She never took any writing courses and she didn't have an agent and yet, Judith Guest's novel, "Ordinary People," became something of a phenomenon. After her youngest son left for college, Guest found herself with more time to dedicate to writing. Guest also talks about how Viking press wanted her to change the title of her book.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Discussing the book "Race Hoss: Big Emma's Boy" with the author Albert Race Sample. Includes Sample reading a section of the book.Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, or offensive language.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.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Robert Creamer talks about his new book Baseball in '41: A Celebration of the "Best Baseball Season Ever."*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

Cast members include Anita Dangler, Victor Spinetti, Michael Forrest, Helena Carroll, Beulah Garrick, and Aubrey Morris

Author, professor, and John Keats biographer, Aileen Ward, discusses and reads from the biography “John Keats: The Making of a Poet.” Ward discusses Keats’ schooling, his relationship with Fanny Brawne, and Keats’ work in comparison to his contemporaries such as Percy Bysshe Shelley. Ward reads Keats’ 1818 poem entitled “Isabella, or the Pot of Basil.” Studs plays a recording of Ralph Richardson reading Keats’ 1819 poem “Ode on a Grecian Urn.”*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations

Set on the South Side of Chicago in 1971, Cyrus Colter's novel, "The River of Eros," is the story of Clotilda and her two grandchildren. Colter said Clotilda was very similar to the matriarchal roles of the women living in the deep South. *Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations 

"Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films is Donald Bogle's study of Black actors and the roles they played in movies. Bogle believed it was important for Black people to see Black heroes in movies. Bogle concluded there were too few roles available for Black actors and too many roles were of stereotypes.

Public housing is a major topic covered in Ouida and Paula Lindsey's book, "Breaking the Bonds of Racism." Ouida Lindsey tearfully explains that white people can't always understand Black people's troubles.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.

Journalist Nicholas Von Hoffman shares his critical thoughts about universities and colleges. Students are told what to read for class and students are taught how to pass exams, says Von Hoffman. Testing and exams don't work, contends Von Hoffman. Students must be allowed to read more about a subject on their own as opposed to what's solely offered by the curriculum's books.

"Waves at Genji's Door: Japan Through Its Cinema," includes Joan Mellen's study of Japanese film, Japanese history and Japanese culture. Some of Mellen's topics include Akira Kurosawa's films, Samurais and the ritual suicide of Seppuku.