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.
This episode of "This American Life" explores the theme of plans gone awry due to unforeseen circumstances. The first act tells the story of Tom, an accountant who meticulously plans a family vacation to Great Basin National Park, only to have his children struck by lightning during a hike, highlighting the limits of r...
This American Life, hosted by Ira Glass, presents a series of stories under the theme "starting from scratch." The episode includes Jorge Just's account of realizing a Bachelorette contestant lived in his apartment, Molly FitzSimons' story about her father's attempt to create the "Puppy Channel," and Mary Beth Kirchner...
This episode of "This American Life" focuses on the escalating issues in the West Bank, particularly since October 7th. The episode highlights the increased restrictions on Palestinian movement, the expansion of Israeli settlements, and the rise in violence against Palestinians. It shares personal stories, such as that...
This podcast episode explores the power and significance of lists in various contexts, from personal organization to government categorization. It delves into the history of lists, the impact of sharing personal lists, the role of lists in bringing order to chaos, and the consequences of being on government lists. The ...
This podcast episode delves into the evolving significance of mail in our lives, reflecting on the nostalgic charm of handwritten letters against a backdrop of overwhelming junk mail and the postal service's enduring reliability. It showcases powerful personal narratives, from letters seeking reconciliation and closure...
This podcast episode captures the vibrant hustle and bustle of the Iowa State Fair, illustrating the diverse experiences of its attendees, from the whimsical journeys of brothers seeking adventure to the emotional stakes faced by young competitors in the 4-H Rabbit Competition and the entrepreneurial challenges of food...
This episode of "This American Life" explores the theme of "mean friends" through four distinct acts. It begins with an investigation into the allure of mean, popular girls in junior high, featuring interviews with those affected and the "mean girls" themselves, now adults. The second act involves a social experiment e...
This podcast episode is a presentation of the first episode of Season 2 of "The Retrievals" podcast, focusing on a medical story about pain management during cesarean sections. The episode follows the experience of Clara, a labor and delivery nurse, as she undergoes a C-section and experiences severe pain due to inadeq...
Ira Glass and producer Nancy Updike revisit a past episode of "This American Life," specifically an essay Ira wrote and read on air about the death of his friend Mary. They discuss the personal nature of the story, which revealed Ira's separation from his wife to his colleagues for the first time. They reflect on the e...
This episode of "This American Life" explores the theme of "Something Only I Can See," featuring stories of individuals who perceive things others don't and feel compelled to share or act upon their unique insights. The episode begins with a man who sees a unique color after eye surgery, followed by the story of Jill V...
This episode of "This American Life" explores the theme of "My Summer Self" through a series of acts. Ira Glass introduces the show, sharing his personal ambivalence towards summer and the beach. Act One features a story about Roy Lester, a 66-year-old lawyer and lifeguard who sued New York State over a Speedo requirem...
This episode of "This American Life," titled "Championship Window," explores moments when everything seems perfectly aligned for success. The episode features three acts: the first tells the story of a new mother embracing postpartum confinement to heal her body, the second explores a man's unexpected emotional breakth...
This episode of "This American Life" investigates the impact of the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts, specifically focusing on USAID. The episode begins by describing a warehouse full of nutritional peanut paste, Plumpy Nut, intended for malnourished children in countries like Mali and South Sudan, which has bee...
This episode of "This American Life" explores complex father-son relationships through two acts. The first act, "Make Him Say Uncle," tells the story of Lenny, who discovers after his father's death that his uncle may be his biological father, leading him on a quest for the truth involving DNA tests and family secrets,...
This episode of "This American Life," co-hosted by Ira Glass and Fred Armisen, explores the theme of doppelgangers through two main acts. Act One investigates the rumor of pork bung being passed off as imitation calamari, with reporter Ben Calhoun interviewing various sources, including pork industry insiders and food ...
This episode of "This American Life," hosted by Chana Joffe-Walt, explores the impact of the ongoing conflict in Gaza on family relationships, particularly focusing on Yousef, a former Gaza resident now living outside, and his sister Aseel, who remains in Gaza. Through translated WhatsApp messages and interviews, the p...
This episode of "This American Life," hosted by Aviva DeKornfeld, explores moments when people are confronted with unexpected truths about themselves. The episode features personal stories, including Aviva's own experience of prioritizing self-preservation over her sister, and Tobin Low's investigation into whether suc...
This podcast episode delves into the journey of the narrator's parents, who came to the United States from China and found faith in Christianity. It explores the impact of their conversion on their lives and the subsequent struggles and self-reflection of the narrator as they question their own faith. The podcast also ...
This episode explores the multifaceted fears associated with sleep, ranging from childhood anxieties to adult terrors of mortality. Ira Glass begins by recounting his childhood fear of death, triggered by his uncle's deployment to Vietnam, which led to a fear of sleep, seen as a precursor to oblivion. Against this back...
This episode explores the tropes and appeal of romantic comedies, contrasting their often-contrived elements with the messy reality of relationships. The discussion begins with a producer's passionate defense of rom-coms, highlighting the satisfying aspect of watching characters connect meaningfully. More significant...
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