Episodes - This American Life

A father and daughter (Adrian LeBlanc and his daughter Adrian Le Blanc) decide to write his obituary—together—not really thinking very seriously at first about the real meaning of what they were doing.

190: Living the Dream

Aug. 3, 2001

Act Two: Agent To The Stars

Writer John Hodgman in New York tells the story of how he dreamt of getting to know the B-movie star Bruce Campbell, and how his unlikely dream accidentally came true, partly to his delight, partly to his horror.

153: Dolls

Mar. 3, 2000

Act Two: You Know What Mr Bear Would Say

A truly remarkable children's book just came back in print: The Lonely Doll, by Dare Wright. Jean Nathan tells the story of the book and its author, and how the author's life came to resemble something from her book.

Act Three: The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter

Kindergarten teacher and "Genius Grant" recipient Vivian Paley is the author of many books about the stories children invent and the way they play, and what it's about. At a time when schools are cutting back on having a doll corner, she tells the story of a child in her class who was sort of saved by a doll, and the story he told about the doll.

148: The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Suit

Dec. 24, 1999

Prologue

Host Ira Glass talks with Stephen Nissenbaum, author of a history called The Battle for Christmas, which explains when people started believing in a Santa who arrives Christmas Eve carrying presents. It was in 1822, and incredibly, the poem that created our modern idea of Santa is still around, known by heart by tens of millions.

144: Where Words Fail

Nov. 5, 1999

Act Two: Look For The Union Label

A father and daughter (Adrian LeBlank and his daughter Adrian Le Blank) decide to write his obituary—together—not really thinking very seriously at first about the real meaning of what they were doing.

141: Invisible Worlds

Oct. 1, 1999

Act Three: Able To Leap Tall Buildings

The publisher of the zine Infiltration talks about the pleasure and importance of going behind the scenes of everyday life.

134: We Didn’t

July 9, 1999

Act One: You Come And Go, The Waiters Remain

This story is part memoir, part philosophical inquiry into the nature of not doing things. Writer Geoff Dyer had always wanted to write a biography about D.H.

99: I Enjoy Being A Girl, Sort Of

Apr. 10, 1998

Act Two: How To Be A Man

Writer Sarah Miller attends a class on how to walk and talk and act like a man. It's not easy.

97: Death to Wacky

Mar. 20, 1998

Act Eleven: Self-Made Wacky

Ira talks with Maria, who took out a personals ad in the Chicago Reader advertising herself as "wacky and warm." (5 minutes)

92: Leave the Mask On

Feb. 6, 1998

Act Two: Mama, Can You Hear Me?

In which Dan Savage, who makes his living writing a nationally syndicated sex advice column, admits that there's one group of people he does not want to discuss sex with. Ever.

56: Name Change

Mar. 7, 1997

Act Four: Nom De Plume, Nom De Guerre

How a guy named Tom became Camden Joy — and what he gained and what he lost. With Sarah Vowell.

51: Animals Die, People Ponder

Jan. 24, 1997

Prologue

Ira with an expert in medieval manuscripts, Sandy Hindman.

43: Faustian Bargains

Nov. 22, 1996

Act One: Dangerous Minds

LuAnne Johnson is a teacher who sold her story to Hollywood and saw it made into the film and TV series Dangerous Minds, in which a character named LuAnne Johnson does things the real LuAnne believes are unethical and silly.

28: Detectives

July 12, 1996

Prologue

Ira talks about one of the purest expressions of ordinary folks' desire to be detectives: a child's detective notebook — full of information, secret codes, cases, and an application to become an FBI agent.

7: Quitting

Dec. 29, 1995

Prologue

Evan Harris was entrenched in her life, stalled and going nowhere both personally and professionally. A silly conversation with a co-worker about the letter "Q" led her to start a magazine called Quitter Quarterly. That one conversation changed her life completely.

6: Christmas

Dec. 22, 1995

Act Two

A story about Christmas at Juvenile Court by Chicago novelist/editor Reginald Gibbons.

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Act Two: Look For The Union Label

Act Two: Agent To The Stars

Act Two: You Know What Mr Bear Would Say

Act Three: The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter

Prologue

Act Two: Look For The Union Label

Act Three: Able To Leap Tall Buildings

Act One: You Come And Go, The Waiters Remain

Act Two: How To Be A Man

Act Eleven: Self-Made Wacky

Act Two: Mama, Can You Hear Me?

Act Four: Nom De Plume, Nom De Guerre

Prologue

Act One: Dangerous Minds

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