Letter-Writing Conventions Change in the Digital Age

Next week, the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist will be honored at the National Book Awards ceremony for her distinguished contribution to American letters. In 1992, at the time of this interview, she had a new novel "Jazz," and a book of essays, "Playing in the Dark." Her novel, "Beloved," won the Pulitzer prize. She's written five novels in all. (REBROADCAST FROM 4/24/92).

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new solo album by Amy Rigby. In the early eighties, Rigby was part of the all-woman punk band the Shams, and following that, a country-rock outfit called Last Roundup. After a long silence, she's back with a new solo album called "Diary of a Mod Housewife."

An excerpt from the next edition of "This American Life" from WBEZ: a performance excerpt from monologist, actor and writer Spalding Gray. His latest show "It's a Slippery Slope" opens this Sunday at New York's Lincoln Center Theater. This excerpt was recorded at Chicago's Goodman Theater.