Haruki Murakami By Laura Miller
The outsider: on the darkness of the subconscious, the Aum cult subway gas attack and being an individualist in Japan
(12/16/97)
Mark Leyner By Laura Miller
Untethered ego: Mark Leyner talks about how humor is underrated, how no one believes in fiction and how he (and an ape) are the real authors of "Infinite Jest"
(12/08/97)
Allan Gurganus By Dwight Garner
When boys were boys: Allan Gurganus tells all about his relationship with John Cheever, learning to write on an aircraft carrier, Whitman's heroism and the redemptive power of laughter
(12/08/97)
David Mamet By Richard Covington
The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright trashes the Internet, denounces "Schindler's List" and praises summer movies as the reappearance of ancient mystery cults
(10/24/97)
Edmund White By Daniel Reitz
The author of "The Farewell Symphony" talks about the mad, bad glory days of gay life in New York City
(10/15/97)
Caleb Carr By Dwight Garner
The author discusses serial killers, murderous moms and growing up terrorized by the Beats
(10/06/97)
Arundhati Roy By Reena Jana
The author of "The God of Small Things" talks about India, the obscenity charge she faces and how writing is like architecture
(09/30/97)
Gary Oldman By Richard Covington
He plays vampires and sadists, suicidal punks and assorted fiends and weirdos. But don't call him crazy
(07/09/97)
Peter Greenaway By Christopher Hawthorne
The director of "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover" talks about sensationalism, nudity, the death of cinema, his passion for lists, his new film, "The Pillow Book," and his big plans for the Internet
(06/06/97)
Tom Clancy By John Donnelly
An explosive interview with the bestselling author and Gen. Fred Franks about their boook on the Gulf War
(06/04/97)
Robert Hughes By Gary Kamiya
The self-described "print asshole" on his nervous breakdown, why the curator of the Whitney is a "twit" and why painting will never die
(05/23/97)
Mary Karr By Dwight Garner
The author talks about the ongoing success of "The Liars' Club," the memoir backlash and settling scores
(05/21/97)
Fernanda Eberstadt By Cynthia Joyce
The author of "When the Sons of Heaven Meet the Daughters of the Earth" talks about offensiveness, the perils of success and the "false religion" of New York's contemporary art scene
(05/05/97)
Jeanette Winterson By Laura Miller
The cosmic, carnal world of England's literary outlaw
(04/28/97)
Robert Stone By Dwight Garner
The apostle of the strung-out
(04/14/97)
Bill T. Jones By Richard Covington
Is a beautiful dance in itself enough?
(3/28/97)
David Cronenberg By Susie Bright
The "Crash" director talks about gender-bending, propaganda and the sexual iconography of the Edsel
(03/21/97)
Susie Bright By David Talbot
America's leading crusader for good, dirty fun talks about our cheap strip-tease culture, the state of porn and the free-for-all potential of the Internet
(03/18/97)
John Irving By Joan Smith
The author takes his lack of talent seriously
(03/03/97)
Margaret Atwood By Laura Miller
The author of "Alias Grace" discusses famous Victorian murderesses, her claim to Connecticut, and the deep satisfaction of a clean, folded towel
(01/20/96)
Eddy L. Harris By David Talbot
Why does a black man have to be black?
(01/06/96)
Oliver Sacks By Dwight Garner
The author of "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" on "Star Trek," the Grateful Dead, colorblindness and his life as a creature of habit
(12/23/96)
Tobias Wolff By Joan Smith
The author of "This Boy's Life" and "The Night in Question" on his father's anti-semitism, America's nomadic literature and ominous weight of everyday life
(12/16/96)
James Ellroy By Laura Miller
The author of "My Dark Places" on the search for his mother's killer, the stupidity of hard-boiled detective stories, and why he hates rock 'n' roll
(12/09/96)
Ruth Reichl By Dwight Garner
Dishing the dirt with the restaurant critic for the New York Times
(11/18/96)
John Edgar Wideman By Laura Miller
The author of "Brothers and Keepers," "Fatheralong" and the new "The Cattle Killing" talks about the folly of integration (and segregation), privacy and the possibility of transformation
(11/11/96)
Laura Esquivel By Joan Smith
The author of "Like Water for Chocolate" on love and other illegal acts
(11/04/96)
Joan Didion By Dave Eggers
The celebrated novelist and essayist talks about her new novel, "The Last Thing He Wanted"; writing with a computer; the elections; and the elusiveness of success
Text-only version
(10/28/96)
John le Carré By Andrew Ross
The master of the secret world, author of the new book "The Tailor of Panama," on deception, storytelling and American hubris
Text-only version
(10/21/96)
William Gibson By Scott Rosenberg
The author of "Neuromancer" on the joys of the Web, artificial celebrities and his new novel, "Idoru"
(10/14/96)
Stephen Jay Gould By Scott Rosenberg
The eminent essayist and paleontologist talks about his new "Full House," the fallacy of evolutionary progress, creationism and extraterrestrial life
