Terry Gross

Religion scholar Karen Armstrong. The best-selling author of The History of God, and The Battle for God, has a new book about the life of Buddha. From North India, Sidhatta Gotama, renounced normal life, leaving his wife and child to live alone and attain enlightenment. He found it through his own experiences, did not rely on a supernatural God, and fought against the cult of personality that would turn him into a leader. Instead the Buddha taught his disciples to discover the truth within themselves.

He directed the new HBO movie Wit based on the Pulitzer-prize winning off-Broadway play about a college professor dying of ovarian cancer. (It premieres on HBO Saturday, March 24 at 9PM). Nichols is also the director of The Graduate (for which he won an Oscar for Best Director), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Silkwood, Working Girl, and Primary Colors. Before he became a film director NICHOLS was known for his popular comedy improvisations with Elaine May.

February 24th marks the 10th anniversary of the use of ground forces during the Gulf War. NPRs Neal Conan talks with two former lieutenants who were tank platoon leaders with the 24th Infantry Division: Alex Verdon and Greg Downey. The two were just out of college and leading platoons for the first time. They tell their story in the new book, The Eyes of Orion.

Former press secretary for Reagan and Bush, Marlin Fitzwater. He spent 17 years as a government flak before being appointed to his position in the Reagan White House. He wrote about his experiences in the memoir, Call the Briefing! He has a new novel coming out this spring called Esthers Pillow.

From the Library of Congress, Recording Sound Specialist, Samuel Brylawski and Acquisition Specialist Cooper Graham. The two compiled a collection of presidential speeches dating back 85 years Historic Presidential Speeches (1908-1993) (on Rhino/World Beat label). It begins with William Howard Taft, recorded during the presidential campaign of 1908.

Military affairs correspondent for the New York Times, Michael Gordon. He former Moscow bureau chief for the paper. He covered the war in Chechnya when the Times was one of only two Western news organizations allowed in Chechnya by the Russian military. Gordon also covered the Gulf War and the war in Kosovo, and is co-author of the book The Generals' War about the Gulf War.

Two collections of Oliver Stone's films have been released on DVD, including the films: Any Given Sunday, JFK, Natural Born Killers, Heaven and Earth, Born on the Fourth of July, Wall Street, The Doors, Nixon, Talk Radio, and U Turn. The collections include extended scenes, trailers, and directors commentary.

Kathleen Hanna and Johanna Fateman of the band, Le Tigre . Hanna was the lead singer of the 90s band Bikini Kill. Bikini Kill was part of the music/cultural/feminist movement know as Riot Grrl, which focused on the concept of girl power and young womens empowerment. The movement was based primarily in Washington, DC and Olympia, WA, and its members formed bands, wrote fanzines, and held meetings, protests and festivals. Hanna was a leader and spokesperson for the movement. Her first solo project after Bikini Kill was called Julie Ruin. She then formed Le Tigre.

Bundles is former Washington deputy bureau chief for ABC News, and an award winning producer. Her new book is a biographer of her great-great-grandmother Madam C.J. Walker, On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, . Walker was the daughter of slaves, and a widow at the age of 20. She built a business empire creating hair products for African-American women, and then turned her wealth into philanthropy. Her friends included W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.

The topic is circumcision. Author David Gollaher. He is president and CEO of the public policy group, California Healthcare Institute and is the author of Circumcision: A History of the Worlds Most Controversial Surgery.