Terry Gross

Veteran smokejumper Murray Taylor. He’s been fighting forest fires for over 35 years, is the oldest active smokejumper and the oldest to ever do the job. He’s written a new memoir about his experiences “Jumping Fire: A Smokejumper’s Memoir of Fighting Wildfire.” (Harcourt Inc.)

Writer Joyce Johnson, talks about her relationship to Beat icon Jack Kerouac, and her new book, “Door Wide Open: A Beat Love Affair in letters” (Viking). In 1957, Johnson started a relationship with the then little-known writer Kerouac. 9 months later, Kerouac’s Beat classic “On the Road” was published. Johnson will talk about her two-year, tumultuous love affair with Kerouac, how the publication of “On the Road” changed Kerouac, and she’ll talk about what it was like being young and female and part of the Manhattan bohemian scene.

Husband and wife song writing team, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the duo responsible for such songs as “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling,” “On Broadway,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” “Here You Come Again,” “Don’t Know Much,” and more. The two met when they were both working in the famous songwriting landmark, the Brill Building— Mann as a composer and Weil as a lyricist. The two have been writing ever since. In edition to their many pop hits, Mann and Weil have also written songs for films.

Conductor Maurice Peress. He specializes in reconstructing historic American concerts. He’s worked with Ellington and Bernstein, and is the author of the forthcoming book, “Living With American Music: Dvorak to Duke Ellington.” (ORIGINAL BROADCAST: MAY 18, 2000)

Performances continue and we hear from Tom Riis who compiled and edited a book containing the complete score of “In Dahomey.” Riss directs the American Music Research Center at the University of Colorado and is the author of “Just Before Jazz.” (ORIGINAL BROADCAST: MAY 18, 2000)

We continue the Monday rebroadcasts of our American Popular song series, with a program about composer Will Marion Cook. He was born in 1869 and was part of the first generation born after slavery. Cook was one of the innovators of ragtime song, and helped introduce ragtime to Broadway. Cook wrote “In Dahomey” the first full-length Broadway musical written and performed by African Americans. It opened on Broadway in 1903. Some of Cook’s songs reflect the racial stereotypes and dialect of the time.

Cartoonist Stan Lee-- the creator of such Marvel comic book superheroes as Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, and The X-Men. He joined Marvel comic books at the age of 16, more than 40 years ago. The movie The X-Men, based on his comics, opens this weekend. (ORIGINAL BROADCAST: 10/17/91)

Director and Screenwriter Anthony Minghella. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the 1996 film The English Patient. The movie also won the Oscar for Best Picture. His film The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cate Blanchett is out on video. The film is based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith. (ORIGINAL BROADCAST: 12/22/99)

We talk about the current state of prescription drugs with Doctor Michael Winniford and Doctor Peter Ubel (‘U’-bil). Dr. Winniford is a cardiologist, professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and director of the University’s Heart Care Center. Dr. Ubel is assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and is also on the faculty of the University’s Center for Bioethics. The two doctors will talk about the high cost of prescription drugs, and the problems associated with that cost.

Wayne Barrett, author of the book, “Rudy!: An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani” (Basic Books). Rudolph Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, recently dropped out of the highly visible New York Senate race, after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The Mayor is a controversial figure; some think of him as a savior who has cleaned up Manhattan’s streets, while others see him as a turn around artist and brut. Barrett's book traces Guiliani’s life and career—from college student to U.S. attorney, to mayor of New York City and possible senate candidate.