This American Life podcast

This American Life

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.

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.

 

#101

758: Talking While Black

President Trump is eradicating DEI from the federal government, and private companies are ... more

16 Feb 2025

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:01

16 Feb 2025


#100

339: Break-Up

For Valentine's Day, stories from the heart of heartbreak. Visit [thisamericanlife.o... more

09 Feb 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:39

09 Feb 2025


#99

853: Groundhog Day

People stuck in a loop, trying to find their way out. Visit [thisamericanlife.org/lifepar... more

02 Feb 2025

55 MINS

55:42

02 Feb 2025


#98

823: The Question Trap

An investigation of when and why people ask loaded questions that are a proxy for somethin... more

26 Jan 2025

57 MINS

57:29

26 Jan 2025


#97

852: Pivot Point

People living in that in-between moment before everything changes. Visit [thisamericanlif... more

19 Jan 2025

58 MINS

58:12

19 Jan 2025


#96

851: Try a Little Tenderness

In the new year, stories of people trying a radical approach to solving their problems. V... more

12 Jan 2025

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:47

12 Jan 2025


#95

850: If You Want to Destroy My Sweater, Hold This Thread as I Walk Away

The tiny thing that unravels your world. Visit [thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners] (https... more

22 Dec 2024

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:37

22 Dec 2024


#94

849: The Narrator

Banias is an 8-year-old kid living in Gaza. And she has a story to tell — many stories, in... more

15 Dec 2024

58 MINS

58:13

15 Dec 2024


#93

848: The Official Unofficial Record

How do you count almost 12 million votes if you’re not the government? This week, we bring... more

24 Nov 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:20

24 Nov 2024


#92

847: The Truly Incredible Story of Keiko the Killer Whale

Keiko was a hugely beloved adventure park attraction. He was also captured in the wild and... more

17 Nov 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:04

17 Nov 2024


#91

A Big Announcement

Ira Glass has news to share about some things happening here at This American Life. To sig... more

16 Oct 2024

04 MINS

04:56

16 Oct 2024


#90

198: How to Win Friends and Influence People

People climbing to be number one. How do they do it? What is the fundamental difference be... more

05 Jan 2025

58 MINS

58:48

05 Jan 2025


#89

699: Fiasco!

We leave the normal realm of human error and enter the territory of huge breakdowns. Visi... more

29 Dec 2024

58 MINS

58:33

29 Dec 2024


#88

809: The Call

One call to a very unusual hotline and everything that followed. Visit [thisamericanlife.... more

08 Dec 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:58

08 Dec 2024


#87

846: This Is the Cake We Baked

With Donald Trump’s victory this week, many people looked at the election results and thou... more

10 Nov 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:47

10 Nov 2024


#86

845: A Small Thing That Gives Me a Tiny Shred of Hope

A wee flame, flickering in the dark. Visit [thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners] (https://t... more

03 Nov 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:16

03 Nov 2024


#85

660: Hoaxing Yourself

People who tell a lie and then believe the lie more than anyone else.  Visit [thisamerica... more

27 Oct 2024

58 MINS

58:39

27 Oct 2024


#84

844: This Is the Case of Henry Dee

Thirteen parole board members decide whether or not one man should be released from prison... more

20 Oct 2024

59 MINS

59:04

20 Oct 2024


#83

843: A Little Bit of Power

So much of the fight for the presidency is coming down to battles for small slices of vote... more

13 Oct 2024

56 MINS

56:15

13 Oct 2024


#82

842: 51 Days

Chen Almog-Goldstein was kidnapped by Hamas along with her three youngest children on Octo... more

06 Oct 2024

58 MINS

58:38

06 Oct 2024


#81

553: Stuck in the Middle

People caught in limbo, using ingenuity and guile to try to get themselves out. ---Prolog... more

29 Sep 2024

59 MINS

59:52

29 Sep 2024


#80

839: Meet Me at the Fair

Iowa has three million people and a million come to their State Fair, each with their own ... more

08 Sep 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:21

08 Sep 2024


#79

801: Must Be Rats on the Brain

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

01 Sep 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:46

01 Sep 2024


#78

838: Letters! Actual Letters!

