The comedic creative force of Lily Tomlin and Tomlin's comedy writer Jane Wagner discuss the character of Edith Ann as well as the bag lady, Trudy. The comic geniuses discuss with Studs Terkel the new release "Edith Ann: My Life So Far". Tomlin assumes the character of Edith Ann to relay stories of her life in a dysfunctional family as a six year old. Edith Ann writes letters to Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, and Senate representatives to get her message heard. She tells the Senator that kids model grownups and grownups need to act better to protect the kids.

Art historian Roxana Robinson discusses and reads from her book “Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life.” Robinson discusses the different eras of painting O’Keeffe went through during her lifetime and the outside forces that inspired these changes in subject matter, such as her attending the Art Students League of New York, her moving to Santa Fe, and her relationship with Alfred Stieglitz. Studs plays “Tosca, Act II: Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore” - Renata Tebaldi, George London, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli (1959).

The interview begins with Ms. Milford reading from the prologue of her book "Zelda". Ms Meyer talks with Studs about her book and the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Studs reads a few lines of a farewell poem by Ring Lardner to Zelda Fitzgerald "To Z.S.F." Both Studs and Ms. Meyer read letters from Zelda and F Scott Fitzgerald from the book. Excerpt of Virginia Durr of Montgomery AL. talking about southern women and the image they have to live up to.(1965958-4-1 & -4-2) Excert of Mrs.

Author Mona Simpson discusses and reads from her novel “The Lost Father”, a novel that focuses on a woman that becomes obsessed with finding the father she never met. This program includes an excerpt from a previous interview between Studs and Simpson in which Simpson discusses her novel “Anywhere But Here.” Studs plays “Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home” - Susannah McCorkle (1977).

Author Madeleine L’Engle discusses her book “A Wrinkle in Time”, a young adult novel that wrestles with spirituality, science fiction, and fantasy. L’Engle discusses how difficult it was for publishers to see her writing as young-adult, as she was often told adolescence would not be able to handle these challenging topics. This program includes an excerpt of a 1961 interview with Madeleine L’Engle in which she discusses the difference between fact and fiction, or lack thereof, in children’s literature.

Love, lust, romance and heartbreak are all apart of Louise Erdrich's book, "Tales of Burning Love". Erdrich talks about the five woman in her book, who have all married Jack Mauser. The ladies all end up stuck together in a blizzard, and it's there that they all talk to one another about their love and heartache, Jack Mauser.

Discussing the book "The Beet Queen: A Novel" (published by Holt) with the author Louise Erdrich.

Discussing the book "The Bingo Palace" (published by HarperCollins) with the author Louise Erdrich.

Best friends, white flight and racism are all apart of Lynda Barry's book, "The Good Times are Killing Me." Lorell Wyatt and Glenda Starr-Kelly reenact scenes from the play, which is playing at the Body Politic Theater. In the end, Barry's book showed power and privilege mattered more than friendship.

What started out as a 5-piece article on health care became Laurie Abraham's book, "Mama Might Be Better Off Dead: The Failure of Health Care in Urban America". Through her stories, Abraham points out the many hardships and catch-22 scenarios of some poor families. One woman, after caring for her mother all day, Julie, wanted to work part time in the evenings. However, she soon learned that she'd be making too much money and she'd no longer be eligible for Medicaid for herself and her children.

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.

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