Terry Gross

This week Murch won an Academy award for editing of the film "The English Patient" Previously, he won an Academy Award for sound design for "Apolcolypse Now." Some of the films he's edited and/or mixed are "The Conversation," "American Graffiti," "Apocalypse Now," "The Godfather (II, and III)"and "Crumb." He's also written a book about his work, "In the Blink of An Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing," (Silman-James Press, L.A.) (REBROADCAST from 4/15/96)

In light of the deaths of rappers Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, a discussion on the culture of rap and the violence that surrounds it with Chicago police officer Eric Davis. He's a member of the rap group the Slick Boys. Davis and two other officers founded the group in 1991 to provide positive role models for the inner-city kids they encountered on their jobs every day. The group has received national acclaim for their songs about the importance of getting an education and staying off of drugs and out of gangs.

A talk with two individuals at the forefront of medical ethics: Robert Baker, Professor of Philosophy at Union College in Schenectady, New York who contends that medicine is in its biggest crisis in 150 years. (It was in 1847 that the AMA wrote it's code of ethics). And Medical Ethicist Art Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Pack Underhill studies what is called retail anthropology, in which he tracks the habits of shoppers in order to learn the best way to convince them to make a purchase. His retail consulting firm, Envirosell, has helped big-name companies such as McDonald's, Levi Strauss, and Blockbuster to study their customers browsing and buying routines.

In 1995, Divakaruni's short story collection "Arranged Marriage" garnered three awards. Her new novel, "The Mistress of Spices," tells the story of a woman whose knowledge of the healing power of spices takes her on a supernatural adventure. Divakaruni teaches creative writing at Foothill College in California and is president of MAITRI, a support hotline for South Asian women.

Ballard's novels often deal with the changes affected by modern science and technology. His novel "Crash" relates these changes to sexually-deviant behavior. The book has been made into a movie by filmmaker David Cronenberg and won an award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festiival. Ballard also wrote the books "Empire of the Sun" and "Concrete Island," among others.

A live on stage conversation between film critic Roger Ebert and film director Martin Scorsese, held at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio in February. They discuss the scope of Scorsese's career.

Hasy won the National Book Critics Circle award for poetry for his book "Sun Under Wood" (Ecco). He's written several books of poetry including "Praise" and "Human Wishes," and edited "The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson & Issa." (The Ecco Press).

McCourt recently won the National Book Critics Circle Award for his memoir "Angela's Ashes" (Scribner) which is still on the bestseller list. Last October he talked with Terry Gross about the book. It recounts his experiences growing up desperately poor in Ireland. McCourt lives in New York. (This interview is REBROADCAST from 10/24/96.)

Cronenberg directed the films "M. Butterfly," "The Fly," "Dead Ringers," and "Naked Lunch," all of which tell a story of sexually deviant behavior. In his new movie "Crash" he continues the theme, combining sex and car wrecks, and explores its place in an age of modern technology.