When the best—and perhaps only—way to say something is to write it down. ---Prologue: Ira... more

18 Aug 2024

58 MINS

58:54

18 Aug 2024


#77

837: Swim Towards the Shark

In a crisis, when all logic suggests that you get away from the dangerous thing, how will ... more

11 Aug 2024

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:46

11 Aug 2024


#76

803: Greetings, People Of Earth

Humans encounter non-human intelligences of various kinds and try to make sense of them. ... more

04 Aug 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:13

04 Aug 2024


#75

836: The Big Rethink

People rethinking some of the most important relationships in their lives — with their sis... more

21 Jul 2024

59 MINS

59:40

21 Jul 2024


#74

794: So Close and Yet So Far

People ​so close to each other, ​in ​extremely intimate situations​,​ who are also a milli... more

14 Jul 2024

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:43

14 Jul 2024


#73

443: Amusement Park

We head to some of the happiest places on earth: amusement parks! Ira Glass takes us behin... more

07 Jul 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:25

07 Jul 2024


#72

797: What I Was Thinking As We Were Sinking

It's funny the things that go through your head during a disaster. ---Prologue: Host... more

23 Jun 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:59

23 Jun 2024


#71

834: Yousef and the Fourth Move

Yousef is forced into a move he is not sure he can make. ---Prologue: Since the beginning... more

16 Jun 2024

58 MINS

58:11

16 Jun 2024


#70

833: Come Retribution

Donald Trump has talked about taking retribution on his enemies since the early days of hi... more

09 Jun 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:14

09 Jun 2024


#69

832: That Other Guy

People tethered to one particular other person, whether they want to be or not. ---Prolog... more

02 Jun 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:29

02 Jun 2024


#68

830: The Forever Trial

The trial for the men accused of orchestrating the September 11 terrorist attacks still ha... more

19 May 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:33

19 May 2024


#67

829: Two Ledgers

For years, Majid believed that if he could testify in court about what happened to him whe... more

12 May 2024

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:27

12 May 2024


#66

568: Human Spectacle

Gladiators in the Colosseum. Sideshow performers. Reality television. We've always lo... more

28 Apr 2024

59 MINS

59:46

28 Apr 2024


#65

306: Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time

A girl signs up for a class. A couple hires an accountant. A group of co-workers decides t... more

21 Apr 2024

59 MINS

59:11

21 Apr 2024


#64

564: Too Soon?

It can be hard to know the right moment for something to happen. ---Prologue: When Jordan... more

14 Apr 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:26

14 Apr 2024


#63

828: Minor Crimes Division

People taking it upon themselves to solve the tiny, overlooked crimes of the world. ---Pr... more

07 Apr 2024

59 MINS

59:29

07 Apr 2024


#62

587: The Perils of Intimacy

Mysteries that exist in relationships we thought couldn't possibly surprise us. ---P... more

31 Mar 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:22

31 Mar 2024


#61

827: All the King's Horses

The things we break and the ones we can't fix. ---Prologue: Ira tells the stories of... more

24 Mar 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:14

24 Mar 2024


#60

826: Unprepared for What Has Already Happened

People waking up to the fact that the world has suddenly changed. ---Prologue: Jackson La... more

17 Mar 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:49

17 Mar 2024


#59

304: Heretics

The story of Reverend Carlton Pearson. He was a rising star in the evangelical movement wh... more

10 Mar 2024

59 MINS

59:22

10 Mar 2024


#58

825: Yousef

A series of phone calls to a man in Gaza named Yousef Hammash, between early December and ... more

03 Mar 2024

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:03

03 Mar 2024


#57

824: Family Meeting

Your mother and I have something we want to talk with you about. ---A family sits down to... more

25 Feb 2024

58 MINS

58:52

25 Feb 2024


#56

791: Math or Magic?

When it comes to finding love, there seems to be two schools of thought on the best way to... more

11 Feb 2024

56 MINS

56:34

11 Feb 2024


#55

822: The Words to Say It

What it means to have words—and to lose them. ---Prologue: Sometimes we don’t want to say... more

28 Jan 2024

58 MINS

58:01

28 Jan 2024


#54

821: Embrace the Suck

People finding themselves in situations that are worse than they thought and deciding to r... more

21 Jan 2024

58 MINS

58:44

21 Jan 2024


#53

205: Plan B

There's the thing you plan to do, and then there's the thing you end up doing. ... more

07 Jan 2024

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:03

07 Jan 2024


#52

786: It's a Game Show!

Something we’ve never done before: true stories told in the form of a game show. ---Prolo... more

10 Dec 2023

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:10

10 Dec 2023


#51

813: Is That What I Look Like?

