Essayist and author Vivian Gornick joins us to discuss why humiliation sticks with us long after the incident that brought it on.
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A behind-the-scenes look at the Mark Twain Prize
Cappy McGarr joins us to discuss the creation of the Mark Twain Prize and share behind-the-scenes stories of when comedy and politics intersect.
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His mom left the Phillippines for his sake–was it worth it?
Albert Samaha of BuzzFeed News joins us to tell the story of his family who left a middle-class life in the Philippines only to question whether leaving was the right decision after all.
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Teach students to think for themselves
José Antonio Bowen talks about why he believes education doesn’t do enough to foster independent thinking and why he’d rewrite the 3 R’s to relationships, resilience and reflection.
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In the future, we may all be nomads
Parag Khanna, founder and managing partner of FutureMap, joins us to discuss the future of humankind as climate change and destabilization are expected to cause mass migrations.
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A conversation with Sen. Connie Mack
Senator Connie Mack joins us to discuss his years as a Reagan Republican, the social changes he pushed for, and the personal tragedy that led him to seek office in the first place.
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Why are humans so fascinated with animals?
New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean joins us to discuss her book of essays about the human-animal connection – stories that span the world from New Jersey to Morocco – and the lessons we can learn from the way we interact with these creatures.
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Tony Soprano lives on
Willy Staley joins us to discuss our obsession with mafia stories, cynicism in the decade the show premiered compared to today, and what its new-found popularity says about the current state of America.
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Plants have much to teach us
Beronda L. Montgomery joins us to discuss what plants “know,” how they overcome obstacles, and what we humans can learn from them.
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The search for a soul mate is a path to loneliness
Arthur C. Brooks joins us to discuss the realities of love at first sight, why that can be a recipe for unhappiness, and what to look for instead.
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The anonymous tycoons shaping your community
Patrick Wyman, host of the Tides of History podcast, joins us to discuss the more salt-of-the-earth millionaires – whose wealth is derived from familial assets and low-wage workers – and the power they have over their local communities.
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She fled money for the riches of the nature
Gloria Liu joins us to talk about how she’s not alone in choosing to live close to nature without many creature comforts – and about realizing that money can be both a path to freedom and a trap.
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