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.

In order to write her book, "Nobody Ever Died of Old Age", Sharon R. Curtin went undercover and pretended to be interested in nursing homes in order to visit the facilities. Curtin's book also offers praise for older people and outrage for their loneliness.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

"Very Much a Lady: The Untold Story of Jean Harris and Dr. Herman Tarnower" is Shana Alexander's account of this true crime. Jean Harris had a 14-year love affair with Dr. Tarnower of the Scarsdale Diet fame. Alexander's book covers Jean Harris' background, her doomed triste and the trial after the tragic event.

The book, "Happy Days: My Mother, My Father, My Sister and Me," gives a lot of background about Shana Alexander's father, Milton Ager. A few of Ager's songs are played throughout the interview. Alexander also glosses over her time spent with "Life Magazine," and with "60 Minutes."

Seymour Melman discusses his book "Pentagon Capitalism: The Political Economy of War." Topics of discussion include the military-industrial complex and the state management of industry, particularly in regards to defense.

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.

Former Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy talks about his presidential campaign. Includes an excerpt of a 1968 program in which Studs and James Cameron visit Lincoln Park after the Chicago Democratic Convention riots.

Sebastiao Salgado, a Brazilian documentary photographer and photojournalist, converses with Studs about his book "Workers: An Archaeology of the Industrial Age". Mr. Salgado shares stories with Studs of the people he has photographed, and the things he has learned about the perseverance of human nature. Several songs are interspersed;

The Irish poet and playwright shares with Studs how he was drawn to poetry and how his education and early life in Northern Ireland helped him to find his voice.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Author Scott Ridley discusses the book “Power Struggle: The Hundred-Year War Over Electricity” and the corruption in the private power industry. Studs plays "Roll on Columbia" by Judy Collins (1972) and "Grand Coulee Dam" by Woody Guthrie (1941).

Artist and author Scott McCloud discusses and reads from his book “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art.” This discussion focuses heavily on the history of comics, or sequential art, and notable figures using this artform. Studs plays "Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee: 4. The Twittering Machine" - Gunther Schuller (1966).

Discussing the book "Archibald MacLeish: An American Life" (published by Houghton Mifflin) with the author Scott Donaldson.