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Commentator MAUREEN CORRIGAN reviews the new memoir, "H.L. Mencken: My Life as Author and Editor," (Knopf) edited by Jonathan Yardley. THURSDAY, FEB 11INT. 1: Writer, actor, director HAROLD RAMIS. He''s one of the most influential forces behind some of the biggest comedy hits of the late 70s and 80s. But his influence is not generally known by those outside the industry. (For that reason he''s been called the "Clark Kent" of comedy. Also because he''s "mild-mannered," "bespectacled," and he "looks as if he would be the first to duck under the table at the first sign of a food fight"). RAMIS wrote for "The National Lampoon Show," and "SCTV." He co-wrote as well as acted in the movies, "Animal House," "Stripes," "Ghostbusters," and others. He directed the new movie, "Groundhog Day," starring his old co-star Bill Murray. INT. 2: Co-founder of the working women''s advocacy group, "9 to 5," KAREN NUSSBAUM. She helped found the group 20 years ago. Marty will talk with her about the the changing role of women in the workplace in the last twenty years, and about the concerns of women in the workplace, like childcare. REV. : TV critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews the sequel to "Prime Suspect," the miniseries on PBS a year ago about a woman who becomes chief inspector, played by Helen Mirren. "Prime Suspect 2" begins tonight. Rev.: Rock critic KEN TUCKER reviews a new album by Guy Clark, "Boats to Build." Clark is a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by many other country artists, but hasn''t had so much success doing them himself.

Book critic JOHN LEONARD remarks on the fourth anniversary of the death-sentence that sent writer Salman Rushdie into hiding.

2: Mystery writer BARBARA NEELEY. She's brought a strong African-American female voice to the genre. The heroine of her debut book "Blanche on the Lam," is Blanche White, a 40-year old housekeeper with big thighs, a wry sense of humor, and a jaundiced view of the rich. Blanche is "on the lam" from a 30-day jail sentence for a bad check when she accidentally falls into a position of housekeeper with a wealthy white family. She can hide in plain sight, because of her "invisibility" as a black housekeeper. One reviewer writes though the book works well as a crime novel, it's "less about a mysterious murder. . . than it is about social injustice, race relations, and the unique position African-American women hold in our society." (published by St. Martin's).

2: A concert and interview with SHIRLEY HORN. Playing with her will be drummer Steve Williams and bassist Charles Ables. HORN recorded with Miles Davis and Quincy Jones in the 1960s and sang on the movie soundtrack of "For Love of Ivy." After a hiatus in which she stayed home and raised her daughter, she returned to performing and recording in 1988. Her 1991 album, "You Won't Forget Me," brought together Toots Thielemans, Buck Hill, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, and Miles Davis. The album was nominated for a Grammy. Her latest album and video is "Here's to Life: Shirley Horn with Strings," of Johnny Mandel compositions (on Verve). (REBROADCAST. Originally aired 6/29/92).

Palestinian scholar and spokesman WALID KHALIDI. He's currently the senior member of the Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace Conference. He's considered one of the most influential thinkers about the Arab-Israeli conflict, and a man who has never shied away from criticizing policies pursued by all parties in the conflict. His latest book is a collection of his classic essays and writings as well as some unpublished pieces about the history and politics of the Arab-Israeli conflict, "Palestine Reborn, " (British publisher, I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd.

2: Former Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the former Editor-in-Chief of "Connoisseur," THOMAS HOVING. ("Hoving" with a long "O".) He's written a new book "Making the Mummies Dance: Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art." (Simon & Schuster). The metropolitan is probably the richest museum in the world, "owning" three million works of art, and artifacts that span 50 centuries. HOVING was with the Met for ten years and has been credited with transforming it from a somber monolith into a friendly and exciting place. His book is about the "battleground" behind the calm surface of the institution.

Over the years, composer, conductor and performer Lukas Foss has been one of America's most committed champions of new music. As a composer, he's been identified with serialism, improvisation and chance processes. In an interview with Terry Gross, he discusses his life and work.

Writer TRACY JOHNSTON. She's written a new book, "Shooting the Boh: a Woman's Voyage Down the Wildest River in Borneo," (Vintage Books). The book is not only an account of her adventure going down the river dealing with leeches, waterfalls, foot rot, and moldy clothes, but about her own realization that the hot flashes she was feeling in the middle of the night weren't the steamy jungle but the onset of menopause. One reviewer writes, "A powerful adventure of the head as well as the body: not to be missed," (Kirkus Reviews).

Rock historian ED WARD traces the musical influences of a young John Lennon. (rebroadcast from 10/91).

Terry talks with journalist FORREST SAWYER, whose new television news magazine show, Day One, premieres this Sunday night on ABC. Sawyer was recognized for his reporting during the Gulf War, when he split off from the pack and brought in some of the earliest footage of surrending Iraqi soldiers and the American liberation of Kuwaiti. They also talk about how Sawyer got into broadcasting and what it's been like working on Nightline

An expert on Central Asia and Afghanistan, BARNETT RUBIN, Associate Professor of Political Science at Columbia University, and a former Peace Fellow with the United States Institute of Peace. He's just returned from three former soviet republics which have large Muslim populations. RUBIN said the republics are now run by ex-communists. While there, he did some reporting for Human Rights Watch. RUBIN will also discuss the aftermath of the Afghan War, how many of the radical Arabs who went to Afghan to help the rebels, are now taking their "holy war" elsewhere.

2: Actor ED HARRIS. He starred in "The Right Stuff," "The Abyss," and David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross." He's now starring in the new film, "The Firm," based on the best-selling thriller.