Even while spending four years in a labor camp, Irina Ratushinskaya managed to write her poems on bars of soap. Ratushinkaya explained that one must keep their sense of humor while in the labor camps because there is nothing else. Other women in the camps helped Ratushinkaya smuggle her poems to the outside world.

Monsters, imagination and violence in children's literature are all topics of Maurice Sendak's book, "Where the Wild Things Are." When writing the book, Sendak used his own experiences as a little boy, remembering that the monsters in the family were relatives on his mother's side. There are two excerpts of composer Oliver Knussen.

According to Jack Newfield's book, "Robert Kennedy: A Memoir," Robert Kennedy spent a good part of his first 38 years of life in service to his brother. Robert was JFK's campaign manager, advisor, and Attorney General. Objectivity and seeking the truth as a journalist is also discussed in the interview.

Love, lust, romance and heartbreak are all apart of Louise Erdrich's book, "Tales of Burning Love". Erdrich talks about the five woman in her book, who have all married Jack Mauser. The ladies all end up stuck together in a blizzard, and it's there that they all talk to one another about their love and heartache, Jack Mauser.

Lisa Fittko discusses her experience as an anti-fascist resistance fighter in Berlin, Germany during World War II. They also explore accounts from her book "Solidarity and Treason: Resistance and Exile, 1933-1940".

Actor and author Lois Wheeler Snow discusses her book “China on Stage,” and shares her experiences in China, primarily involving ballet, opera, and plays.

Discussing the book of poetry "The Garden of Earthly Delights" with poet Paul Carroll, winner of the 1985 Chicago Poets Award.

Interviewing producer Harold Pinter and actors Jeff Perry and Gary Sinise. They discuss their careers and present excerpts from Steppenwolf Theatre’s production “The Caretaker.”

Horton Foote, playwright and screenwriter, and Studs Terkel analyze storylines, conflicts, and characters in Horton’s play "The Young Man From Atlanta." Horton also discusses his earlier work and events that led him to where he is in his career.