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Writer and Fresh Air commentator DAGOBERTO GILB was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for his collection of short stories, "The Magic of Blood." In his new novel, "The Last Known Residence of Mickey Acuna" (Grove Press), he tells us more about life in the poor Chicano community of the Southwest.

ook critic John Leonard reviews Andre Brink''s new novel Cape of Storms.

ommentator MAUREEN CORRIGAN reviews "One True Thing" (Random House), by Anna Quindlen. This is Quindlen''s second novel, which coincides with her announcement that she''s going to give up her editorial page column and become a full-time novelist.

Writer TAYLOR BRANCH. The first volume of his exhaustive history of the Civil Rights movement - "Parting the Waters, America in the King Years"(SS) - was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1989. In it, Branch covered the period from 1954 to 1963. Branch is a former staff member of Harper''s, and Esquire. This interview was originally broadcast in 1988.

2: Actor NATHAN LANE. He's currently starring in the new Neil Simon comedy on stage, "Laughter on the 23rd Floor." He played Nathan Detroit in the Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls." Playwright Terrance McNally has written roles for LANE and says, "I need an actor like Nathan to fully express myself. I can't do it with just the words. I need his faces and gestures to finish the sentence." LANE starred in McNally's "The Lisbon Traviata," and in "Lips Together, Teeth Apart." He also was in the films "Frankie and Johnny," (as Michelle Pfeiffer's neighbor -- a part McNally wrote for him), in "Life with Mikey," (co-starring with Michael J. Fox), and has a cameo in "Adams Family Values." (Rebroadcast. Originally aired 1

2: Architect PETER CALTHORPE, whose new book "The Next American Metropolis" (Princeton Architectural Press) advocates designing suburban communities with environmental, social and economic limits in mind, and without a reliance on the automobile. His developments would be connected by light rail systems, not multi-lane freeways. Calthorpe proposes neighborhoods which encourage walking as a way to emphasize community building.

Book critic JOHN LEONARD reviews the new historical novel, "The Rape of the Rose," by Glwn (GLEN) Hughes, about the Luddite rebellion in England. (Simon & Schuster).

2: Basketball player JOHN LUCAS was the number one draft pick for the NBA in 1976, before his career went downhill as a result of drug use. He conquered his drug addiction and started a recovery program for other drug-addicted athletes. He coached the San Antonio Spurs to the playoffs twice, and is now the head coach, general manager, and vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers. LUCAS has just written a memoir, "Winning a Day at a Time" (Hazelden).

Journalist KIM RICH. She's written a memoir, "Johnny's Girl," (William Morrow & Co.) about growing up in Anchorage, Alaska during the oil boom years, the daughter of "one of the most notorious underworld figures in the city." Her father operated illegal gambling houses and massage parlors all over the city. RICH's father was eventually murdered. [REBROADCAST. Originally aired 3/31/93.

2: Writer THULANI (pronounced "tah-lawn-nee") DAVIS. Her novel, "1959," is the story of a young black girl coming of age at the dawn of the civil rights movement. Previously, Davis worked for The New York Times and The Washington Post, and wrote the libretto for the opera "X: The Life and Times of Malcom X." ("1959" is published by Grove Weidenfeld). REBROADCAST. Originally aired 2/13/92.

1) Lesbian, feminist comic KATE CLINTON. Last night she hosted a gay ball in Washington D.C., celebrating the inauguration. She tackles social taboos and politics without putdowns, name-calling, or abusive behavior. One of her jokes: "To me, the avant-garde means not knowing when to clap." She also often tackles touchy subjects like menstruation, men-bashing, and people in wheelchairs. She's been doing comedy since the early 1980s. Before that she was a highschool English teacher. And before that she was raised in a Catholic household. (She now calls herself a recovering Catholic).2) Producer ROGER KENDIS of Noisy Neighbors Productions. He's here in Philadelphia, and he's put together a rap recording with clips from Clinton's speeches. It's called It's About Hope

Author LORENZO CARCATERRA (Car-CA-terra). He is managing editor of the CBS weekly series "Top Cops." He's written a memoir, "A Safe Place," (Villard Books) about growing up, the son of a violent, loving, murderous, and generous father. They lived in New York's Hell's Kitchen during the 50s and 60s. Lorenzo found out at the age of 14 that his father had murdered his first wife when she threatened to leave him. Lorenzo's father went on to terrorize his second wife, beating her and Lorenzo. Yet his father also could be warm and affectionate, taking Lorenzo to the ballpark, or showering him with kisses. His father would cry at the sound of a beautiful aria, but he could also be extremely violent at even the midest affront to his ego.