Books & Literature

Korn writes about health and medical issues for "Self," "the Chicago Tribune Magazine," and other publications. He has a new book "Lovejoy: A Year in the Life of an Abortion Clinic," which tells of the protests and controversy surrounding the Lovejoy Surgicenter, an abortion clinic in Portland, Oregon.

Reporter for the Village Voice, Jennifer Gonnerman. In 1994 Planned Parenthood won a judgement against Operation Rescue, which had to sell off its office equipment to satisfy the judgement. A pro-choice activist bought many of those items in a public auction, including six computers. In one of the computers was a journal kept by one of Operation Rescue activists.

Byock talks about his new book "Dying Well: The Prospect of Growth at the End of Life." He is President of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and a prominent spokesman for the hospice industry. His book explores how the end of life, whether a person is suffering pain or not, can be an opportunity for deepened spiritual growth and reconciliation with others.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Independent People" the novel by Icelandic author Halldor Laxness which was first published in 1946 and has been out of print until now.

Journalist, novelist, and playwright Susan Berman. Her childhood is rooted in the infamous, fast-paced, Vegas lifestyle of a mafia family. Her latest book, "Lady Las Vegas" tells the story of her experience as the daughter of Davie Berman, mafia partner to Bugsy Siegel. She is also the author of four other books, including her acclaimed memoir "Easy Street."

Dickey died Sunday at the age of 73 from complications of lung disease. He was the author of the novel "Deliverance" and the screenplay for the movie of the same name. He said he wrote novels to pay the bills, but his first love was poetry. He wrote more than 20 collections of poetry. (REBROADCAST from 9/30/93)

Journalist Martin Mayer writes about finance, advertising, education and law, but his expertise is in finance. His written many books. His latest: "The Bankers: The Next Generation: The New Worlds of Money, Credit and Banking in an Electronic Age" is a rewritten, updated version of his best selling book on banking which he wrote 20 years ago.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Contesting Tears: The Hollywood Melodrama of the Unknown Woman" by Stanley Cavell about the weepy women's movies of the 30s and 40s.

Mairs is the author of several books, including "Ordinary Time," "Voice Lessons," and "Plaintext." In many of her books she deals openly and honestly about the progression of her multiple sclerosis, and it's effect on her life and marriage. Her latest book is "Waist-High in the World."

Poet and professor Miller Williams. He teaches at the University of Arkansas. He's been asked to read at Clinton's Inauguration. He's also President Carter's poetry mentor. Miller is best known for his narrative, dramatic, poems of everyday people. He's had a number of collection of poems published. His latest is "The Ways We Touch." (University of Illinois Press) which was originally scheduled for a Fall 1997 release, but moved up because of the inauguration.

As a child in the sixties and seventies, Tate was a member of the Nation of Islam, and witnessed the struggles of blacks in a predominantly white America. In her autobiography, "Little X," she tracks the personal history of her family and draws on their everyday experiences as members of the Nation to bring new understanding to its traditions.

Legato is the Director of the Partnership for Women's Health at Columbia University. She's co-authored the new book "What Women Need to Know: From Headaches to Heart Disease and Everything In Between."

Born in Rotterdam in 1931, Wetering was once a motorcycle gang member in South Africa, an aspiring monk in Kyoto, Japan, and a police officer in Amsterdam. He is currently living in Maine. The Dutch author's colorful past has led him to be known as an eccentric and hypnotic storyteller whose latest novel "The Hollow-Eyed Angel," the 13th in his Amsterdam cop series.

Newspaper columnist and the etiquette expert, Judith Martin, otherwise known as Miss Manners. Her new book is "Miss Manners' Basic Training: Communication" (Crown News) about the social issues of phone answering machines, e-mail, and cyberspace.

British writer Jonathan Raban. His new book "Bad Land: An American Romance" is based on memoirs, diaries, photographs and letters of immigrants who in the early 1900s traveled to Montana to homestead. Raban himself is something of an immigrant; he settled in Seattle in 1990.

Branagh stars in the new film adaptation of Shakespeare's "Hamlet." There's a companion book to the new film "Hamlet" which includes the screenplay, introduction, and film diary. Branagh's other films include adaptations of Shakespeare's "Henry the Fifth," with himself in the title role, Othello, playing Iago, "Dead Again," a psychological thriller starring Branagh and Emma Thompson, and "Much Ado About Nothing," also starring himself.

Theologian and author Rev. Peter J. Gomes. He has written the new book "The Good Book: Reading The Bible with Mind and Heart." Gomes is black and gay, and brings a unique and sometimes controversial interpretation to the Bible. He has been a minister at Harvard University's Memorial Church since 1974. Time Magazine called him "one of the seven best preachers in America."

Book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends her favorite children's books of the year: "The Christmas Tree," "Sam and the Tigers," "Little Black Sambo" (revised edition) "The Complete Adventures of Curious George" "The Golden Compass."

Chaim Herzog was President of Israel 1983-1993. He served as Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations in the 1970's. He has been involved and present for almost all of the great and tragic events in Israeli history. In addition to being President, he has been, a soldier, a journalist and an author. Herzog was born in Ireland in 1918, where his father was the Chief Rabbi. He has written a memoir documenting his experiences in Israel and dealing with Arab, Israeli, and American leaders, called "Living History."

Critic Maureen Corrigan gives us her recommendations for books for the gift-giving season.