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Howard Berkes talks with naturalist Craig Childs, author of The Secret Knowledge of Water: The Essence of the American Desert. Childs documented his cross-country trek through the deserts of North America as he searched for water holes, small springs, and other signs of water. His quest took him to a place most experienced desert hikers avoid: directly in the path of a flash flood. (8:20) The Secret Knowledge of Water : Discovering the Essence of the American Desert by Craig Leland Childs is published by Sasquatch Books; ISBN: 15706

NPR's Scott Horsley reports on a commercial database that keeps track of millions of Americans who have bounced checks. More than 85-thousand bank branches subscribe to the database, called Chexsystem, and use it to screen potential customers. But critics say a single bad check can place someone's name on the database, and once listed, it's unlikely they'll be able to open an account for up to five years.

Host Howard Berkes talks to Historian Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, about her research into the countries of origin of African-Americans. While preparing her 1992 book, Africans in Colonial America, Hall discovered court documents that indicated where enslaved Africans said they came from. The information was overlooked for more than 200 years, largely because the documents were in French or Spanish. Hall's findings are of particular interest to African Americans who want to trace their ancestry.

From his childhood in Carthage, Tennessee and Washington D.C., Al Gore was raised not just to be a politician but to be a Democratic presidential candidate. Next week in Los Angeles, Al Gore will take the penultimate step toward fulfilling his lifelong goal when he becomes the Democratic Party's nominee for the White House. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports.

Turns out the most popular TV star in China is actually Canadian: Mark Rowswell's character, Dashan is adored by millions of Chinese fans, and NPR's Rob Gifford reports he's the first foreigner to be accepted in an elite group practicing the art of Chinese comedic language.

Leonard and Phil Chess were two Polish immigrants who started a record company and gave us the sounds of post war urban America - from Muddy Waters' blues, to Chuck Berry's rock & roll, to the jazz sounds of Gene Ammons and Ramsey Lewis. Biographer Nadine Cohodas tells Liane the story of Chess Records. Her book is called Spinning Blues into Gold (St. Martins Press) (17:00).

In the first of a three-part series on the Mafia, NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports that a courageous new generation of magistrates and politicians has dealt serious blows to the Sicilian mob, also known as the Cosa Nostra. But anti-Mafia crusaders worry that the Cosa Nostra is quietly re-emerging under new guises.

Denis Johnson is a writer best known for his quirky stories about the drug life in the collection titled, Jesus' Son, which opened as a movie this summer. Now he's published a new novel called, The Name of the World. Alan Cheuse reviews it. (1:45) Please Note: Jesus' Son, and The Name of the World, both by Denis Johnson, are published by Harper Collins.

Beth Fertig of member station WNYC reports on New Jersey's new law regulating Halal foods - that is, foods that are lawful according to Islamic tradition. The law reflects a growing Muslim population in New Jersey and throughout the U.S.

Linda talks to Abe Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in New York City, about Al Gore's choice of Senator Joseph Lieberman for the Vice Presidential slot on the Democratic presidential ticket. Lieberman is an orthodox Jew, and Foxman discusses what this choice means for the American Jewish community.