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Studs Terkel discusses life in the Vietnam era with children from Father Charles Pond's St. Timothy Episcopal Church Parish in Chicago. Rose is the featured speaker at 16 years of age she is no longer in school but is very well spoken. Acknowledging that people with mental illnesses are not always able to make sound decisions which are needed for individuals to make group decisions. She sees one of the problems in the world being that people are losing their individuality to a group mentality.
Rose Rigsby a writer and poet is interviewed along with Betty Shifflett, who teaches fiction at Columbia College. Ms Rigsby and Ms. Shifflett talk about writing with Studs. Ms. Rigsby reads from her stories and about her time in the Sanitarium and receiving shock therapy. Several excerpts are presented from an interview with Rose Rigsby speaking about children and of taking care of them. (1925145-3-1)
Music performance by Oscar Brown, Jr.
When talking about his book, "Chi-Town," Norbert Blei said all the communities in Chicago offer everyone the groups' separate ethnic cultures. Blei also talks about riding the Douglass Park El and the old man sitting on a bench, who he encounters at Grant Park. Lastly, Blei talks about writers who have influenced him.
Nelson Algren discusses his short story, "How the Devil Came Down Division Street," the art of writing, and writers of the Beat Generation.
Poet Lucien Stryk discusses Zen poetry and Zen philosophy. Styrk focuses this conversation on “Satori," a Buddhist term for “the awakening”, and its influence on Zen philosophy. Styrk also discusses and reads from a book edited by him and Takashi Ikemoto entitled "Zen: Poems, Prayers, Sermons, Anecdotes, Interviews." Stryk reads a poem from “Triumph of the Sparrow” by Shinkichi Takahashi. Studs plays "His Eye is on the Sparrow" - Mahalia Jackson (1958).
Friar Tuck, as he was also known, was very active in socialist causes in Chicago. In the sweatshops, working fourteen or fifteen hours was the norm. Carolyn Ashbaugh's book "Lucy Parsons" goes over Parsons' movement for the 8-hour work day.
Discussing the book "Chi-Town" (published by Ellis Press) with the author Norbert Blei.
Discussing the book "Apostle of Peace: Essays in Honor of Daniel Berrigan," with essayist and poet Father Daniel Berrigan.
As a tribute to Nelson Algren after his death, a collection of his writing is dramatized in this radio program titled "Come in at the Door."
Helga Sandburg reads some of her poetry and discusses her life as the daughter of fellow poet Carl Sandburg.
Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet Laureate of Illinois, talks about her poetry, her books, and some of her influences.
Stuckey talks about her childhood in Memphis, writing "in the dialect", and reads "Rigamarole", "Daylight Savings Time", "Defense", "Old Man" and "Old King Cotton".