Philosopher and nonviolent activist Lanza Del Vasto discusses his work as a nonviolent activist and his book "Return to the Source." Terkel refers to del Vasto as "Shantidas" occasionally during the interview.

Langston Hughes, John Sellers, James Cotton, and Otis Spann discuss their origins and blues music. The interview focuses heavily on Langston Hughes and how deeply he is influenced by the blues. Hughes also discusses his upcoming book "An African Treasury" at length. Hughes, Sellers, Spann, and Cotton perform a number of songs during the interview, they have been removed due to copyright.

In her book, "After Sorrow: An American Among the Vietnamese," Lady Burton tells stories and reflects on what it was like to live among the village people in South Vietnam. Borton found the people to be smart. Among some of her stories, she learned how women carried messages and weapons through enemy territories.

Klaus Rifbjerg talks about his upbringing, hibooks "Terminal Innocence", "Lonni og Carl", and "The Opera Lover", and the impact of translation.

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.

Discussing the book "The Chicagoization of America, 1893-1917" (published by Chicago Historical Bookworks) with Chicago author Kenan Heise.

Discussing the book "Weeping in the playtime of others" with the author Ken Wooden.

Discussing the book "Charms for the Easy Life" (published by Putnam) with the author Kaye Gibbons.

Interviewing novelist, essayist, and poet Kay Boyle. She discusses her work as an educator at San Francisco State College and as an advocate for her students.

Kay Boyle is the co-author of "Being Geniuses Together". The book is a memoir of her time spent in Paris and of her background, including her life with her mother when she was younger.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Karen DeCrow said both young ladies and young men should read her book, "The Young Woman's Guide to Liberation: Alternatives to a Half-Life While the Choice is Still Yours". DeCrow explained that young girls need to realize they should prepare themselves for being more than just a mother and a homemaker. She also stresses the importance of women not being totally dependent on men.

While in his home in Berlin, Jurek Becker covers various topics. He first talks about being arrested back in 1978 in New Orleans. Becker also talks about his lack of memories from being in the concentration camp. When he was 3, 4, or 5, Becker said that when he was there, there was nothing, and therefore, there's nothing to remember.

Northeastern Illinois University professor June Sochen discusses her book "Movers and shakers;: American women thinkers and activists, 1900-1970". Sochen and Studs cover a wide range of female activists and radicals who fundamentally reshaped American society via their efforts in the labor movement and union organizing, the arts and culture, and research.