Immigration

Novelist and translator Richard Lourie. His new novel is titled Zero Gravity and follows his successful debut First Loyalty. Lourie has been closely involved with the Russian and Polish underground intelligentsia and the emigre communities in America.

Writer Jan Novak. He has just published his second English novel, titled The Grand Life. His first was titled The Willys Dream Kit. Novak emigrated to the United States from Czechoslovakia 17 years ago.

Writer Joan Didion. Known for her self-reflective essays and reporting, Didion is one of America's most important writers. Her books include A Book of Common Prayer, Slouching Toward Bethlehem and Salvador. With her husband John Gregory Dunne, she co-wrote the screenplay for "True Confessions." Her new book is titled Miami.

Hankus Netsky is the founder and leader of the Klezmer Conservatory Band. Klezmer mixes traditional Yiddish and Israeli music with American influences. Netsky joins the show to discuss the history of the genre and to share 78-records of klezmer music from the 1920s.

The author has a new novel called Mosquito Coast, which he describes as a family adventure novel in the tradition of Treasure Island. In fiction and real life, he is interested in the impulse to leave one's home country, either as a traveler or an immigrant.

South African poet and anti-apartheid activist Dennis Brutus was in part responsible for blocking his home country's athletes from participating in the Olympic games. After leaving the country to avoid political persecution, he now faces possible deportation from the United States.

Carlos Fuentes is writer whose work often deals with Mexican history. His most famous work is the novel "The Death of Artemio Cruz," and he's recently published a collection of short stories, "Burnt Water." Fuentes has worked as a diplomat, and is also a professor. He is known for his left-of-center politics and criticism of U. S. intervention in Latin America. He joins the show to describe his career, life, and Mexico.

Author Jerzy Kozinski's new novel, Passion Play, is about polo and middle age. He talks about adopting the English language, sexuality in his fiction, and the state of the publishing industry.

Nigerian drummer Olatunji discusses African immigration to the United States, American attitudes toward Africa, and his unexpected popularity in the West.