• Out of Body Experiences
    Nov 15 2024

    Author Christine Rosen, in her book The Extinction of Experience, warns that our passion for digital technology is undermining our ability to live truly human lives.

    Show more Show less
    17 mins
  • Dogs, Cats, and Hillbillies, Oh My!
    Sep 20 2024

    Stan and Doug take a (mostly) nonpolitical look at J.D. Vance's family memoir, Hillbilly Elegy.

    Show more Show less
    17 mins
  • The Demon of Unrest
    Jul 5 2024

    Erik Larson's chronicle of the chaotic start of the Civil War raises uncomfortable questions about our own era.

    Show more Show less
    16 mins
  • A Bold Reappraisal of an Old Narrative about Fundamentalism
    May 10 2024

    Did American fundamentalists go into a broad cultural retreat following the Scopes trial? Madison Trammel's new book, Fundamentalists in the Public Square: Evolution, Alcohol, and Culture Wars after the Scopes Trial, suggests that we take another look. Stan and Doug do just that in the latest episide.

    Show more Show less
    19 mins
  • Abigail Shrier Reveals How Therapy Too Often Harms Our Kids
    Apr 5 2024

    Reviewing "Bad Therapy," Stan and Doug ask why there is so much emotional distress in young people despite an ever-expanding therapeutic culture designed to eliminate it.

    Show more Show less
    19 mins
  • How to Know a Person
    Feb 23 2024

    Stan and Doug wrestle with, question, and ultimately appreciate David Brooks's earnest new book on how to understand, encourage, and connect with our neighbors.

    Show more Show less
    22 mins
  • Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
    Jan 19 2024

    Stan and Doug mine the late Matthew Perry's excruciating memoir and find some sobering lessons for the living.

    Show more Show less
    20 mins
  • The Genius of Israel
    Dec 28 2023

    Israel, once again, is under attack. But Stan and Doug, looking at the timely new book "The Genius of Israel," discuss some of the nation's unique strengths that allow it to weather almost any storm (and enjoy a high level of happiness to boot).

    Show more Show less
    19 mins