Author Susan Brownmiller discusses and reads from her book “Waverly Place”, a fictional story heavily inspired by the Lisa Steinberg child abuse case of 1987. Brownmiller discusses the details of the case and how domestic abuse, law enforcement, and the judicial system affected the outcome of this case. Studs plays "She Sits on the Table" - Tom Paxton (1980).

Peter Lyon discusses the book "Success Story: The Life and Times of S. S. McClure." Includes recitation of "Immortality" by William Jennings Bryan.

Norman Mailer discusses his writing, literary criticism, and American life. Other topics of conversation include Mailer’s thoughts on “affirmative” literary works, apathy and a lack of passion in modern life, beat writers and their reception in the United States, and many of his contemporary writers.

Content Warning: This conversation includes racially and/or culturally derogatory language and/or negative depictions of Black and Indigenous people of color, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals. 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. Almost all the characters in Robert Kotlowitz's book, "The Boardwalk" are fictitious with the exception of Teddy, a Jewish, 14-year-old boy, who Kotlowitz explains is Robert Kotlowitz.

Writer Gore Vidal discusses his novel, 1876, and how the political corruption and social atmosphere of the times inspired its plot. Vidal reads several excerpts from the book.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations