A young girl writes in her diary every day after school. Will she grow up to be famous -- read by people around the world? It's not out of the question. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, the connection between diaries and the creative life. Also, a biographer remembers May Sarton. And a retreat of one's own.

SEGMENT 1:

Alexandra Johnson teaches writing at Harvard and at Wellesley College, and is the author of "The Hidden Writer: Diaries and the Creative Life." She tells Judith Strasser about some famous women diarists and the paradox of writing something as intimately personal as a diary for future publication. Also, Margot Peters, biographer of poet May Sarton tells Jim Fleming that her subject was unable to apply the emotional control displayed in her work to her personal life. Peters' book is called "May Sarton: A Biography."

SEGMENT 2:

Joan Drury is the founder and executive director of Norcroft, a writing retreat for women on the North Shore of Lake Superior. She tells Judith Strasser (who, by the way, has been a Norcroft guest) that Norcroft aims to promote feminist social change by maintaining a safe, nurturing space for women writers where no one is allowed to talk until 4 p.m.! Drury also writes feminist mystery novels, including "Silent Words" and "The Other Side of Silence." Norcroft is at 32 East First St #330, Duluth, MN 55802 (218) 727-5199.

SEGMENT 3:

This year's Booker Prize (Great Britain's most prestigious literary award) was awarded to Indian writer Arundhati Roy for her book "The God of Small Things." Roy tells Steve Paulson about the gender, class and race issues in India which her book describes, and explains why she loves living in India even though she's been charged with corrupting public morals there.

Distribution dates:

• week of 10/19/97 - hour 3