Interviewing three officials of unions of government employees: Allen Kaplan, Bob Nelson, George Troynell and discussing the importance of unions for workers rights.
Studs Terkel and Allen Ginsberg talk about poetry, meditation, and the shifting of American socio-political consciousness between the 50's and 70's.
Discussing the book "Cosmopolitan Dreams: Poems, 1986-1992" with the poet Allen Ginsberg.
A member of the Beat Generation, activist, and author Allen Ginsberg discusses his latest work and its reflection on his life. The piece covers works such as the infamous poem Howl to the sentimental piece called Aunt Rose.
Writers Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs discuss life and their writing; passages from their writing are read by the authors and clip is played of interview with Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, and Peter Orlovsky.
Discussing the opera "Hydrogen Jukebox," with poet Allen Ginsberg and composer Philip Glass.
Allen Davis talks with Studs about his recently published biography "American Heroine: The Life and Legend of Jane Addams" A Nobel Peace Prize winner, Jane Addams was one of the founders of Hull House, a social reformer, a suffragist and pacifist. Allen Davis discusses her life. Interview begins with an excerpt of Jessie Binford talking about Jane Addams and Hull House Chicago (1863362-3-1).
Psychedelic drugs are the topic covered in Allan Cohen's book, "Understanding Drug Use: An Adult's Guide to Drugs and the Young". Cohen said young people he counseled often asked, "What's my life really about?" If they were having trouble internally, is that why they were seeking something on the outside, like drugs and chemicals to enhance their lives, is what Cohen wondered.
Allan A. Ryan, former Director of the Department of Justice's Office of Special Investigations, speaks about his book on the investigation and prosecution of Nazi war criminals in the United States. Ryan says that after WWII, Nazi collaborators and war criminals fled prosecution under the guise of fleeing the threat of communism. Ryan worked on the investigations of prominent war criminals like Ivan the Terrible and John Demjanjuk, and he discusses how he successfully worked with the Soviet Union to obtain crucial evidence located within the USSR for these trials.
Discussing the book "The legacy of Malthus" with the author Allen Chase.
Sasha, the main character in Alix Kates Shulman's book, "Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen" is obsessed and worried about her good looks. Sasha is all of 24 now, and she was told that by the time she's 30, her good looks will fade. Once a new queen is named, Sasha's mother tells her, you become a has been. The prom queen theme of the book, says Shulman, is to compete for the man and to be #1. Similar to the Miss America contest, women are parading before the men, parading before the judges for their attention.
Discussing the book "Alistair Cooke's America" and interviewing the author Alistair Cooke.
Alfreda Wells, the youngest child of Ida B. Wells-Barnett, talks about her mother's life and work as an investigative journalist and strong champion of civil and women's rights. This version does not have music.
Alfred McCoy discusses the history of heroin trafficking within the context of American foreign policy.