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Former theater critic Frank Rich. He's just published his memoir Ghost Light, (Random House). In it he examines the influence of his childhood on his adult career: his parents' divorce and an early curiosity for theater. He was chief drama critic for the New York Times from 1980-1983 and has been an op-ed columnist for that paper since 1994. He lives in New York City.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews original cast albums of Broadway musicals that have just been reissued. They include Finians Rainbow, The Pajama Game, Bye Bye Birdie, and Kismit (all on Sony) and Guys and Dolls (on Decca).

Robert and Linda observe the recent travel by the presidential candidates -- indicating which states are still hot contests.

The first resident crew of the International Space Station is scheduled to lift off at 2:53 a.m. E.S.T. Tuesday in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The first crew to live aboard the International Space Station includes U.S. Astronaut Bill Shepherd, who will serve as station commander, Soyuz Commander Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev. NPR's Joe Palca says the crew will spend four months on the station, checking out equipment, and helping to install new station parts that were delivered by the space shuttle.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from London that the worst storm in more than a decade struck Britain. The rain and gale-force winds brought the south of England to a virtual standstill. Fallen trees and floods closed roads and rail lines. At least four people were reported killed in storm-related accidents.

Texas Governor George W. Bush began the final full week of the presidential campaign in the West today, trying to pry loose the biggest prize of all -- California and its trove of 54 electoral votes. Polls show the race tightening on the West Coast, where Bush has been outspending Vice President Al Gore in recent weeks. Gore now plans a return visit of his own to the state this week. NPR's Andy Bowers is based in Southern California and has been following the presidential campaign.

Democrat Al Gore held a old-fashioned political rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin today. Won by Democrats in each of the last three presidential elections, the state is being hotly contested by Republican George Bush as Green Party nominee Ralph Nader siphons liberal votes away from the Democratic Party. NPR's Anthony Brooks is with the Gore campaign.

Robert Siegel talks to NPR's David Welna, who is in Missouri covering the announcement by Jean Carnahan, the widow of Gov. Mel Carnahan, that she will accept appointment to the Senate if her late husband is elected next week. Mel Carnahan was campaigning against Republican Senator John Ashcroft when he died in a plane crash two weeks ago. His death came too late for his name to be removed from the ballot, and so Democrats are urging a vote for Mel Carnahan -- the late Mel Carnahan -- as a tribute. Mel Carnahan's successor, Roger Wilson, had said he would appoint Mrs. Carnahan to the Senate if Ashcroft were to be defeated.

Those ticker tape parades are getting to be routine for the New York Yankees. Kerry Nolan of member station WNYC reports that thousands of New Yorkers lined Broadway's Canyon of Heroes to cheer on the Yankees, who have won four of the past five World Series. Yankee fans considered this year's triumph especially sweet, because it came over the cross-town rival Mets, and because the team had been playing poorly at the end of the season.

Linda talks with Paul Christian, Chief of the Boston Fire Department about three fires over the weekend in South Boston that destroyed ten apartment buildings -- known in Boston as "triple deckers." The fires were whipped by strong winds, and nearly all of the city's fire fighting forces were brought out in response.