(09/23/96)
Mike Leigh By Laura Miller
The director of "Naked" and "Life is Sweet" on the perils of Hollywood, the problem of politics and what his characters eat for breakfast
(09/16/96)
Mark Morris By Richard Covington
The dance world's bad boy on the thrill of simplicity, the horror of auditioning and the perils of gay marriage
(09/09/96)
Paul Theroux By Dwight Garner
The reclusive author of "The Great Railway Bazaar" and the controversial new novel "My Other Life" discusses lies, danger, the horrors of travel and why he hates to be interviewed
(09/02/96)
Frederick Wiseman By Richard Covington
America's legendary documentary filmmaker -- director of "Titicut Follies," "High School," and "Model" -- discusses truth, privacy and following his nose
Plus: a review of "La Comédie Française" By Gary Kamiya
(08/26/96)
Merce Cunningham By Cynthia Joyce
After 50 years in the avant-garde, the modern dance choreographer is using computers to craft "Ocean," his final collaboration with the late John Cage
(07/22/96)
Mark Helprin By Mark Schapiro
The award-winning novelist ("A Winter's Tale") who penned Bob Dole's Senate resignation speech talks about war, death, politics and lies
(07/15/96)
Richard Ford By Sophie Majeski
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Independence Day" and "The Sportswriter" talks about women and men, language, the South, and why he moves so often
(07/08/96)
Sharon Olds By Dwight Garner
The poet talks about breathing, the Pope's penis and the necessity of getting out of art's way
(07/01/96)
Calvin Trillin By Laura Miller
In his new book, "Messages From My Father," the food writer and humorist gets serious about fathers and sons
(06/24/96)
A.S. Byatt By Laura Miller
The British author of "Possession" talks about her new "Babel Tower," bloody revolutions, feminist dilemmas, and the advantages of book-learning over experience
(06/17/96)
Tony Kushner By Chris Hawthorne
The Pulitzer winning playwright sounds off on Clinton, Hollywood and America's biggest taboo
(06/10/96)
Jerry Brown By Fred Branfman
Once the man of the hour, the former California governor now issues jeremiads from the political wilderness
(06/03/96)
Jay McInerny By Dwight Garner
Bright lights, bad reviews -- Jay McInerny on the aftermath of literary stardom
(05/27/96)
Martin Cruz Smith By Sophie Majeski
The author of "Gorky Park" found the iconclastic, pants-wearing "pit girls" of North England's coal mines an irresistible subject for his new historical novel, "Rose"
(05/20/96)
Julian Barnes By Carl Swanson
The author of "Flaubert's Parrot" and the new story collection "Cross Channel" on fact-fetishists, mad cows, "old fartery" and literary dish
(05/13/96)
Louise Erdrich By Robert Spillman
The novelist talks about her new "Tales of Burning Love," her Native American roots, and how being a mother has made her a more emotionally engaged writer
(05/06/96)
Al Sharpton By Dwight Garner
To many blacks, he's a voice of salutary outrage. To many whites, he's a dangerous buffoon. Will the real Al Sharpton please stand up?
(04/22/96)
Fiona Shaw By Richard Covington
The actress acclaimed as "the next Vanessa Redgrave" discusses her adventures in a most dangerous profession
(04/06/96)
Nicholson Baker By Laura Miller
The author of "Vox" and "The Fermata" talks about the public trials of writing about sex and the private joy of writing on a rubber spatula
(03/23/96)
David Foster Wallace By Laura Miller
The author of the mammoth, erudite, maddening novel "Infinite Jest" talks about life in America on the verge of the millennium, Kant, tennis and why his book is 1,079 pages long
(03/09/96)
John Updike
The last great American man of letters talks about the movies, presidential adultery and the literary life, past and present
(02/24/96)
Al Franken
Stuart Smalley's creator reminds Rush Limbaugh — whom he loves — that every time you point a finger at someone else, three fingers are pointing back at you
Salman Rushdie
The great novelist talks about his stunning new book, "The Moor's Last Sigh," the stories that hold families together and the art of writing under sentence of death
(01/27/96)
Jamaica Kincaid
The Antiguan author of the new novel "Autobiography of My Mother," who went from being a penniless au pair to a staff writer for The New Yorker, recently resigned in disgust at Tina Brown's editorship. She speaks frankly about Brown and her own mother, who "should not have had children"
(01/13/96)
Helen Mirren
The brainy and talented star of "Prime Suspect" and "The Madness of King George" talks with characteristic candor about the "brutality" of the Hollywood system and the "pomposity" of European filmmakers
Plus: Terry George on directing Mirren
(12/30/95)
Oliver Stone
The director of "Nixon" talks about his empathy for the most reviled president of our time
(12/16/95)
Lindsay Duran
An Interview with Sense & Sensibility Producer
(12/12/95)
Amy Tan
The author talks about the ghosts that inhabit her latest novel, "The Hundred Secret Senses," and her struggles with her emotional demons
Plus: Amy Tan's Book Bag
(11/12/95)