Author Madeleine L’Engle discusses her book “A Wrinkle in Time”, a young adult novel that wrestles with spirituality, science fiction, and fantasy. L’Engle discusses how difficult it was for publishers to see her writing as young-adult, as she was often told adolescence would not be able to handle these challenging topics. This program includes an excerpt of a 1961 interview with Madeleine L’Engle in which she discusses the difference between fact and fiction, or lack thereof, in children’s literature.

Poet and translator Kimon Friar discusses Nikos Kazantzakis and the art of Greek translation. Friar discusses the common theme in all of Kazantzaki’s works, how all of nature is set out to transform matter into spirit. Friar discusses and reads Nikos Kazantzakis’s “The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel”, Constantine Cavafy’s “Ithaka”, and Odysseus Elytēs’s “The Autopsy”. This program includes an excerpt of an interview with Eleni Kazantzakis, Nikos’s wife, where she describes how Nikos always saw the excitement in every person he met.

Joyce Johnson's "Minor Characters" is a memoir about her time spent with Jack Kerouac. Johnson covers the Beat Generation and the time for writers and poets to express their creativity. There is also an excerpt from an interview with Peter Orlofsky and Allen Ginsberg.

According to Joseph Campbell's book, "Myths to Live By," myths put people in touch with dimensions of their own being and consciousness. Dreams, Campbell explained, are private myths and myths are a public dream. Campbell also talks about how the west and the orient view myths and symbols.

Discussing the book "The Ghost of Sandburg's Phizzog and Other Stories," (published by Ellis Press) with the author Norbert Blei.

Discussing the book "1984 and Beyond," (published by Viking) with the author Nigel Calder.

Discussing the play "Bleacher Bums: A Nine-Inning Comedy" with Richard Fiere and creator and actor Joe Mantegna.

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."

Stuckey talks about her childhood in Memphis, writing "in the dialect", and reads "Rigamarole", "Daylight Savings Time", "Defense", "Old Man" and "Old King Cotton".

Douglas Clayton's book, "Floyd Dell: The Life and Times of an American Rebel" is a biography of a well-known author of his time. Clayton pointed out what's covered in his book. Not only did Dell write a number of books, but he also wrote a play. He was also charged twice for his subversive literature. He worked for the WPA under FDR in 1935.

"Walking in the Shade: Volume 2 of My Autobiography, 1949-1962", starts with Doris Lessing moving to England. Lessing wrote many books and she said it's annoying when her readers only remember 1 or 2 of her books. After having lived through 2 wars and a bombing, Lessing mentions how she's surprised that more people in society aren't crazy, similar to the craziness of all that's transpired in the world.

Discussing the book "Blue highways: a journey into America" with William Least Heat Moon.