Today 9/12/05 on Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

Writer, professor and Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan is one of those lucky people in life who has been able to combine her passion with her profession. She discusses her new memoir, Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading. What a great title. Funny! I can almost hear my wife saying these same words when I mistakenly ask her a question when she's holding a book.

All right, after seeing his frazzled hair, lined face and bow tie, many of you may think that I've officially cracked. But I stand by my declaration: No man in the entertainment industry even comes close to the animal magnetism projected by James Burke. If you clicked on that link you're probably giggling by now. "But Charity! He's just a goofy BBC Television host!", you say. And I say, "Bah!" The reality is that this man has a brain calculated to make ladies swoon for miles around.

September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. Judith Ortiz Cofer would be a perfect place to begin your reading, as a storyteller born in Puerto Rico, she writes with a poetic exactness and a respect for her culture. Call Me Maria is her newest title for Teens, in which the main character tells her story in poems, letters, and prose. Cofer's book An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio won the Pura Belpre Award and the Americas Award, among others. This i

On the Diane Rehm show Thursday July 22 guest host Susan Page of USA Today interviewed Kristin Gore about her book. Many novels are set in Washington, but Sammy's Hill, the story of a young Capitol Hill staffer, is written by a true D.C. insider. Kristin Gore talks about how growing up in a political family shaped her first novel.

Kristin Gore is a novelist and television screenwriter. She is the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore.

When a family reads three or four picture books a night as part of the bedtime ritual, it is easy to lose sight of the concept of picture books as art.
A current exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago reminds us how talented picture book illustrators can be. The exhibit is called Fantasy, Facts and Furry Friends: Caldecott Medal and Honor Books, 2001-2005. You can view the original artwork and the finished book side by side. Many different styles of art are featured. Kevin Henkes' 2005 Caldecott winner Kitten's First Full Moon, completely drawn in black and white, is showcased. Brian Collier's lush jewel-toned illustrations for Doreen Rappaport's Martin's Big Words are included. Mo Willems' famous pigeon from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus is there along with many others.
If you're in the Chicago area, don't miss this exhibit. It runs through October 30.

Most Wanted, the greatest hits collection by Hilary Duff tops the Billboard 200 this week. Hilary Duff has a greatest hits collection despite only releasing two studio albums, Hilary Duff and Metamorphosis. This is the second Billboard 200 No. 1 for Hilary Duff.

Vacations are the perfect time to sit back and read, and my vacation last week was no exception. The family cottage in the Les Cheneaux Islands (think outhouses and walking a half mile for drinking water) was lovely, even if my family wasn't, and when we weren't swimming or bickering, we were reading.

My father read Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen and highly recommends it as a funny and clever thriller. He also read A Cold Day in Paradise, a UP mystery by Steve Hamilton that won an Edgar Award. (More adult, teen and kids books after the break!)

Tasha Tudor, one of the most famous and acclaimed children’s author/illustrators in the world will be 90 years old on August 28, 2005. Some favorite books of hers are Corgiville Fair, Take Joy! The Tasha Tudor Christmas Book, A is for Annabelle and Becky’s Christmas. Stay well Tasha Tudor and Happy Birthday!!

Books for girls ages 8 - 12 are always in demand. Consider the popularity of such titles as Because of Winn Dixie, Ida B, Spitting Image, and Walk Two Moons. All of these books have strong girl protaganists who learn about life and how to make their place in it.

The first youth title by author Karry Madden, Gentle's Holler, can be added to this list. 12-year-old Livy longs to see the world outside the small mountain house she shares with her parents and eight siblings. Being a part of such a large family is an issue. Her father's pipe dream of writing a hit song is another. He spends his time trying to sell his music rather than working at a paying job. Gentle, Livy's younger sister, is blind. The family has many issues but few resources to deal with them. How Livy makes her way in these circumstances is the heart of this story. It's highly recommended for fans of "girl books".

Road to Detroit, a national group that aims to revitalize the US auto industry with a more socially and environmentally responsible vision, is hosting a Drive the Future Weekend on August 20-22. In addition to attending one of the events in Detroit, AADL has a few books to jump start your education in how to make your own motor fuel, including how to use vegetable oils as fuel and alcohol as fuel. Or check out Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy (left), by Greg Pahl (2005).