Society & Culture

William Whyte says that dense, urban areas foster social interaction and a sense of belonging. His bases his claim on research dating back to the 1960s. His new book, which outlines his findings, is called Cities.

Al Young was a singer and guitar player before he became writer. His books incorporate his jazz and film influences, as well as his experiences growing up outside white, mainstream culture. His new book, about a black actress, is called Seduction by Light.

Garrison Keillor retired from the public radio show A Prairie Home Companion in 1987. He says he was overwhelmed by the celebrity, and wanted to focus on writing fiction. Keillor moved with his wife from his native St. Paul to New York City. His recent novel is called Leaving Home; a forthcoming collection of short stories is titled We Are Still Married.

That student was Fresh Air's critic-at-large Laurie Stone. Stone studied with the feminist writer at Barnard. She was excited by Millet's enthusiasm for art and literature, and was emboldened by Millett's sincere belief in Stone's own potential.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new, gauzy picture by Joel Schumacher, and starring Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini. He says the movie, a remake of a French film, has all the tired trappings of other romances, but the acting is better than he expected.

Psychologist Judith Wallerstein completed a long-term study to learn the effects of divorce on families, especially on children. She says that kids often bear the responsibility of giving their parents emotional support, and that the impact on the children's own lives often won't manifest itself until years later.

Willis is known for taking on diverse topics ranging from rock music, pornography, and domesticity. Now in her 40s, she is raising a child with her partner -- an arrangement, she admits, resembles the nuclear family in all but name. Willis is the senior editor at the Village Voice.

Leavitt's writing focuses on the family lives of gay men and women. He says families can alternately be sanctuaries and dangerous communities for for them. His new book, set in the suburbs, is called Equal Affections.

Frank Chin is critical of many other contemporary Asian American writers; their works, he says, rely too much on western forms, cater to white audiences, and misrepresent Asian culture. His new collection of short stories, The Chinaman Pacific & Frisco R.R. Co, reveals his own perspectives on the Chinese American experience.

Hines started tap dancing at the age of five, and worked in clubs with his brother and father. He made a career on Broadway, and later appeared in movies like The Cotton Club and White Knights. His new movie is called Tap.

Historian Lawrence Levine's new book examines the split between high and low culture. He argues that one should look at cultural horizontally -- rather than vertically -- in order to see how different kinds of art and media interact with each other, and are consumed by different social groups.

Book critic John Leonard says that V.S. Naipal's book about his travels in the American South reflects a tourist's mindset. The author's sentimental perspective prevents him from seeing the complicated race and class issues that shape the region.

Sallie Bingham came from a family of newspaper magnates. After she was ejected from her paper's board of directors, she sold her share of stocks to fund various organizations for women in her home state of Kentucky. The Bingham family's internecine conflicts later came under public scrutiny, and was the subject of two books. Sallie Bingham's new memoir, Passion and Prejudice, tells her side of the story.

Rock historian Ed Ward says the city has long celebrated the holiday with rock music, some of which incorporated Black Indian traditions and style.

Thomas Maeder's mother and father were both psychologists. Inspired by his own experience, Maeder interviewed dozens of other children of mental health workers to gain insights into their family life. His new book, Children of Psychiatrists and Other Psychotherapists, presents his findings.

Under the guidance of editor Bob Woodward, Washington Post reporter Leon Dash lived in a housing project in Washington, D.C. to learn more about the rise of teenage parenthood among poor African American teenagers. He says that both adolescent boys and girls see parenthood as an achievement. Dash expanded his reporting into a book called When Children Want Children.

Book critic Stuart Klawan reviews Frank Chin's new collection of short stories, The Chinaman Pacific & Frisco R.R. Co, features what the author deems "badass" working class Chinese Americans on the West Coast. Klawans says the book is written with wild intensity and a sense of sociocultural outrage.

Tobias Wolff's acclaimed new memoir tells the story of the author's early life with his poor, single mother. The book serves as a unique counterpoint to Wolff's brother Geoffrey's own memoir about life with their father. Tobias Wolff joins Fresh Air to discuss his memories of growing up and how he transformed himself into the person he is today.

Johnny Otis, who was born to Greek parents, claimed he became black by immersing himself in African American communities and culture. He later opened a blues club in Los Angeles, and helped promote new talent in the scene. Rock historian Ed Ward tells his story.

Martin Duberman's new book delves deep into the complicated political and artistic life of the African American actor and activist. Book critic John Leonard admires how exhaustive the biography is, and how it never shies away from difficult topics like Robeson's womanizing and depression.