I Have To Ask

In this episode, Nadira Goffe (Slate culture writer) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your girlfriend refuses to return library books in the name of self-love, whether it’s worth admitting to your partner that you sometimes break your not-so-strict vegan diet for convenience sake, if you need to tell your dad that you caught your mom on a BDSM dating site, and how to prepare for a visit from parents you are sure will body-shame you. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election season brings politicians of all parties to the doors of Black churches, looking for photo ops, votes, and support from powerful pastors. But the traditional Black church is—like many American faith communities—shrinking. And a growing number of middle-class African Americans are worshiping in more diverse congregations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by Dr. Jason E. Shelton, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. They discuss his new book, The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion, and how changes in African American faith communities are playing out in everything from politics, to education, to music. Guest: Dr. Jason E. Shelton, author of The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion. Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola Want more A Word? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately access ad-free listening across all your

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy, and guest host Maribel Quezada-Smith circle up to talk about the viral moment surrounding Gus Walz’s appearance at the DNC last week — and what it meant to us, and our community, as parents of neurodivergent kids, and especially of boys.  We’ll also tackle a round of Triumphs & Fails — including a story about a very special language lesson.  Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health at Every Size is an approach that shifts the focus from dieting and weight loss and instead promotes healthy eating and exercise patterns, regardless of body size and weight. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, Shana Spence, registered dietitian and nutritionist, provides insight on how to foster a healthy relationship with food.  If you liked this episode, check out: How Your Food Can Fight Climate Change Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com Want more Well, Now? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the Well, Now show page. Or, visit https://slate.com/wellnowplus to get access wherever you l

Several months ago, Sarah told her best friend John she’s in love with him—but he doesn’t love her back. Now Sarah can’t get John out of her head, especially because they still talk all the time. How can Sarah move on from John? On this episode of How To!, we bring on Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist and the author of Anatomy of Love, to help Sarah train her heart—and her brain—to fall out of love. The first thing Sarah needs to do, Helen says, is cut off contact with John. Every time she sees him, it reactivates her brain circuitry for romantic love. And as beautiful as their friendship may be, it’s holding Sarah back from finding her true love.  If you liked this episode, check out “How To Propose (to a Man).” Do you have a problem in your love life? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climate activists Jess Serrante and Joanna Macy are 60 years apart. They’re also close friends who’ve been sharing stories and commiserating about the state of the world for the past 10 years. When Jess experienced a crisis and started questioning whether her activism was really effective, Joanna provided a framework that changed everything.  In this episode, Anna talks to Jess about what she’s learned from Joanna about aging, activism, and managing the emotional ups and downs of caring about the world.   You can listen to Jess and Joanna’s podcast, We Are the Great Turning, here or wherever you listen to podcasts. Artist Autumn Leiker is mentioned in the episode, and you can learn more about her work here.  Podcast production by Cameron Drews.  Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: PSL (not the drink). Claudia de la Cruz cannot, mathematically, win the presidency. But she’s running anyway… because the two-party system doesn’t lend itself to real representation or the public interest. Claudia joins us to make the case for voting socialist, because the parties with all the power aren’t as different as they want you to think. We’ll also share an important update about the future of Hear Me Out at the end of the episode. After that, please feel free to email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Elizabeth, Lucy and Zak offer tips for a kid who’s really, really good at losing library books and incurring the dreaded fees. How can parents help keep track of library books… and, more broadly, do communal school supplies mean we don’t have to worry about labeling anymore? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re sharing strategies for the after-school debrief. If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Lucy’s check-in: immersive theater!!  Elizabeth’s check-in: the kids do anniversary dinner Zak’s check-in: honeymoon phase (covid included)   Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy t

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue, who fronts the 18-piece big band jazz group Secret Society. In the interview, Darcy talks about the thought processes that go into his compositions, like how his interest in mathematician Alan Turning inspired a track on the group’s most recent album Dynamic Maximum Tension. He also discusses the many hats he needs to wear, how he balances complexity and accessibility in his music, and how he makes the most of rehearsal time with such a big group.  After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the challenges and discomforts of self-promotion.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Darcy explains how he decides how to assign solos in his big band music.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free

In this episode, Samantha Bee (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and Choice Words with Samantha Bee) joins Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your relationship with an older man is compromising your living situation, how to respond when your children’s disagreements are threatening your relationship with a close neighbor, and whether it’s fair to move internationally when you’re sure your parents will destabilize their social lives to follow you. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Lucy sits down with actress and author Mandy Gonzalez for a wide-ranging conversation about parenting, building a creative mom group, and enduring cancer treatment with your head held high. Mandy also answers questions from our own budding Broadway stars. Then: Lucy, Zak, and Elizabeth debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including an update on the Rosen family’s move overseas.  Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Care and Feeding. Sign up now at slate.com/careplus to help support our work. Podcast produced by Maura Currie. Learn more about your ad c

