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Doctor of Psychology and editorial writer for the New York Times, BRENT STAPLES. His new memoir is "Parallel Time: Growing Up in Black & White" (Pantheon). In 1984, Staples' younger brother, a cocaine dealer, was murdered. Staples began a process of reconsideration of the major questions in his life: his distance from his family by graduate study at the University of Chicago; the demise and racial divisions of his industrial hometown in Pennsylvania. On missing his brother's memorial, Staples writes "Choose carefully the funerals you miss." (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE

2: Interview with BRENT STAPLES (cont

DR. STUART LEVY is a professor at Tufts University Medical School, and has just written a book, "The Antiobiotic Paradox: How Miracle Drugs Are Destroying the Miracle," (Plenum). This book looks at the threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are resulting from over-prescription of antibiotics. Dr. Levy is recognized internationally as an expert on resistance and as a critic of the widespread misuse of antibiotics. He is also president of the International Alliance for Prudent Use of Antibiotics. He has been profiled in "The New Yorker", and has also been quoted in Time Newsweek, The New York Times, and the Washington Post

2: STEVEN PINKER, a psycholinguist at MIT and director of its Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, has a new book on how language works: "The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language" (Morrow). He argues that language is not simply a cultural invention taught by parents and schools, but a biological system, --an instinct-- partly learned, and partly innate. To Pinker, a three year old toddler is a "grammatical genius", capable of obeying adult rites of language, similar to web-spinning in spiders or sonar in bats. His book also takes on "langauge mavens" like William Safire and Richard Lederer, accusing them of underestimating the average person's language skills.

2: Poet and Professor of English at Yale, WAYNE KOESTENBAUM explores the affinity of gay men for opera in his new book: "The Queen's Throat: Opera, Homosexuality and the Mystery of Desire" (Vintage). KOESTENBAUM traces the art-form back to its origins in The Camerata, a 16th century group of Florentine gentlemen, who studied ancient Greek musical theory. A self proclaimed "Opera Queen", KOESTENBAUM explores this rarely examined territory with what one critic has called "a brilliantly obsessive and funny memoir".

Gospel singer MARION WILLIAMS. Her trademark, a long-lasting high A-flat "whooo," has been adopted by most gospel singers and soul singers like Little Richard and Aretha Franklin. A self- proclaimed "Holy Roller", WILLIAMS received the Kennedy Center Honars Award last night in Washington for her lifetime achievement in the arts. When she's not performing, WILLIAMS sings traditional gospel at the African-Methodist-Episcopal church in Philadelphia--the first black church formed in America. Her new album is "Can't Keep It To Myself" (San

ock Critic Ken Tucker has a review of the latest compilation album, this one pairing country and soul singers, called "Rhythm Country & Blues".

2:Australian writer THOMAS KENEALLY. His 1982 novel "Schindler's List" (Simon & Schuster) was turned into a film by Steven Speilberg; this year the film won an Oscar for Best Picture. He often uses historical events for his fiction: The Eritrean independence movement for "To Asmara"; the American Civil War for "Confederates"; the 18th century Australian convict camps for "The Playmaker". His newest novel is "Woman of the Inner Sea" (out in paperback this spring from Dutton).

1: Violence prevention expert DEBORAH PROTHROW-STITH. She's encouraged America to look at violence as a public health emergency. STITH says that instead of stitching up bullet wounds and returning people to the streets, we should teach violence prevention. STITH, assistant dean at Harvard School of Public Health, received the World Health Day Award in 1993. STITH co-wrote a book on violence called "Deadly Consequences" (Harper Collins) and a health textbook, "Health Skills for Wellness".INT 2:Writer GLORIA WADE-GAYLES. Growing up in Memphis in the 1940's WADE-GAYLES experienced Jim Crow discrimination first hand. In her new book of autobiographical essays, "Pushed Back To Strength: A Black Woman's Journey Home" (Beacon), she reflects on her childhood, the civil-rights movements, abortion in the African-American community, and the death of her mother. WADE-GAYLES is a professor of English and women's studies at Spelman College. She also wrote "No Crystal Stair: Visions of Race and Sex in Black Women's Fiction" (Pilgrim Press).

Film Critic STEPHEN SCHIFF reviews the new film "The Ref".

Rock critic ken Tucker reviews a new album by Liz Phair, "Exile in Guyville" (Matador records).

2: Journalist STEVE ROBERTS. He's the senior writer for "U.S. News & World Report." Before that he covered Congress for "The New York Times." He'll talk about Tuesday's election.