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Readings (3) from Charles Dickens and interviewing with British Actor George Harland.
In the play, "The Value of Names," Shelley Berman plays Benny Silverman, a role which he says is him, an actor from the Hollywood black list. Berman said being in Chicago, acting the role and working with the cast has been THE best experience of his life and when the show closes, it will be the saddest day of his life. The director of the play, Sandy Shinner, said she knew of the Hollywood black list but didn't know about all the personal stories. There is an excerpt of Vic Navasky.
Innocent, unarmed villagers were murdered in the horrific massacre in March of 1968. In Seymour M. Hersh's book, "My Lai 4: A Report on the Massacre and Its Aftermath," Seymour further explains that to the soldiers, the killing was simply a game to them, of who could kill the most bodies.
Newberry Award winner Madeleine L'Engle did not set out to write good literature when she wrote "A Wrinkle in Time". Children's book publisher Elizabeth M. Riley also said of L'Engle's book, it's a good story for both children and adults. L'Engle shared her experience that when she writes, often times, she'll read what she's written to her children & if they say, "get back to the typewriter and write more," she knows she's onto something good.
In Jane Leavy’s book, “Squeeze Play,” similar to her main character, Leavy recalled her 1st time in a men’s locker room, covering a New York Knicks game. Luckily for Leavy, a player by the name of Phil Jackson, helped her feel comfortable being with the other players. Leavy explained that at that encounter, it was Jackson, who fed her the story that she needed. The theme of the book throughout is fragility. Some players, Leavy explained, felt more comfortable talking about their infertility issues with Leavy, a woman sportswriter.
As a result of writing his book, "Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs," Hunter S. Thompson said he's become calmer and not so quick to react, in case a fight starts. Thompson believes the reason for the rise in violence is due to pent up anger and hostility. A clip of a former prize fighter describing how he threatens people to repay their debts is played.
Studs interview with Hildegard Knef, actress and writer. They discuss her life in Nazi Germany during the war and her experience as an actress when she came to America. Studs and Hildegard read together from her book, "The Gift Horse." Knef describes her family, Nazi Germany, survival, and her experience as a German in American post WWII. Her husband, David Anthony Palastanga, also reads an excerpt from her book.
Writer Gore Vidal discusses his book “Myra Breckinridge,” the central characters of the book, and some of his previous work. Vidal reads excerpts from “Myra Breckinridge.” The songs “Crucifixion” by Jim & Jean and “Prisoner Numero 9” by Volutia are played. Additionally, Lily Kraus performs the 3rd Movement from Mozart’s Allegro number 15.
Richard Speck, the man who murdered eight student nurses in 1966, is the topic of Jack Altman's and Dr. Marvin Ziporyn's book, "Born to Raise Hell: The Untold Story of Richard Speck -- The Man, The Crime, The Trial". Altman saw Speck's public and private image as being quite different. When asked to smile for the cameras, Speck obeyed authority and was labeled a monster by the press when in reality, he blocked out the murders and was disgusted by his actions. Dr. Ziporyn sees this murderous violence as a disease and not as a monster as the press portrayed it.
Discussing the book "Any Place But Here" and interviewing the authors Arna Bontemps and Jack Conroy.