The History of Irish Ballads

Before becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning style writer for the Washington Post, Paul Hendrickson entered the seminary--just before Vatican II began to transform the Catholic Church. He left weeks before the time came to say his priesthood vows, and writes about the experience in his memoir, Seminary.

Merrill Markoe is one of the few prominent women television writers. She specializes in comedy, and helped launched Late Night with David Letterman. She is currently developing an HBO special show with Harry Shearer.

Critic-at-large Laurie Stone says that the recent crop of movies left her cranky, with their focus on style over substance. But they weren't all bad -- she recommends seeing RoboCop, Withnail and I, and Innerspace.