She Lost Her Mom But Kept Her Korean Identity

April 29, 2021 Culture, Literature, Mental Health, Race/Identity

Michelle Zauner joins us to talk about her caring for her dying mother and how she fought to maintain a link to her Korean heritage after her mother was gone.

An Illusionist Reveals His Secrets

April 26, 2021 Current Events, Literature, Race/Identity

Derek DelGaudio joins us to talk about his autobiography, a deep dive into how illusion and identity shaped his life.

Life Is Different On The Other Side Of Cancer

April 13, 2021 Health, Literature, Race/Identity

Suleika Jaouad joins us to talk about the cancer that left her fighting for life at a young age and how she’s reimagined what the future holds now that she’s cancer-free.

He Ran Towards His Indigenous Roots

April 1, 2021 Culture, Environment, Literature, Race/Identity, Sports

First-generation American Noé Álvarez joins us to talk about his participation in Peace and Dignity Journeys, which allowed him to explore the world of his ancestors.

The Genesis Of The Bible

March 22, 2021 Culture, Education, History, Language, Literature

Kristin Swenson is an associate professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, and she joins us to talk about approaching the Bible anew with a sense of wonder and context.

A Mom, A Daughter And The Ocean In-Between

March 1, 2021 Culture, Language, Literature, Race/Identity

Author Elizabeth Miki Brina joins host us to talk about her efforts to reframe her life’s experiences through her mother’s eyes, and her attempts to understand the pain and loneliness of what it was like for her to leave her homeland behind.

Ida B. Wells Is As Relevant As Ever

February 24, 2021 Culture, History, Literature, Race/Identity

Michelle Duster is a great-granddaughter of Wells, and she joins us to talk about the Civil Rights icon’s strategies for giving a voice to the voiceless and how they might be used in present-day America.

A Dissident Egyptian Comic Takes On Middle School Bullies

February 23, 2021 Culture, History, Literature, Politics, Race/Identity

Bassem Youssef, the heart surgeon turned political satirist, joins us to talk about the unique experiences of immigrant children and what he learned from observing his own family.

David Sedaris’ Greatest Hits

January 28, 2021 Culture, Literature

David Sedaris joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his essays on family, falling in love, relationships, aging, and the weird ways life’s struggles make us all the more rich.

George Saunders at the Man Book Prize awards ceremony

George Saunders On What Makes A Great Short Story

January 27, 2021 Culture, Literature

Novelist George Saunders is the recipient of the Man Booker Prize and many other literary honors, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his book of seven essays about what makes great writing and how readers connect with a page of words.

Is Appropriation In Art Always Wrong?

January 26, 2021 Culture, Language, Literature, Race/Identity

Paisley Rekdal, Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Utah and the state’s poet laureate, joins us to discuss the places where identity intersects with politics, and why it’s important to confront the language we use when defining cultures.

Where Do You Go For Advice – Novels Or Self-Help?

January 26, 2021 Culture, Education, History, Literature

Beth Blum, assistant professor of English at Harvard University, joins us to discuss how classic authors talked to audiences about themes of self-actualization, and how writers today still draw from that well of tips and tricks for better living.