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Writing Celebrity Autobiographies

William Novak is the go-to ghostwriter for famous people who want to publish a memoir. He's best known for Lee Iacocca's autobiography. Novak is now working with First Lady Nancy Reagan.

09:51
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Other segments from the episode on December 22, 1988

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, December 22, 1988: Interview with Jack Newfield; Review of Jesse Winchester's album " Humour Me" and Guy Clark's album "Old Friends"; Interview with William Novak; Review…
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28:00

Investigating New York City Mayor Ed Koch

Journalist Jack Newfield has cowritten a book with Wayne Barrett, City for Sale, about the corruption associated with New York City mayor Ed Koch, who is currently serving his third term. Newfield calls attention to the political influence of organized crime and the nepotism involved in filling civil service positions.

Interview
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06:06

Two Great Country Songwriters Return with New Albums

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews recent releases by Jesse Winchester and Guy Clark, two country songwriters who are popular with critics, but who haven't yet found mainstream success. Tucker says Winchester's album leans toward new age, while Guy Clark's work may have more in common with folk than country.

Review

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Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

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24:19

James Brown's Ghostwriter Bruce Tucker

Tucker wrote Brown's memoir, The Godfather of Soul, which was recently reprinted. He joins Fresh Air to talk about Brown's rise as a soul singer, the evolution of his stage persona, and his recent conviction and imprisonment, a punishment which Tucker believes is too severe based on the charges.

Interview

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