Books & Literature

Book critic John Leonard reviews Downriver by Loren D. Estleman, the new mystery novel, the eighth in a series, featuring Amos Walker.

Writer Richard Rhodes. His book, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, is a detailed account of the origins and early development of nuclear weapons. The book won the 1987 National Book Award for non-fiction, and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Photographer William Claxton. His new book, Jazz, is a collection of jazz photographs taken in the 50s and 60s and includes photographs of jazz greats like Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane and Max Roach.

Fresh Air's language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg.

Susie Orbach and Luise Eichenbaum discuss their new book Between Women: Love, Envy and Competition in Women's Friendships. Ohrbach and Eichenbaum are psychotherapists and best friends.

Paul Grushkin, author of a new book titled The Art of Rock, which traces the last 30 years of rock through the art designed to promote concerts.

Book critic John Leonard reviews a collection of essays by Primo Levi.

Poet, essayist and short story writer Tess Gallagher. A collection of her new and earlier poetry has just been published. It's titled Amplitude: New and Selected Poems.

Film Critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Ironweed" based on the novel by William Kennedy. It stars Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson and Carol Baker.

Cartoonist Roz Chast, whose quirky pen-and-ink drawings appear in The New Yorker. She avoids the dry board-room humor typical of The New Yorker, preferring to draw dinosaurs, appliances with skirts, and cheese.

Writer James Wolcott, who's now a regular columnist on culture for Vanity Fair.

Poet Richard Hell. He moved to New York City in the 70s, intending to concentrate on poetry. But he was drawn to the emerging punk rock scene and quickly became one of its best known acts with his band Richard Hell and the Voidoids. He later landed roles in the films "Smithereens" and "Desperately Seeking Susan." He is writing poetry again, editing the new poetry journal Cuz, and running the poetry programs at the St. Marks Poetry Project.

Jack Gillis, director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America and author of The Car Book. He will release consumer test results on how the 1988 cars scored for safety, fuel economy, comfort, etc.

Tony Hendra. His new book, Going Too Far, is a history of "Boomer (as in Baby Boomer) Humor." Hendra was editor of The National Lampoon for eight years. He directed the Lampoon play "Lemmings" and co-created and wrote the British TV series "Spitting Image." In addition, he has written several books of satire and appeared in the movie "This is Spinal Tap."

Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan, who headed the six-year effort to fly a plane around the world without refueling. They completed their nine-day flight in their light-weight craft called The Voyager on December 23, 1986. They have written a book describing the adventure.

Book Critic John Leonard reviews The Western Lands, the new novel by William Burroughs, author of Naked Lunch and Nova Express.

Adrienne Kennedy will reflect on what led her to become a playwright. Her plays include the Obie-winning "Funnyhouse of a Negro."

Book Critic John Leonard reviews 2061, the latest science fiction novel from Arthur C. Clarke.

Red Holzman tells of his five decades in basketball as a player, coach and general manager. He's a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and was coach of the New York Knicks when they won the world championship in 1970. Now retired, Holzman had written an autobiography titled Red on Red.

Detective writer Charles Willeford. His novels have earned him a cult following in the genre. He's now being discovered by a wider audience as his earlier novels are being re-issued in paperback. A new novel is about to be published, as well as an autobiography about his years on the road as hobo during the Depression.