Discussing the book "Blue highways: a journey into America" with William Least Heat Moon.

Stephen B. Oates discusses his book "Let the Trumpets Sound: A Biography of Martin Luther King;" 2 short excerpts played during the program: one of Terkel interviewing Martin Luther King and another of E.D. Nixon speaking about MLK.

Back in his day, there was no journalism school, explained Russell Baker. He spent time with the police and that's how he often got his stories about the underclass or the superfluous. Baker pointed out when a paper didn't want to print one of his stories, Baker was told the subject matter was in poor taste.

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.

Discussing the songs and music of the Vietnam War with author Larry Heinemann, musician Chuck Rosenburg, and folk singer Saul Brody.

Discussing the novel "Paco's Story" (published by Farrar, Strauss & Giroux) with the author Larry Heinemann.

John Lahr discusses celebrities, the media, and his book "Autograph Hound". Includes Studs Terkel and John Lahr reading from Lahr's book "Autograph Hound".

Interviewing Jack Beatty, author and editor of the Atlantic Monthly.

The writer and public intellectual discusses his recent publications, Myron: A Novel, and, Burr, an historical novel about Founding Father, Aaron Burr.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Edmund White talks about his book "States of Desire: Travels in Gay America," published in 1980.

The novelist, best known for his works of historical fiction, expresses hope that his book about New York City in the early 20th Century will find its way into the hands of people who don’t normally pick up novels.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations