Smarty Pants From The American Scholar

Meredith Tax explains how the Rojava Kurds—and their democratic, feminist, and environmentally conscious society—are fighting back against ISIS; Ed Yong takes us on a tour of the ecosystems lurking inside our bodies; and Amy Whitaker, alias “Agony Amy,” our resident agony aunt, gives advice about balancing a creative life. Mentioned in this episode: • View a slideshow of Joey Lawrence’s photographs from Rojava, and read an excerpt from A Road Unforeseen • “The Revolution in Rojava”, Meredith Tax’s article in Dissent magazine that sparked the book • Read an excerpt from Ed Yong’s new book I Contain Multitudes on our regular books feature, Shelf Life Tune in every two weeks to catch...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Charles Johnson questions the stories we tell ourselves about black America, eight years after President Obama’s election; Barry Goldstein gives us the inside story on covering the 2016 Republican and Democratic national conventions; and David Lehman explains what crowdsourcing and poetry have in common. Mentioned in this episode: • Charles Johnson’s original 2008 essay, “The End of the Black American Narrative” • David Lehman’s “Next Line, Please” blog • Barry Goldstein’s portraits from the conventions Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Terry Tempest Williams talks America’s national parks and her new book, “The Hour of Land;” James Conaway explains how to survive a California wildfire while downing petit syrah; and Ted Levin sticks up for the beleaguered timber rattlesnake. Mentioned in this episode: • Our Summer 2016 cover story about America’s national parks, “The Taming of the Wild” • James Conaways’s essay about the Valley Fire, “Waiting for Fire” • Ted Levin’s Shelf Life excerpt Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How do you run a literature course for convicts, and what do a headless chicken and Pinochet have in common? Mikita Brottman discusses her new book, The Maximum Security Book Club; Idra Novey reads a short story; and we venture underground to check out what's happening to the abandoned streetcar tunnels under Washington, D.C. Mentioned in this episode: • Idra Novey’s short story, “Under the Lid” • Our original coverage of the Dupont Underground • Mikita Brottman’s essay, “Jane Austen’s Ivory Cage” Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from...  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What do the X-Men have to do with feminism, and how did the Fantastic Four get caught up in the radical politics of the New Left? Learn about the queer history of superhero comics with Ramzi Fawaz, and check in on reporter Karen Coates's documentary project on world hunger, "Bellyache."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hear about weird military science from Mary Roach, learn bizarre Elizabethan recipes, and catch an excerpt from a new book about Shakespeare's strange appeal.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.