You've been seeing yourself, getting to know what you look like, your whole life. So ... more

05 Nov 2023

56 MINS

56:56

05 Nov 2023


#50

319: And the Call Was Coming from the Basement

For the lead up to Halloween, scary stories that are all true. Zombie raccoons, haunted ho... more

29 Oct 2023

58 MINS

58:10

29 Oct 2023


#49

812: The Bear at the End of the Tunnel

People who have a good, long time to think about what they’re doing, look hard at what’s a... more

22 Oct 2023

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:50

22 Oct 2023


#48

477: Getting Away With It

People breaking the rules fully, completely, and with no bad consequences. Some justify th... more

15 Oct 2023

59 MINS

59:49

15 Oct 2023


#47

751: Audience of One

We bring the movies to you. ---Prologue: Host Ira Glass revisits the one movie he’s seen ... more

08 Oct 2023

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:44

08 Oct 2023


#46

811: The One Place I Can’t Go

Spots we’re avoiding in our private maps of the world. ---Prologue: Guest host Bim Adewun... more

01 Oct 2023

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:16

01 Oct 2023


#45

810: Say It to My Face

Friends and ex-friends finally talk about the one thing between them they've been avo... more

17 Sep 2023

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:25

17 Sep 2023


#44

388: Rest Stop

Nine radio reporters. Two days. One rest stop on the New York State Thruway. Stories of pe... more

03 Sep 2023

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:20

03 Sep 2023


#43

323: The Super

The mysterious hold supers have on their buildings, or that their buildings have on them. ... more

27 Aug 2023

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:30

27 Aug 2023


#42

808: The Rest of the Story

Legendary radio broadcaster Paul Harvey had a popular show called “The Rest of the Story.”... more

20 Aug 2023

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:24

20 Aug 2023


#41

714: Day at the Beach

It’s the last few weeks of summer, so we’re going to the beach! This week, stories from th... more

13 Aug 2023

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:40

13 Aug 2023


#40

807: Eight Fights

Nadia's family is split between Russia and Ukraine, which is pretty common. And when ... more

06 Aug 2023

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:24

06 Aug 2023


#39

806: I Can't Quit You, Baby

People  on the verge of a big change, not wanting to let go. And the people who give them ... more

30 Jul 2023

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:49

30 Jul 2023


#38

805: The Florida Experiment

Governor Ron DeSantis is running for president on the argument that he'll do for Amer... more

16 Jul 2023

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:26

16 Jul 2023


#37

804: The Retrievals

At a Yale fertility clinic, dozens of women began their I.V.F. cycles full of expectation ... more

02 Jul 2023

59 MINS

59:42

02 Jul 2023


#36

802: Father's Day

Ira's own father, Barry Glass, co-hosts this special Father's Day show. ---Prol... more

18 Jun 2023

59 MINS

59:38

18 Jun 2023


#35

692: The Show of Delights

In these dark, combative times, we attempt the most radical counterprogramming we could im... more

04 Jun 2023

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:14

04 Jun 2023


#34

800: Jane Doe

Five years after the #MeToo explosion, what’s happened in the lives of the women who stepp... more

28 May 2023

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:37

28 May 2023


#33

508: Superpowers

We answer the following questions about superpowers: Can superheroes be real people? (No.)... more

21 May 2023

59 MINS

59:19

21 May 2023


#32

799: The Lives of Others

Looping thoughts about people you barely know, or don't know at all.  ---Prologue: W... more

14 May 2023

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:10

14 May 2023


#31

796: What Lies Beneath

Summoning up stuff that’s usually hidden down deep.

16 Apr 2023

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:05

16 Apr 2023


#30

765: Off Course

Three people, and one animal, who know the path their lives will take until, suddenly, the... more

02 Apr 2023

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:19

02 Apr 2023


#29

793: The Problem with Ghosts

The ghosts that visit us, the ghosts that never do, and the ghosts that walk among us.

12 Mar 2023

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:18

12 Mar 2023


#28

788: Half-Baked Stories About My Dead Mom

Writer Etgar Keret tries to come up with the stories that capture his late mother, Orna Ke... more

08 Jan 2023

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:51

08 Jan 2023


#27

787: Baby's First Christmas

People experiencing Christmas in brand new ways, giving the holiday even more meaning.

