Terry Gross

Wideman is the author of "Fatheralong: A Meditation on Fathers and Sons, Race and Society," which explores his relationship with both his father and his son. Wideman's earlier book, "Brothers and Keepers," tells of his relationship with his brother, who, like his son, was convicted of murder. He is also the author of novels and short stories, and is a professor of English literature.

Twenty-five years ago, most of the middle class wasn't involved in Wall Street affairs, and investments were for the rich. Now that's changed, in what financial journalist Joseph Nocera calls "a money revolution." Nocera has written "A Piece of the Action: How the Middle Class Joined the Money Class." The book explores how the middle class became involved in the stock market, largely, he says, through the rise of credit cards, mutual funds, and discount brokerage houses.

Wilson has spent most of his life studying ants and other insects, and has written a number of books on the subject. He co-authored the critically-acclaimed "The Ants," with Bert Holldobler. The pair have just published a sequel to that work, "Journey to the Ants." Wilson has also written a memoir, called "Naturalist."

Children's book writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak. He's been at it for over 40 years. His books are classics: "Where the Wild Things Are," "In the Night Kitchen," and others. They are "unsentimental fantasies" (LA Times Magazine), challenging the belief that children should be protected from their fears and anxieties. (Rebroadcast)

Dr. David Spiegel is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. His groundbreaking study of breast cancer patients showed that women who had psychosocial interventon lived twice as long, after diagnosis, as those without that intervention. His book, "Living Beyond Limits" covers current research on mind/body interactions, how to build sustaining support networks, control pain through self-hypnosis and detoxify fears of dying.

Writer Laurie Garrett has been a science reporter for NPR, New York "Newsday," "Omni," and other publications. She wrote the new book, "The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance." It explores the emergence of new infectious viruses like AIDS and Ebola, and the new strains of known diseases that are resistant to many treatments. Garrett examines the conditions that favor the spread of these microbes and looks at possible solutions to stop the diseases.

We continue our interview with Laurie Garrett. Her new book about communicable diseases is called "The Coming Plague."

Professor John Dominic Crossan is a native of Ireland, ordained as a priest in the U.S. (he left the priesthood in 1969). He now teaches biblical studies at DePaul University. Crossan is a founding member of the Jesus Seminar, a group of scholars who meet to determine the authenticity of Jesus' sayings in the Gospels. He wrote "Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography," which seeks to place Jesus in the context of his Jewish, Mediterranean and peasant roots; to see him as a Socratic philosopher and radical egalitarian. (Rebroadcast)

The two actors co-wrote and co-starred in the 1981 film, "My Dinner with Andre." They have since worked on many other projects individually in television, theater, and film. They have now collaborated again in "Vanya on 42nd Street," a film adaptation of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya."

Robertson was a guitarist and songwriter for The Band until their break-up in 1976. Since then, he has put out solo albums and written film soundtracks for director Martin Scorsese. His newest work is "The Native Americans," inspired by his Native American heritage.