No Names," is an account of that trip. (published by Atlantic Monthly Press.) (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Kinzer has been covering events in Nicaragua since 1977, from revolution to economic collapse, and has lived in the country since 1980. His book about Nicaragua is, "Brothers & Blood."

Former diplomat Anthony Lake's new book is about the tense relationship between the United States and Nicaragua during the final years of Anastasio Somoza's reign. Book critic John Leonard is impressed by Lake's thoroughness, as well as his recommendations for improved diplomatic relations -- though the author is not without his own political blind spots.

National security correspondent Roy Gutman takes a look at the tense relations between the United States and Nicaragua, in light of the conflict between the Contras and Sandinistas. His new book about the topic is called Banana Diplomacy.

Newsweek photojournalist William Gentile. Gentile covered the Nicaraguan revolution for UPI ten years ago, and he's the only foreign correspondent from that time still working in Nicaragua. Gentile's new book, Nicaragua, contrasts the violence of the Contra war with the natural beauty of Nicaragua and the lives of everyday people there.

Singer and actor Kris Kristofferson. His hit songs "Me and Bobby McGee," and "Help Me Make it Through the Night," earned him acclaim as a country singer. His musical success led him to films, and he went on to act in westerns ("Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid"), comedies ("Semi-Tough"), and musicals ("A Star is Born"). In the past few years, he's appeared in the TV mini-series "Amerika" and "Blood and Orchids."

CBS News Producer Leslie Cockburn. Since 1984, she has covered the United States' involvement with the Nicaraguan Contras. Her reports have aired on "60 Minutes" and "West 57th Street." Her new book is titled Out of Control: The story of the Reagan Administration's secret war in Nicaragua, the illegal arms pipeline, and the Contra drug connection.