Woody Allen discusses his life and art, the influence of both success and failure on his work, and how he finds comedy in life’s difficulties and trials. He discusses his first screenplay, “What’s Up Pussycat?” and other comedians who have influenced the development of his own comedic work, including Mort Sahl, Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, and George S. Kaufman.

Author, comedian and satirist Paul Krassner joins Studs Terkel in a “mosaic” of an interview, as Krassner calls it, to discuss his book, “Confessions of a Raving, Unconfined Nut: Misadventures in the Counter-Culture.” The conversation begins with two clips from Abbie Hoffman and Lenny Bruce, friends of Krassner’s and fellow key figures in the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Krassner speaks on his friends’ legacies, and then begins telling his story, reading a passage from his book about when he first started questioning society.

In this continued discussion of “La Dolce Vita,” Nelson Algren and Mario Devecchi discuss the film’s critical reception, the contrast it draws between humor and bitterness, and the religious and moral nature of the film. Includes part of the 36th issue of the Fiction Review, featuring host Bob Lefley, a review of the program’s first series of interviews with numerous authors, and a biography of writer Howard Nemerov.

Jean Shepherd discusses his book "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash." Includes earlier clips of Shepherd speaking and excerpts of him reading from the book.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations

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."

Filmmaker Jacques Tati and Studs discuss finding the humor in everyday life and people becoming their gadgets. The two also go in-depth about Tati's film "Mon Oncle" and the development of the character Monsieur Hulot.

Harold Taylor and Studs look in-depth at the definition of what it means to be a "student," including on-campus protests, gaining life experience by teaching and challenging the mainstream social order. Includes a brief reading from Taylor's speech, "Preparation of American Teachers in the Field of World Affairs."