While inside a monastery, John Griffin wrote his book, "The Devil Rides Outside". Griffin talks about the first half of his book - life inside of a monastery. He also talks about how hearing music influences his writing.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

John Cage discusses his music, life, influences, and career. Rebroadcast of an interview with John Cage to celebrate his life and what would have been soon his 80th birthday. Includes a clip of John Cage reading/ telling a story in 1969 to Studs Terkel.

Discussing the book, 'Uncommon Women', published in 1981. The book chronicles the lives of Gwendolyn Brooks, Julie Harris, Sarah Caldwell, Maria Tallchief, Alice Neel, Mary McCarthy, Eugenia Zukerman, Roberta Peters, and Mary Lou Williams, discussing the impressive things they have accomplished in their respective professions ranging from poetry, to opera, to literature, and art and abstraction.

Joan Didion describes the main characters Charlotte and Charlotte's ex-husbands, Warren and Leonard of her novel, "A Book of Common Prayer". Didion said she based her novel from the song, "If I Ever Cease to Love You". A fan of Didion, who after reading her novel, made the comparison and asked Didion, "So you knew my ex-husband, too?"

Joan Chase discusses and reads from her book "During the Reign of the Queen of Persia: a Novel." This book is told from the perspective of four granddaughters of an Ohio farm wife during the 1950s and is broken into three parts that follow these women throughout their life recounting family stories and the struggles of rural life in modern America. Studs plays "Down in the Valley" - Pete Seeger, Bess Lomax, and Tom Glazer (1951), "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" - Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson (1959), and "Frankie and Johnny" - Burl Ives (1955).

"Table Money," is Jimmy Breslin's novel about Owney and Dolores Morrison and their relationships with one another, with God, with the union job in Queens and with the local tavern.

Jimmy Breslin discusses and reads excerpts from “The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight,” his novel about a Brooklyn Mafia boss.

Jimmy Breslin discusses and reads excerpts from “The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight,” his novel about a Brooklyn Mafia boss. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion.

Jill S. Robinson discusses her book "Perdido," her experiences growing up in Hollywood, CA, and how these experiences influenced her novel; reads a passage from the novel at 2:18 and 49:40, and the epigraph of the novel at 55:45.

Jerzy Kosinski discusses his book "Being There". Includes Studs Terkel reading from Kosinski's book "Being There".

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

When asked how he found time to write his book, Jean Cau said he took vacation time from his full time job. Cau was also asked if he wrote his book using a typewriter and Cau explained that he did all his writing with his own penmanship because he hated machinery, like the typewriter. In conclusion, Cau said he was writing a play about the Algerian War and its paratroopers. The play he finished writing was about the life and death of Adolf HiItler.

Through an interpreter, Jean Cau discusses his book "La pitié de Dieu", or translated, "The Mercy of God". Cau's book is about four prisoners and their interactions with one another. Cau explained, in one way or another, with a reference to Kafka, we are all condemned and it will be a great surprise to all to learn what we are guilty of.

Jean Auel discusses her novel, "The Clan of the Cave Bear," including the anthropological research that informed her writing, feminism in her main character, Ayla, and the book's themes of cooperation, adaptation, tribal memory, and reverence for life. Includes excerpts from the book and recordings of pygmy music made by anthropologist Colin Turnbull.

In Jane Leavy’s book, “Squeeze Play,” similar to her main character, Leavy recalled her 1st time in a men’s locker room, covering a New York Knicks game. Luckily for Leavy, a player by the name of Phil Jackson, helped her feel comfortable being with the other players. Leavy explained that at that encounter, it was Jackson, who fed her the story that she needed. The theme of the book throughout is fragility. Some players, Leavy explained, felt more comfortable talking about their infertility issues with Leavy, a woman sportswriter.