25 Dec 2022

58 MINS

58:58

25 Dec 2022


#26

757: The Ghost in the Machine

People use machines to find people they lost.

18 Dec 2022

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:02

18 Dec 2022


#25

785: Through the Looking Glass

People trying to coax each other across the line, from one side to the other.

27 Nov 2022

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:45

27 Nov 2022


#24

783: Kids These Days

We hear from kids who are dealing with some of the country’s most contentious debates. Deb... more

30 Oct 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:59

30 Oct 2022


#23

780: Setting the Record Straight

Getting to the facts can be difficult, but it’s always the right thing to do. Except when ... more

02 Oct 2022

59 MINS

59:02

02 Oct 2022


#22

750: The Ferryman

Getting from Point A to Point B—with expert assistance.

25 Sep 2022

59 MINS

59:18

25 Sep 2022


#21

550: Three Miles

There’s a program that brings together kids from two schools. One school is public and in ... more

11 Sep 2022

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:58

11 Sep 2022


#20

528: The Radio Drama Episode

Our most ambitious live show ever! We pulled together a massive team of theater pros at th... more

04 Sep 2022

1 HR 27 MINS

1:27:31

04 Sep 2022


#19

778: Me Minus Me

When a fundamental part of yourself changes dramatically, are you still who you thought yo... more

28 Aug 2022

57 MINS

57:58

28 Aug 2022


#18

102: Road Trip!

With so many songs, movies, and books about the joy of the open road, it's hard to take ju... more

21 Aug 2022

59 MINS

59:55

21 Aug 2022


#17

777: Name. Age. Detail.

Ten people were killed at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY. Their stories, as you’ve never h... more

14 Aug 2022

1 HR 19 MINS

1:19:01

14 Aug 2022


#16

625: Essay B

In 1967, the first two Black students were enrolled at an all-white private boarding schoo... more

07 Aug 2022

59 MINS

59:57

07 Aug 2022


#15

776: I Work Better on Deadline

Stories of people racing against time to solve a huge intractable problem. Will they make ... more

31 Jul 2022

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:27

31 Jul 2022


#14

109: Notes on Camp

People who love summer camp say that non-camp people simply don't understand what's so ama... more

24 Jul 2022

59 MINS

59:37

24 Jul 2022


#13

400: Stories Pitched by Our Parents

We try something harder than anything we've ever tried before, by taking the random ideas ... more

17 Jul 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:02

17 Jul 2022


#12

775: The Possum Experiment

An investigation into a very basic question about people: Are most of us bad or good?

10 Jul 2022

59 MINS

59:59

10 Jul 2022


#11

666: The Theme That Shall Not Be Named

Satan! In his many surprising manifestations, all around us. ---Prologue: Host Ira Glass ... more

04 Jul 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:56

04 Jul 2022


#10

774: The Pink House at the Center of the World

The Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v. Wade began with a lawsuit filed by a Mississ... more

03 Jul 2022

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:45

03 Jul 2022


#9

583: It’ll Make Sense When You’re Older

Kids do not like being told it’ll make sense when they’re older. They’re pretty sure the g... more

26 Jun 2022

58 MINS

58:42

26 Jun 2022


#8

773: The Longest Distance Between Two Points

Getting from A to B via Z.

19 Jun 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:35

19 Jun 2022


#7

672: No Fair!

Stories of very small injustices and also one very big one.

12 Jun 2022

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:15

12 Jun 2022


#6

772: The Kids' Table

Kids navigating hairy situations all on their own, with no help from grown-ups.

05 Jun 2022

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:13

05 Jun 2022


#5

771: The Parents Step In

Government isn’t doing much to prevent school shootings. So parents are jumping in: parent... more

29 May 2022

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:34

29 May 2022


#4

638: Rom-Com

The one thing you know for sure when you're watching a romantic comedy is that it's going ... more

22 May 2022

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:07

22 May 2022


#3

605: Kid Logic

Kids using perfectly logical arguments, and arriving at perfectly wrong conclusions.

15 May 2022

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:07

15 May 2022


#2

770: My Lying Eyes

People staring squarely at the truth, and still finding it hard to believe what they’re se... more

08 May 2022

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:30

08 May 2022


#1

769: The Reluctant Explorer

A man finds himself thrust into a new world he didn’t necessarily ask to visit. He takes a... more

01 May 2022

58 MINS

58:53

01 May 2022