Steve Allen, the versatile entertainer and musician, discusses his travels and his book, "Explaining China."*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations   

Begins with a reading by Frank Eli from the opening of the book "The Riot." Mr. Elli discusses his early life, his time in three different prisons, and the writing of his book "The Riot," a personal account of a riot in Walla Walla Prison. (Note: last 5 minutes missing)

Ferdinand Lundberg discusses his book "The rich and the super-rich" and the current state of wealth distribution and political, cultural, and social power in the United States. Topics of discussion include inherited wealth, the wealthy “Eastern Establishment” families compared to wealthy families in the American southwest, wealth and crime, and corporations. Studs reads an excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “The Rich Boy” at the beginning of the program and an excerpt of an interview Studs conducted with a man who comments on his ability to get rich.

Edgar Zodiag Friedenberg talks about his book "The Vanishing Adolescent." He discusses how experience of adolescence has changed.

Dr. Willard Gayelin talks about and reads from his book "In the Service of Their Country." He talks about the imprisonment of conscientious objectors who did not want to participate in the war.

Having spent time as a Marine in southeast Asia and his military experience became material for Asa Baber's first book, "Land of a Million Elephants". Baber also talks about how he formulated his book. "Writing is music. Writing is jazz," said Baber. He didn't believe writing was about concepts and structure.