Writer Allan Bérubé (bah-RUE-bay). To research his new book is "Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women In World War II," Bérubé spent ten years interviewing gay and lesbian veterans, searching out wartime letters, and consulting newly declassified government documents. Bérubé found that hundreds of thousands of gays entered the military despite a procedure for screening out homosexuals. In his interview with Terry, Bérubé, talks about what it was like in World War II and the situation now for gays in the military.
Photographer Jan Staller. His photographs capture the well-traveled outskirts of cities. His subjects are viaducts, tunnels, piers, and subway entrances - the places we pass on the way to somewhere else. He's just published a new collection of such photographs taken around New York over the past ten years, "Frontier New York" published by Hudson Hills Press. In the book's introduction Paul Goldberger writes, "To look at New York through Staller's photographs is to feel that the familiar city has become somehow mystical, ephemeral, almost haunted."
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new CD collection of songs by the late Roland Hayes. Hayes was the first major black concert singer, and paved the way for performers such as Marion Anderson. (It's issued by the Smithsonian).
Theatre and film director and screenwriter Peter Brook. In 1985, Brook staged an epic, nine hour play based on the Indian sacred text, "The Mahabharata (mah-hah-ber-rah-tah)." He's also directed a 6 hour T-V version and a 3-hour film version. Previously, Brook directed the Royal Shakespeare Company, founded the International Center for Theater Research, and directed the premiere of the groundbreaking play "Marat/Sade."
Spiritual teacher RAM DASS. Ram Dass' book, "Be Here Now," was a widely used spiritual guide during the early 70s. Ram Dass followed that book up with several others, among them "The Only Dance There Is" and "How Can I Help?" Ram Dass started out as Harvard professor Richard Alpert. While at Harvard in the early 60s, Alpert joined with Timothy Leary and others in the early psychedelic experiments. That led him to investigations of meditation and spiritual practices.
Poet ALLEN GINSBERG and composer PHILLIP GLASS. The pair have collaborated on a interpretation of Ginsberg's poem, "Hydrogen Jukebox." The work gets it's premiere April 26th at the American Music Theatre Festival in Philadelphia, and features six singers, a five piece orchestra, and a mix of songs, chants, and the spoken word.
Computer word processing has changed the way writers think of their work. Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg was an early and enthusiastic convert to the new technology but now he is beginning to have second thoughts.
Baseball Hall-of-Fame pitcher Bob Feller. Some call him the fastest pitcher in history---taking the mound for the Cleveland Indians when just a teenager, Feller racked up 266 wins, struck out over 2500 batters, and pitched the only opening day no-hitter in major league history. In his new book, "Now Pitching, Bob Feller: A Baseball Memoir," he recounts his more 50 years in the game. (The book is co-authored with writer Bill Gilbert and published by Birch Lane Press).
Actor, comedian, filmmaker, and author Michael Palin. In the fall of 1988, Palin set out to recreate the journey Jules Verne described in "Around the World in 80 Days." Palin circled the globe by using just about every means of transportation except airplane (since that wasn't available in Verne's time). Palin turned his journey into an 8-part TV BBC series (it aired in this country on the A&E network) and a book that's a bestseller in England.
Rock and roll historian Ed Ward explores the roots of doo-wop from jazz harmonists the Cats and the Fiddle to groups such as the Ravens and the Orioles.
Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a couple of Ornette Coleman reissues from 1968: "New York is Now," and "Love Call." (Both on the Blue Note label). They include some alternate takes of tunes never before released in the U.S.
Reporter Lawrence Weschler. Weschler is a staff writer for the "New Yorker," where he writes on human rights, political, and cultural issues. Weschler's new book, "A Miracle, A Universe: Settling Accounts with Torturers," (published by Pantheon) looks at how victims of torture in Brazil and Uruguay worked to bring their captors activities to light (portions of the book ran as a five-part series in the New Yorker). Weschler's earlier books include "The Passion of Poland," and "Shapinsky's Karma."
Television critic David Bianculli reviews "Spy Magazine Presents How To Be Famous." It's a prime-time special by the same folks who put out the satire and humor magazine. It airs this Wednesday night on NBC.
British singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding. Born in the historical seaside town of Hastings, Harding has looked to the United States for his creative influences--from his Cambridge doctoral dissertation on the role of Jimmy Stewart in American films--to the songs of bluesman Robert Johnson, and folksingers John Prine and Jim Croce. His new album is called, "Here Comes the Groom."
Critic Laurie Stone reviews British performer and clown Geoff Hoyle. In his solo piece, "Feast of Fools," Hoyke uses physical and verbal comedy to portray a series of caricatures. Though Hoyle has training in classical theatre and mime, STONE says his performance is anything but refined. Hoyle is performing "Feast of Fools," in New York.
Journalist Robert Cullen. He's a former Moscow correspondent for Newsweek, and he writes regularly on Eastern Europe for The Atlantic and the New Yorker. An eyewitness to the fall of the Ceaucescu regime in Romania, Cullen discusses with Terry the difficulties that country faces in setting up a democracy after so many years under a dictatorship.
Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Stolen Wishes," the new album by a band called Shoes, a little-known group from Zion, Illinois, who happen to write great, and we mean GREAT, pop songs. (The record's on Black Vinyl Records, 2269 Sheridan Road, Zion, IL, 60099).
