This American Life

By: This American Life
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  • Summary

  • Each week we choose a theme. Then anything can happen. This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.
    Copyright 1995-2024 This American Life
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Episodes
  • 801: Must Be Rats on the Brain

    801: Must Be Rats on the Brain
    Sep 1 2024

    The one animal we can’t seem to live without, even when we really, really want to.

    • Prologue: At the announcement of New York City’s inaugural rat czar, we meet Darneice Foster, who despises the rats outside her apartment. And host Ira Glass introduces two special co-hosts for today’s show. (11 minutes)
    • Act One: Producer Elna Baker meets Todd Sklar, a man who can’t quit rats. (22 minutes)
    • Act Two: Fifty years ago, New York City started to put garbage out in plastic bags. This has become the number one food source for rats. Producer Ike Sriskandarajah investigates the decision that led to the city’s rat baby boom. (10 minutes)
    • Act Three: How did Alberta, Canada pull off a feat that has eluded the rest of human civilization? Ira visits the largest rat-less land in the world. (15 minutes)
    • Act Four: We drop a hot mic into a hot mess of a rats’ nest. You’ll never believe what happens next. (3 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 754: Spark Bird

    754: Spark Bird
    Aug 25 2024

    Stories about birds and the hearts they sway, the havoc they wreak, the lives they change.

    • Prologue: Ira goes out birding with birder extraordinaire Noah Strycker, who tells the dramatic story of the bird that changed his life: the turkey vulture. (13 minutes)
    • Act One: Carmen Milito tells Ira the story of a date she went on as a teenager, and the bird her mom brought to the occasion. (14 minutes)
    • Act 2: Ira tromps around the woods some more with Noah Strycker, who explains, among other things, his problem with the movie Spencer.
    • Act Two: Producer Bim Adewunmi on a decades-long political battle in Florida — between the incumbent state bird and the challenger that threatens to knock it off its perch. (7 minutes)
    • Act Three: There are the birds who exist, and then there are the birds who may as well exist. Producer Sean Cole explains. (18 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 838: Letters! Actual Letters!

    838: Letters! Actual Letters!
    Aug 18 2024

    When the best—and perhaps only—way to say something is to write it down.

    • Prologue: Ira goes out with a letter carrier, ‘Grace,’ as she delivers mail on her route. He learns about the people who bring us our mail and also how people treat their mail. (11 minutes)
    • Act One: Writing a letter decades after an event that shaped her life was the only way that Nicole Piasecki could make some sense of it. (18 minutes)
    • Act Two: Yorkshire, 1866. A farmer overcomes his timidity and writes a very important letter to a local beauty. (3 minutes)
    • Act Three: When senior editor David Kestenbaum was still a rookie reporter, he wrote an email to a legend. Then he waited...and waited...for a reply. (6 minutes)
    • Act Four: A woman writes an unusual letter on behalf of her husband. (1 minute)
    • Act Five: Producer Zoe Chace compares the letters a person gets and the letters they wish they got. (12 minutes)

    Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org

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    59 mins
Art Political Science Social Sciences
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Profile Image for Jackson

Life changing, life defining

I’m nowhere near the age to have kids but if I were a parent I’d share and bond over this podcast and the truly life changing impact it’s had on my life and I. My favorite hour each week is spent on the edge of a metaphorical seat with Ira’s sultry whispering caressing my earbuds. 😅😘

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Profile Image for Joseph

fantastic

Absolutely one of my favourite episodes, thank you! Would love it if you were able to do another such mystery episode regarding old houses or belongings and the search for the person's who owned them.

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Profile Image for Jennifer

Ira, you are the bezt

I hope you read these personally because I want you to know that I love these stories. I tell everyone I know to listen. Thank you for all that you think of, find and share.

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Profile Image for Glen Dingley

Great Podcast

I love the stories that they pick and choose and their discussion is very well done I have learned a lot in a lot in these podcasts good job!

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Profile Image for Marci Raney

loved this

just the absolute best podcast. I'm continually learning and just feel better having such rich content to absorb. Thank you Ira Glass!

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Profile Image for htinterprets

A principal, a primary caretaker, and other it people

Thank you for telling the Principal’s story. This episode spoke so beautifully about the threats educators and caregivers have experienced in the last few years. Really important story telling.

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Profile Image for A. Boyd

An important episode

A must-listen. The system must change, and that's up to us. Chanel Miller's bit at the end was powerful, and hopeful.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

Good one

Nice to hear.Narrated in a great way,Need more no of episodes for the upcoming days

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Profile Image for Harlow

Absolutely fascinating...

TAL was the first "podcast" before the term existed.i am so glad to have rediscovered it.

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