Mike Royko discusses his book "Up Against It" which is a collection of early columns from the Chicago Daily News. The topic in his columns varies from machine politicians and gangsters to professional athletes, from well-heeled Chicagoans to down-and-out hoodlums.

Studs, author-journalist Mike Royko and Cathy Zmuda discuss and read from Mike's 1973 collection, "Slats Grobnik and Some Other Friends". First half are Slats Grobnik tales; the second half features a variety of columns by Royko. Musical excerpts include the songs "The Twelve Days of Christmas", "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt", "Ma, He Wants to Marry Me", "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)", "Sweet and Low", "America The Beautiful". "Go 'Way From My Window" (performers uncredited).

Clancy Sigal and Studs Terkel discuss Sigal’s book “Zone of the Interior” and the role that schizophrenia plays in it. Both Sigal and Terkel read excerpts from Sigal’s book.

Studs and Tom Wolfe discuss Wolfe's first collection of essays, "The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby". Terkel and Wolfe begin their conversation by listening to and discussing an excerpt from an interview with a young motorcycle enthusiast named Chuck. Topics of conversation include Wolfe's writing process and personal history, the generation gap, class and income disparity, motorcycle culture, Las Vegas, and stock car racing.

Studs Terkel and Tom Wolfe discuss Wolfe's first collection of essays, "The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby". Terkel and Wolfe begin their conversation by listening to and discussing an excerpt from an interview with a young motorcycle enthusiast named Chuck. Topics of conversation include Wolfe's writing process and personal history, the generation gap, class and income disparity, motorcycle culture, Las Vegas, and stock car racing.

In "Goodbye Land," Jose Yglesias travels to Galicia, Spain, his father's native province. Yglesias found a number of cousins who remembered his father. Time was spent in a tavern owned by one of his cousins, talking about what they recalled about Yglesias' father. His cousins viewed Yglesias' travels to Spain as an event; a millionaire traveling to Spain and they showered him with an abundance of gifts.

Studs Terkel has a brief conversation with Tom Wolfe and reads "Las Vegas (What?) Las Vegas (Can't hear you! Too noisy) Las Vegas!!!!" from Tom Wolfe's collection "The Kandy-Kolored, Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby." Songs of the 20's interspersed throughout: "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" Cole Porter "Puttin on the Ritz" Irving Berlin "Look for the Silver lining" Jerome Kern/B.G. DeSylva "Sunny Side Of the Street" Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields

As a result of writing his book, "Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs," Hunter S. Thompson said he's become calmer and not so quick to react, in case a fight starts. Thompson believes the reason for the rise in violence is due to pent up anger and hostility. A clip of a former prize fighter describing how he threatens people to repay their debts is played.

Writer Dan Wakefield discusses his book “Between the Lines,” his relationship with C. Wright Mills, and his career. Wakefield reads the epigraph from his book.