Terry Gross

In her new book "Bird by Bird," Lamott talks about the nuts and bolds of how to write, but also how to live a writer's life. Her last book was the memoir "Operating Instructions."

The Washington Post has called Lebowitz "the funniest woman in America." She's come out with her first children's book, "Mr. Chas and Lisa Sue Meet the Pandas." In 1978 she wrote the critically acclaimed essay collection "Metropolitan Life." Lebowitz joins Fresh Air to talk about how her relationship with writing has changed now that she's middle-aged.

From the Metropolitan Opera, soprano Dawn Upshaw. She has a new recording of Broadway showtunes, called "I Wish It So." It includes lesser known works by Marc Blitzstein and Kurt Weill as well as songs by Sondheim and Bernstein. Upshaw has played more then 20 roles at the Met, including "The Marriage of Figaro" and the recently completed "Idomeneo," both by Mozart. (Rebroadcast)

Frazier is the author of "Family," a book which traces his ancestors back to the 1600s. His inspiration for the book came from old letters he found after the death of his parents in 1987 and 1988. Frazier is also the author of "Dating Your Mom," "Nobody Better, Better Than Nobody," and "Great Plains." He is a regular contributor to the "New Yorker." (Rebroadcast)

Film critic Stephen Schiff shares his top ten picks for 1994. Terry also asks him about the growing number of independent American films, the state of Hollywood, and the message of Forrest Gump.

Reverend Youngblood is the leader of St. Paul Community Baptist Church in one of Brooklyn's poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods. Youngblood came to the church and turned it around from a dying institution to a thriving center for religious and community activity. It has created a school and, through innovative programs, brought young black men back into the church. St. Paul's has also, as part of a coalition with other churches, built housing in the area and replaced brothels and numbers joints. "Upon This Rock: The Miracles of a Black Church" by Samuel G.

The alto player has performed with preachers like, E.V. Hill, Billy Graham, and Bishop L. H. Ford. His saxophone was considered too raucous for the gospel circuit when he began playing in the mid-60's, but eventually he became a favorite on the evangelical circuit. Terry interview him in 1991 when his album "I'm Alive" was released. (Rebroadcast)

Williams is a a writer and naturalist-in-residence at the Utah Museum of Natural History. Born a Utah Mormon, Williams has written several books about the environment and the West, such as "Coyote's Canyon" and "Earthly Messengers." Her most recent book, "Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place," concerns her mother's unsuccessful battle with cancer and the flooding of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge by the rising Great Salt Lake waters.

The journalist and professor hosted the PBS series, "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America," which aired in 1993. There's also a companion book to it, with the same title. He tells Terry about his experiences being raised by Christian fundamentalist parents. (Rebroadcast)

Religion historian Martin Marty who teaches at the University of Chicago, and is one of the foremost authorities on religion and society. He's the author of a four-volume work on religion in the 20th century. His new work is a multi-volume look at fundamentalism. The first volume has just been published. (Rebroadcast)