Nicholas Van Hoffman discusses the characters of his novel, "Two Three Many More" about campus protests against the Vietnam War. Political viewpoints, regulations, and character analysis are discussed. Von Hoffman opens the interview with a reading from the opening of the book that mentions peace, solidarity, and disunity. Terkel and Von Hoffman read excerpts together from the book.

Nicholas Von Hoffman talks about his book "Left at the Post: Passions, Prejudices, and Laments of One of America's Most Generously Biased Writers". Additional topics include biased journalism, objectivism in news reporting, and politics.

Interviewing Nicholas Johnson, a former member of FCC in which discusses communication, advanced technology, the role of the public, censorship and control of information

Interviewing Newton Minow, Chicago lawyer and chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. He discusses broadcasting as a public service and spends a great deal of time on the history of commercials and how they changed over time.

Nelson Algren, Nathan Kantrowitz, and David Maurer discuss language and criminal subculture, including the development of institutional slang at different prisons, the nature of drug addiction and its influence on criminal language and vocabulary, and the myth of the criminal mind. Includes an Interview with an inmate at a Chicago prison.

Author Nelson Algren discusses what it means to love a city, the re-release of his book, "Chicago: City on the Make," and his interactions with Irish writer and playwright, Brendan Behan.

Discussing capital punishment with author Nelson Algren. Includes interviews with William (Bill) Witherspoon, a death row inmate; Jack Johnson, warden of Cook County Jail; and an [unidentified woman] who marched in protest at the execution of James Dukes in 1962.

Nelson Algren discusses his short story, "How the Devil Came Down Division Street," the art of writing, and writers of the Beat Generation.

Nelson Algren and Mario De Vecchi discuss the international appeal of Federico Fellini’s film, “La Dolce Vita.” In part one, Algren and Devecchi focus on the film’s main character, journalist Marcello Rubini, and his quest for identity, particularly in relation to his interactions with the film’s intellectual character, Steiner. They discuss the film’s key metaphorical images and its portrayal of the influence of media and the emotional detachment and dehumanization it can create.

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.

With his book, "A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam", Neil Sheehan wanted to tell what happened in Vietnam and why it happened through telling the story of Lt. Colonel John Paul Vann. Sheehan said Vann had a keen sense of reality. Vann knew if they didn't change the Saigon government into something decent that would appeal to its own people, they'd never succeed at anything other than getting American soldiers killed for nothing. Although readers will find painful experiences in the book, Sheehan explained that his book is not an anti-war book.

Neil Postman, an author, educator, media theorist and cultural critic discusses his book; "The School Book: For People Who Want to Know What All the Hollering Is About,". Mr Postman and Studs talk about his definition of what school is for and it's worth, and they converse about several sections of the book. Mr. Postman reads an excerpt from his book to begin the interview.

In schools, reading, writing and speech are all on the decline because there are too many visual images from the TV, according to Neil Postman’s book, “Teaching as a Conserving Activity”. Postman criticized “Sesame Street” for its instantaneity. There are no short cuts in teaching, said Postman. He believed the worst thing a teacher could do was to make teaching entertaining for their students.

Studs Terkel speaks with journalists Neil and Susan Sheehan about their respective books “A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam” and “Is There No Place on Earth for Me?” Further discussion is had about journalism and Neil and Susan’s collaborations together. Audio clips of when Neil Sheehan and Susan Sheehan were previously on Terkel’s program are played.