Business & Economy

Journalist Erik Larson's article, "The Story of a Gun," is the cover story on this month's issue of "The Atlantic." It tells the tale of what happens with a gun, beginning with the maker, to the dealer, and to the murderer who uses it. Larson claims there is a de facto conspiracy of gun dealers, gun manufacturers, and federal regulators, "which makes guns all too easy to come by and virtually assures their eventual use in the bedrooms, alleys, and school yards of America."

Wall Street Journal correspondent Erik Larson is interested in how companies know the intimate details of our lives. His new book, The Naked Consumer, is an investigation into direct marketing techniques--how corporations collect the vast network of data they use to market their products.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews "Toys." It was originally going to be director Levinson's debut movie, but studios deemed it too complicated for a first time director.

The poet, essayist and fiction writer's new book is "Fidelity," a collection of stories about birth, life, death and nature in a small Kentucky town. He's worked as both a college professor and a farmer. Berry is concerned with the widespread development of undeveloped lands.

Political Economist Barry Bluestone and former United Auto Workers (UAW) Vice President and Barry's father, Irving Bluestone. Irving retired from his position at the UAW and as director of its General Motors department in 1980. Barry teaches economics at the University of Massachusetts. Together, they have written "Negotiating The Future," which offers suggestions for greater collaboration between labor and management.

Caine has made over 70 films, from Alfie to Sleuth to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to Hannah and Her Sisters. He has a new autobiography called "What's It All About?," and will be appearing in the upcoming Muppet's Christmas movie.

The chairman of The Walt Disney Studios previously served as president of production for Paramount Pictures. Since Katzenberg has been at Disney, the studio has produced hits such as "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," "Dick Tracy," and "Pretty Woman." Disney's latest release is "Aladdin," an animated musical fantasy starring Robin Williams that promises to follow the box-office success of "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast."

Harvard political economist Robert Reich. He advised his good friend President-elect Bill Clinton on economic issues. He talks about the economic challenges facing Clinton.

New York Times correspondent Martin Tolchin and his wife Susan wrote "Selling Our Security." It examines the ways U.S. political leaders, especially during the Reagan-Bush years, have pursued laissez-faire policies to the extent that most of America's valuable technological secrets have been sold to other countries.

Professor of Political Science John Schwarz of the University of Arizona has just co-written a new book called "The Forgotten Americans: Thirty Million Working Poor in the Land of Opportunity." The authors challenge conventional wisdom: they found that the working poor are neither uneducated nor unskilled, that they encompass all age, ethnic, and racial groups in the U.S.; and that the situation can't necessarily be blamed on declines in domestic manufacturing or decreases in industrial productivity.

Commentator Maureen Corrigan reviews "Motor City" by Bill Morris. It's his first book, and deals with the auto industry and a whole host of cultural figures from the 1950s.

Architect Joe Spear. He was the principal designer of the Baltimore Orioles new ballpark. He's also worked on many other football and baseball stadiums.

Economist Lester Thurow (say it like "Thoreau"), author of "The Coming Economic Battle Between America, Europe, and Japan." THUROW will discuss how Euorpe and Japan are playing by a new set of business rules and that it's time to update our own.

Writer David Osborne. He's co-author of a new book, "Reinventing Government: How the Entrepreneurial Spirit is Transforming the Public Sector." The book argues that government bureaucracies are outdated and inefficient, and comes up with proposals to decentralize city and state governments, and promote competition. Osborne has been a consultant to Bill Clinton, among other politicians. (Addison-Wesley Publishing Co).

Money Trader Andrew Krieger. He resigned in 1988 from his position at Bankers Trust where he specialized in trading currency-options, and in taking long-term riskier positions for the bank. The bank so believed in his strategies that they entrusted him with $700 million of bank funds, whereas other individual traders usually worked with $50 million. He's co-authored a new book, "The Money Bazaar: Inside the Trillion-Dollar World of Currency Trading." (published by Random House.)

Documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple. Her documentary, "American Dream," chronicles one of the most bitter strikes in recent labor history, the 1984 strike against the Hormel meat packing plant in Austin Minnesota. The film won the 1991 Oscar for best documentary feature. Kopple also won an Oscar in 1977 for "Harlan County, UsA," her documentary of a coal mine strike in Kentucky.

Journalist Douglas Frantz of The Los Angeles Times. He has reported extensively on the BCCI scandal and has co-written a book about it, "A Full Service Bank: How BCCI Stole Billions Around the World." (published by Pocket Books, co-written with James Ring Adams).

Economist Robert Heilbroner (rhymes with "runner"). He'll discuss the current recession, and our long-standing obsession with the deficit. He'll also give some suggestions about how to end the recession, and he'll tell us why sometimes a deficit isn't a bad thing.

Television critic David Bianculli takes us on a tour of the world of infomercials.

Jessica Tuchman Mathews, Vice President of the World Resources Institute, which she helped to found, discusses global environmental issues. Many environmental issues, like the greenhouse effect and air and water pollution, cross national borders and their solutions depend on international cooperation. Mathews is also a columnist for The Washington Post and was on the staff of the National Security Council during the Carter Administration.