Discussing the Chicago Area Writing Project with authors and educators Hank De Zutter, Betty Jane Wagner and Barbara Kotto.

Haig Allahverdian discusses Armenian music and culture as well as the Armenian massacre and its effects on the Armenian people on the whole. Copyrighted material has been removed from this program.

H. E. F. (Shag) Donahue and Nelson Algren discuss Donahue's book, "Conversations with Nelson Algren," a biographical exploration of Algren's life as a writer. They discuss the creative lives, successes and failures of other authors in relation to Algren's work, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.D. Salinger, Richard Wright, and others. Includes the author reading excerpts from "Conversations with Nelson Algren."

Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet Laureate of Illinois, talks about her poetry, her books, and some of her influences.

Interviewing playwright and performer Gretchen Cryer and conductor Michael O' Flaherty.

Poets Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, and Peter Orlovsky, speak with Studs Terkel about their influences and what made them into the poets they are. Terkel reads a preface, written by William Carlos Williams, to Ginsberg’s poem “Howl.”

With both books "Soul Sister" and "Bessie Yellowhair" , Grace Halsell shares her experiences when she posed as both a Black woman and a Navajo Indian. According to Halsell, the only differences between white and Black people, were the color of people's skin. Halsell also explained that it was psychologically harder to be play the part of a Navajo Indian being a servant to a white family.

The writer and public intellectual discusses his recent publications, Myron: A Novel, and, Burr, an historical novel about Founding Father, Aaron Burr.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Writer Gore Vidal discusses his novel, 1876, and how the political corruption and social atmosphere of the times inspired its plot. Vidal reads several excerpts from the book.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Writer Gore Vidal discusses his book, the Eastern philosophy behind it, and its themes on media sensationalism.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

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.

Discussing the book "Lincoln" with the author Gore Vidal.

Terkel interviews Gordon Zahn about war and peace.

One's conscience, morals and religion are all apart of Gordon Zahn's book, "In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jagerstatter". Zahn talks about who Jagerstatter was and what made him decide to say "No" to Hitler's army. Jagerstatter chose to lay with the community of saints rather than kill Jewish people.

Gordon Zahn continues to talk about his book, "In Solitary Witness: The Life and Death of Franz Jagerstatter". When doing his research for the book, it puzzled Zahn to find out that very few young people in Jaggerstatt's home village knew who Franz Jaggerstatt was. Zahn explained Jaggerstatt knew he was doing the right thing by objecting to Hitler's army because a Catholic priest had done the same thing.