French writer Anais Nin discusses her book “Under a Glass Bell” and its influences with Studs Terkel. Nin reads a few excerpts from her recently published work “Under a Glass Bell.”

Discussing the book "Lincoln" with the author Gore Vidal.

Lies, violence and history repeating itself are all topics covered in Russell Banks' book, "Affliction." Banks points out that his novel is about the men's complicated attempt to transcend their burdens.

South African writer and political activist Nadine Gordimer joins Studs Terkel to talk about her book “A Guest of Honor,” a novel that explores African politics in a post-colonialism era. As an introduction to their conversation, Terkel plays a clip of an interview with Conor Cruise O’Brien, where an interaction with former Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah is discussed.

Excerpts of interviews with Simone Signoret (actress and author), Simone de Beauvoir (author), and Francoise Rosay (actress).

Author Mona Simpson discusses and reads from her novel “The Lost Father”, a novel that focuses on a woman that becomes obsessed with finding the father she never met. This program includes an excerpt from a previous interview between Studs and Simpson in which Simpson discusses her novel “Anywhere But Here.” Studs plays “Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home” - Susannah McCorkle (1977).