Books & Literature

Novelist and screenwriter Michael Tolkin. He's just directed his first film, "The Rapture," based on his own screenplay about a woman's search for faith. Tolkin's novel, "The Player" will soon come out as a movie, directed by Robert Altman.

The Spider-Man and Hulk creator spoke to Fresh Air in 1991 about coming up with Spider-Man, inventing new sound effects for his comics and why superheroes have colorful costumes.

The creator of such Marvel comic book superheroes as Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, and The Fantastic Four -- cartoonist Stan Lee. He joined Marvel comic books at the age of 16, more than 30 years ago. A new book about Marvel Comics has just been published, "Five Fabulous Decades of the World's Greatest Comics." (published by Harry A. Abrams, New York).

News anchor Dan Rather. As anchor of the CBS Evening News, Rather's probably the most visible journalist in America. He has a new memoir called "I Remember." (It's published by Little, Brown).

World music critic Milo Miles checks out "Samba," writer Alma Guillermoprieto's (geair-mo-prer-toe) new book on Brazil's most famous musical form, and how it pervades Brazilian life and culture.

Book critic John Leonard reviews Jimmy Breslin's new biography of Damon Runyon.

Journalist Susan FaludiI ("fah-lude-ee"). Her new book, "Backlash," looks at how the gains women made as a result of the feminist movement are being reversed and undermined. (It's published by Crown).

World music critic Milo Miles reviews some current books on African music. His big recommendation is "Sweet Mother: Modern African Music," by Wolfgang Bender (published by University of Chicago Press).

Writer and political essayist Peter Schneider. Schneider's new book, "The German Comedy: Scenes of Life After the Wall," looks at some of the ironic and funny results of the unification of the Germanys. (It's published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux).

Maureen Corrigan reviews "Low Life," by Luc Sante (pronounced "luke sahn-tay"). The book explores the every-day existence of New Yorkers a century ago.

Author Norman Mailer. Over the past four decades Mailer's evolved into one of America's most important, and at times most flamboyant, writers. He has a new novel, titled "Harlot's Ghost".

Writer Jake Lamar. In his new memoir, "Bourgeois Blues," Lamar examines the issue of race in his life, and in American society. (published by Summit Books).

Children's author Maira (pronounced "my-rah") Kalman. Her latest kid's book is called "Ooh-La-La, Max In Love." (It's published by Viking).

Book critic John Leonard reviews "Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?" the latest book from political columnist Molly Ivins. (It's published by Random House).

Book critic John Leonard reviews Norman Mailer's new novel, "Harlot's Ghost."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz is also a poet, and today he reads one of his poems about leaves changing color.

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).

Film critic Pauline Kael talk to us from her house in Massachusetts. Kael spent years reviewing movies for The New Yorker. Her final collection of New Yorker reviews has just been published. It's called "Movie Love: Complete Reviews 1988-1991. (It's published by William Abrahams).

Writer and critic Doris Grumbach. In her new memoir, "Coming Into The End Zone," Grumbach chronicles the 70th year of her life, faces the specter of her impending death, as well of the deaths of several of her friends due to AIDS. (It's published by Norton).

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Sexual Personae," Camille Paglia's (pag-lee-ah) controversial analysis of the sexes.