Biography & Memoir

Rhodes won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award for his book, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." His book, "A Hole in the World," an account of his abused childhood, was critically acclaimed. His new book, "Making Love," is a sexual autobiography, an account of how he used sex to help him work through the trauma of child abuse. It's been called, "A stunning act of self-revelation, bound to create a stir."

Salas is the author of three critically-acclaimed novels. His new book, "Buffalo Nickel," is a novelistic autobiography. Salas's mother died when he was 11 and he was left in the primary care of his two older brothers, Al, a Golden Gloves champion, and Eddy, a college student. Al became involved with drugs and crime; Eddy committed suicide.

Lowry's new non-fiction book, "Crossed Over" was her way to understand the life and death of her son, Peter, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. The book interweaves Peter's story with that of Karla Faye Tucker, a woman on death row in Texas. Both had happy early childhoods but became troubled teenagers, rebellious, angry and out of control.

Lehrer is the cohost of "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour." He has a new autobiography, "A Bus of My Own." He talks to Terry about how he found time to write the book despite his grueling schedule.

Transplant surgeon pioneer Thomas Starzl. Last June he supervised the surgical team that transplanted a baboon's liver into a 35 year-old man who was dying of hepatitis B. It has since become known that the patient was HIV-positive, though he showed no symptoms of the disease. The case raised questions about whether it's ethical to "experiment" on a person who is HIV-positve. Starzl has a new book, called "The Puzzle People."

Kremlin insider Georgi Arbatov. His new book, "The System," is a memoir of his long political career as Director of the Institute for the USA and Canada, the Soviet Union's most influential foreign policy think-tank. He was not a dissident or an enemy of the system; rather, he worked within it. His book begins with his World War II career, chronicles the repressive Stalin era, the Cold War, the August 1991 coup attempt and its aftermath. He's been an adviser to every Soviet leader from Khruschev to Yeltsin.

Sean and Judy Barron. This son and mother have written a book together, "There's A Boy in Here," about Sean's escape from autism. Sean tells of the rigid rules he developed to control the world which had been terrifying to him since birth. Sean's parents refused to let him withdraw, and after years of interrupting his isolation, he gradually emerged. Sean has graduated from college and is pursuing a degree in occupational therapy.

Kittredge is best known for his writings about the West of the United States. He grew up on a ranch in southeastern Oregon and ranched himself for ten years. He also taught for years at the University of Montana. His new book is a memoir, "Hole in the Sky," about the land owned by his family for three generations.

In light of the current debate over abortion and "family values," critic Maureen Corrigan reviews the new biography of social reformer and birth control champion Margaret Sanger, by Ellen Chesler.

Monette's book "Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir," published in 1988, was one of the first memoirs to be published about AIDS. It told the story of his lover's two year struggle with AIDS. Since then, Monette has watched another lover die of AIDS, and has been diagnosed with AIDS himself. Monette's new memoir about his life before he came out of the closet at the age of 25 is called "Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story."

Journalist and biographer Nick Tosches. His new biography is "Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams," (by Doubleday). It's about singer Dean Martin but it also looks at the culture that created him. He was part of the mob culture, and Hollywood's "Rat Pack." The book also delves into the reasons for the infamous breakup between Dean Martin and his comedy partner, Jerry Lewis. Dean Martin is now 75 years old.

Physician and photographer David Heiden. Heiden worked in the refugee camps of eastern Sudan during the Ethiopian famine of 1985. His book, "Dust to Dust," chronicles the experience using his personal journal entries and photographs. Heiden has also been a medical relief worker at refugee camps in Thailand and Somolia. (published by Temple University Press, Philadelphia).

Former Democratic presidential candidate Paul Tsongas. He talks with Terry about the campaign process and being on the campaign trail. Also his book, "Heading Home," has just been reissued. It's about his fight with and recovery from cancer. (Vintage Books).

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "Intellectual Memoirs," by Mary McCarthy. It's the last book by McCarthy and its about her years in New York 1936-1938.

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews "The Bride Price," by Grete Weil. The book is half autobiography, and half biblical story. (published by David Godine)

Paul Theroux ("Thuh-RUE") is no ordinary travel writer: his books are about exotic voyages, some by train, and others by foot. His work includes "The Great Railway Bazaar," "The Old Patagonian Express," and "The Kingdom By The Sea." He's also a novelist, perhaps best known for "The Mosquito Coast," which became a film starring Harrison Ford. In his latest book, " The Happy Isles of Oceania," Theroux explores the far-off Pacific Islands, traveling from island to island in a one-man, collapsible kayak.

Pro Golfer Charlie Sifford. He was the first black admitted to the PGA in 1961. Even so, he's found that blacks are still not welcome in the game of golf. His new book is "Just Let Me Play," written by Sifford with James Gullo (by British American Publishing, 19 British American Boulevard, Latham, New York, 12110).

Glenda Lockwood. She and her family were living in Kuwait when the Iraqis invaded in August 1990. Later the family was taken to Bagdad as "human shields" and Glenda's son, Stuart Lockwood, was seen on international television being coaxed by Saddam Hussein. It was a propaganda effort on Hussein's part that failed, and ended up infuriating viewers around the world. Glenda Lockwood's new book is " Dairy of a Human Shield." (by Bloomsbury, distributed by Trafalgar Square, North Pomfret, Vermont 05053).

Writer and professor Gayle Pemberton. She is associate director of Afro-American Studies at Princeton University. Her new book, The Hottest Water in Chicago: on family, race, time, and American culture, is a collection of autobiographical essays. Pemberton was born into a northern black middle-class family in the late 1940s. (by Faber & Faber)

Frances Lear founded Lear's Magazine. At one time she was married to TV producer Norman Lear, and though her life, from the outside, seems quite pleasant and successful, her new memoir "The Second Seduction" details a life full of pain.