Terry Gross

Barry is best known for his play, "The Steward of Christendom," as well as for his commentaries on the troubles in Ireland for the The New York Times. He's written a new novel, "The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty" (Viking). It's about a naive Irishman who joins the British Merchant Navy during World War I, and then is blacklisted from his beloved hometown by the Royal Irish Constabulatory. A review from Kirkus Reviews says the book is "one of the best novels out of Ireland in many a year."

Director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, Bruce Hoffman. He's been studying terrorism for 20 years, and advises governments and businesses around the world about it. He has a new book about the history of terrorism is, "Inside Terrorism" (Columbia University Press).

Former governor of Massachusetts (1991-1997) William Weld. As a Republican, he's been criticized by many of his fellow party members for his un-Republican-like stances. He's pro-gay, pro-choice on abortion, and he endorses condom distribution in public schools. He'll talk with Terry about breaking rank with other Republicans, especially in light of today's partisan politics. Weld is also the author of a novel, "Mackerel by Moonlight" (Simon & Schuster)

Journalist Philip Gourevitch is a staff writer for "The New Yorker" and is author of the new book, "We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families: stories from Rwanda" (Farrar Straus and Giroux). It's about the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 and it's aftermath. That spring and summer at least 800,000 people were killed in just one hundred days when the Hutu led government implemented a policy of murder against the minority Tutsis

Novelist and screenwriter John Ridley. He's written for the sitcoms "Martin," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," and "The John Larroquette Show." He also wrote the screenplay for "U-Turn," directed by Oliver Stone and starring Sean Penn. He's also a former stand-up comic. His latest work is a novel, "Love is a Racket" (Knopf).

Guest-host Barbara Bogaev interviews journalist Phil Patton, author of "Dreamland: Travels Inside the Secret World of Roswell and Area 51" (Villard Books). Patton writes about the place in the Nevada desert where the U.S. Government tests top-secret experimental military aircraft. It doesn't exist on a map, and drawings, photography, and any such depiction of the area is prohibited. Conspiracy theorists, followers of UFO's, and secret plane enthusiasts have all latched on to the place. Patton writes the "Public Eye" column for The New York Times.

Terry's interview with Allegra Goodman, the author of the novel, "Kaaterskill Falls" (Dial Press) about an orthodox Jewish family in upstate New York. This is Goodman's first novel. Her previous work, a collection of stories, "The Family Markowitz," was hailed by critics. One critic for the New York Times writes, "Goodman is brillant at capturing the clutter of both interior and exterior life. . .These stories sound like no one else's as she sharply appraises the shifts and quandaries of one variety of American Jewish life."

Mizrahi has been called a "creative visionary" in today's fashion industry. Yet he announced yesterday that he would close his business because Chanel Inc, which has bankrolled him since 1992 has quit financing him. Apparently Mizrahi's fashion line never took hold, and has been experiencing financial losses for years. In 1995 the documentary "Unzipped" was made about Mizrahi and his life. (REBROADCAST from 12/3/97)

Shock-rock star Marilyn Manson has developed a following as a cross-dressing anti-Christ. He's been likened to Alice Cooper for his ghoulish theatricality. He's also been the subject of Senate subcommittee hearings, and his concerts have been banned. His 1996 album "Antichrist Superstar" was a hit. He's written his autobiography "The Long Hard Road out of Hell" (Regan Books) about his childhood as Brian Wagner in a dysfunctional home in Canton, Ohio.