Every year, millions of Americans experience a stroke. Though the focus is often on prevention and immediate care, many patients are left with long-term effects for years –or even a lifetime– afterward. On this week’s episode of Well, Now, we dive into new approaches to overcome the cognitive and physical disabilities that often follow a stroke. Dr. Rajiv Ratan, executive director at Burke Neurological Institute, offers his insights.  If you liked this episode, check out – Gut Check: How to Master Your Gut Microbiome Well, Now is hosted by registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller and Dr. Kavita Patel. Podcast production by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery. Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com Want to listen to Well, Now uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Well, Now and all your other favorite Slate podcasts.  Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Fre

How do you save a region from an economic tailspin? For this Money Talks, Felix Salmon chats with Paul Collier, author of The Bottom Billion and, most recently, Left Behind: A New Economics for Neglected Places. They discuss the economic and political forces that drag countries and regions to the bottom — and how they might be saved. Paul gives examples across time and geography, from Cold War-era Germany to modern-day Africa. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an exclusive bonus mini-episode with every regular episode of Slate Money! You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crystal met Hugh Hefner when she was 21 and he was 81. They spent 10 years together at the Playboy mansion before he died and she became a widow. In this episode she reflects on their marriage, and how she’s changed since.  Crystal Hefner’s memoir is called Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself. Podcast production by Zoe Azulay Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate’s entire family loves to go on intense, day-long hikes. Kate does not. It’s just one of many differences that makes her feel like a black sheep. But Kate desperately wants to be close to her family—without disregarding her own desires or compromising on parts of her life. On this episode of How To!, Carvell Wallace brings on Dr. Lucy Blake, author of No Family Is Perfect: A Guide to Embracing the Messy Reality. Lucy helps Kate find her way to a family unity that works for everyone, while also learning to celebrate their differences.   If you liked this episode check out: How To Deal With a Difficult Parent Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis and Sara McCrae. Slate Plus members get bonus

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out: sharpen up. Public schooling in this country has had a lot of champions — including some that you might not expect. But did we ever actually agree on what we wanted schools to do for society? Elizabeth Newcamp of Slate’s Care & Feeding joins us to argue for a reappraisal of the whole system… and what it means to educate. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Jamilah, Elizabeth, and Dillon Michael White help a listener whose kid is struggling hard to enjoy the summer break… and complaining about everything in the process. How can this parent nip the negativity in the bud and prevent a bad attitude from ruining everyone’s break? We also check in on what’s happening in the hosts’ lives right now. And then, if you’re joining us for the Plus Playground — out now in your podcast feed — we’re talking about how to handle sharing kid stuff for a big audience of strangers online… including the uglier stuff that comes with it.   If you’re not part of the Slate Plus community, we hope you’ll consider joining! Keep reading to learn how. Jamilah’s check-in: where are the Black teachers? Elizabeth’s check-in: the car ride wormhole.   Dillon’s check-in: the big 0-8. Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episo

This week, host June Thomas talks to author and poet Judith Barrington about her knack for memoir writing and about a retreat called Flight of the Mind that she ran with her partner for 17 years. In the interview, they discuss what makes good memoir writing, what Flight of the Mind meant to women writers, and how to get the most out of writing retreats and workshops.  After the interview, June and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about why memoir as an art form is so important.   In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Judith talks about how she learned to promote her work on Instagram.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and exclusive content on many shows—you’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/workingplus to help suppo

This week, author and data journalist Nate Silver joins Felix Salmon, Emily Peck, and Elizabeth Spires to discuss his new book On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything, a deep dive into the risk-taking class that shapes modern society. They discuss the low-risk world of “the village,” and the community of high stakes, go-big-or-go-home investors on “the river.” How do these reams affect investments, AI, and politics? In the Plus segment: Nate gives his election forecast and the hosts debate how the media handled Joe Biden’s age concerns. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and an additional segment of our regular show every week. You’ll also be supporting the work we do here on Slate Money. Sign up now at slate.com/moneyplus to help support our work. Podcast production by Jared Downing and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Rod and Karen Morrow (co-hosts of the podcast The Black Guy Who Tips) join Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) to answer letters from readers about what to do when your fiance asks you to open up your relationship but becomes obsessed with identifying your hook-up partners, how to support your friend’s widow when you’re still grieving their death, and whether it’s worth taking your ex-husband back only nine months into your divorce. Want more Dear Prudence? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/prudie-plus to get access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Se’era Spragley Ricks, Daisy Rosario, and Jenée Desmond-Harris, with help from Maura Currie and Anuli Ononye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices