Terry Gross

Han Ong, a Filipino writer whose debut novel is Fixer Chao.Its about a Feng Shui con artist operating on New York's elite. Ong is the winner of a 1997 MacArthur award. He is also a playwright.

Writer Joyce Johnson talks about her relationship to Beat icon Jack Kerouac, and her book, Door Wide Open: A Beat Love Affair in Letters which is now out in paperback. In 1957, Johnson started a relationship with the then little-known writer Kerouac. Nine months later, Kerouacs Beat classic On the Road was published. Johnson will talk about her two-year, tumultuous love affair with Kerouac, and how the publication of On the Road changed Kerouac. Door Wide Open contains many letters sent to Johnson by Kerouac.

Laurie Pepper is the wife of the late alto saxophonist Art Pepper, who died in 1982 and was considered to be the greatest alto saxophonist of the post-Charlie Parker generation. Laurie Pepper has just produced a box-set compilation of Art Pepper's music, called Art Pepper: The Hollywood All-Star Sessions. Terry talked with Pepper on the occasion of the updated version of her husband's autobiography, Straight Life which he wrote with the help of Laurie.

They are authors of the new book, Leaving Readers Behind: The Age of Corporate Newspapering (University of Arkansas Press.) The book examines how newspaper reporting is being altered by the buying, selling, and consolidation of papers. In the book, they say the age of corporate newspapering is bringing about –a change that is diminishing the amount of real news available to the consumer.— Thomas Kunkel is dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland and president of American Journalism Review.

His book is Privileged Son: Otis Chandler and the rise and fall of the L.A. Times Dynasty.(Perseus) It is a history of the paper from 1960 to 1980. During that time Otis Chandler, a fourth generation member of the family, took control of the paper. His reign had elements of fabulous success and major scandal. He was described as –larger than life transforming The Times from a dreadful newspaper into one of the two or three best in the country.— (NYT magazine 1/23/2000) Dennis McDougal is a former investigative journalist for the L.A. Times.

Brooks has made some of the funniest films in movie history, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Blazing Saddles. His film The Producers has been turned into a Broadway musical and is now the hottest show on Broadway. The show has broken records; earlier this month, The Producers won 12 Tony Awards. Brooks won Tony Awards for Best Book (with Thomas Meehan) and Best Score. Now, Brooks is one of the few people who have won a Tony Award, an Academy Award, a Grammy Award and an Emmy Award.

Currently, his LA Lakers are battling the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals. They lead the series 2 games to 1. Jackson has already won 7 NBA championship rings; He led the Lakers to the championship last year, and he also won 6 with the Chicago Bulls. He has coached NBA greats Michael Jordan, Shaquille ONeal, and Kobe Bryant. Jackson also has a new book called More than a Game, written with Charley Rosen.

His new book on depression, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, (Scribner) came out of a 1998 New Yorker article. He draws on personal experience as well as interviews with patients, physicians, philosophers and drug designers.

Scottish actor Alan Cumming co-wrote, co-directed and is co-starring in the new film The Anniversary Party, along with Jennifer Jason Leigh. His other film appearances include Josie and the Pussycats, Get Carter, Eyes Wide Shut, and Emma. He also starred in the recent revival of Cabaret.

Writer David Sedaris is best known for his contributing work with public radio's This American Life. He's written three books of essays — Barrel Fever, Naked, and his latest, Me Talk Pretty One Day.