Family Ghosts - podcast cover

Family Ghosts

Every house is haunted. In each episode of Family Ghosts, we investigate the true story behind a mysterious figure whose legend has followed a family for generations. Grandmothers who were secretly jewel smugglers, uncles who led double lives, siblings who vanished without a trace, and other ghostly characters who cast shadows over our lives in ways that might not be immediately obvious. We are all formed in part by our familial collections of secrets, intrigues, and myths. By engaging with each others’ legends, perhaps we can see each others’ realities more clearly. Hosted by Moth Grand Slam winner Sam Dingman, whose stories have been featured on NPR, Risk!, TBTL, and The Moth Radio Hour.

Episodes

42: The Namesake - Part 2

"You can open up a book and choose a sentence at random, and derive meaning from it." This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. Please consider joining them for just $5 per month: http://patreon.com/FamilyGhosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 30, 202134 minSeason 4Ep. 15

BONUS: Snatching Sinatra

For the last few months, Sam's been hard at work with John Stamos (yes, that John Stamos) on a top-secret project. In this special bonus episode, you’ll hear a preview of the wild, true story of Barry Keenan, who kidnapped Frank Sinatra, Jr in 1963. Follow “The Grand Scheme: Snatching Sinatra” wherever you listen to podcasts to hear the full story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 27, 202112 min

42: The Namesake - Part 1

Jessie's name is the continuation of her aunt's story. But no one's ever told Jessie the real story of her aunt. This episode is made possible thanks to the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of Patreon supporters. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get ad-free versions of all of our episodes, plus exclusive bonus content you won’t find anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them today: http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Jul 16, 202144 minSeason 4Ep. 14

41: Motherland - Part 2

“Saving face would not rescue my mother.” Read more of Jiayang’s writing for The New Yorker here: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/jiayang-fan. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, and get access to bonus content that’s not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joining them, at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Le...

Jul 01, 202147 minSeason 4Ep. 13

40: Motherland - Part 1

“The two of us became the embodiment of the Chinese phrase xiang yi wei ming - mutual reliance for life." Read more of Jiayang's work here, and find her piece on ghost scams here. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining the Kindred Spirits for just $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Jun 18, 202142 minSeason 4Ep. 12

39: The Old Block

Jim grabs the baton, and Gastor sees the face behind the mask. You can hear more of Jim's work on "Blindspot: The Road to 9/11" at https://www.npr.org/podcasts/908344999/blindspot-the-road-to-9-11, and more of Gastor's on "The War Report" at https://anchor.fm/warreportpod. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more ab...

Jun 04, 202141 minSeason 4Ep. 11

38: The Reality Map (or The Faith Exam, Part 2)

Andrew tells the family ghost story behind a Family Ghosts story. Learn more about Andrew and hear more of his work at http://gildedaudio.org. Our work is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of listeners who commit $5 per month to keeping Family Ghosts in your headphones. If you have the means, please consider joining them at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 20, 202153 minSeason 4Ep. 10

37: The Walls of Jericho

When Erin moves to England, her mother presents her with a life-altering choice. Learn more about Erin at her website, https://www.erinhbarker.com/. Hear more of her work on the Story Collider podcast, and The Moth. This episode is brought to you by the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits hear our episodes ad-free, get exclusive bonus episodes you won't hear anywhere else, and provide essential support for the work we do here at Family Gh...

May 07, 202134 minSeason 4Ep. 9

36: Still Close

Sam receives an unexpected message from the past, delivered by a Spiritualist medium in a mysterious town called Lily Dale. Learn more about Tiffany Hopkins at [nobox.us/unseen](nobox.us/unseen), and find Steven Cantor's work at https://www.stickfigureproductions.com/. You can stream "No One Dies in Lily Dale" here. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them at ht...

Apr 23, 202148 minSeason 4Ep. 8

35: Guests

Mary Terrier tells the story of a woman who seems to hold all the keys. Read more Mary Terrier at http://maryterrier.com. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. Please consider becoming a member today: http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 08, 202134 minSeason 4Ep. 7

34: Foxes

Kimberly King Parsons tells the story of a mother telling a story about her daughter telling a story. Learn more about Kim and buy "Black Light," her collection of stories, here. Family Ghosts wouldn't be possible without the generosity of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. If you have the means, please consider joining them for just $5 per month at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 25, 202143 minSeason 4Ep. 6

33: Rack & Cue

Bradford and Paul come to terms with the people they wish their parents could be - and the people they actually are. Find more of Bradford's stories at http://www.bradfordjordan.com/stories. Find Paul's work with TestifyATX here, and his classes at Merlinworks here. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get bonus co...

Mar 11, 202131 minSeason 4Ep. 5

32: Unwell - A Midwestern Gothic Mystery

Sam takes you on a trip to a mysterious boarding house in Mt. Absalom, Ohio - a community riddled with secrets and lost memories. Learn more about Unwell at https://www.unwellpodcast.com. Family Ghosts is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get exclusive content that's not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider joini...

Feb 25, 202156 minSeason 4Ep. 4

31: A Crane in the Bay - Part 3

After more than thirty years of following roads to nowhere, Kate carves her own path. This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, and get exclusive bonus content that's not available anywhere else. If you have the means, please consider becoming a member at http://patreon.com/familyghosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 11, 202135 minSeason 4Ep. 3

30: A Crane in the Bay - Part 2

Kate flees the haunting silence of Baltimore - but no matter where she goes, Eddy's ghost isn't far behind. After decades of torment, she decides to open her own investigation into her father's disappearance. This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, and enjoy bonus content not available anywhere else. On top of all...

Jan 28, 202143 minSeason 4Ep. 2

29: A Crane in the Bay - Part 1

When an unnatural disaster befalls her family, Kate demands answers. But no one's willing to talk. Read David Simon's 1992 article about Kate and her family here. This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. For just $5 per month, Kindred Spirits enjoy early access to all of our episodes, and hear them ad-free, and also get exclusive bonus content that's not available here in the main feed. If you have the means, please con...

Jan 14, 202136 minSeason 4Ep. 1

28: The Faith Exam

Julian joins a church in Poughkeepsie, and discovers a decades-old secret about her uncle. ~41~ Learn more about Andrew Chugg at https://gildedaudio.org/, and about Christina Roussos at https://www.christinaroussos.com/. This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. In addition to ad-free episodes, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our work, and hear exclusive bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere el...

Mar 11, 202058 minSeason 3Ep. 12

27: The Mission

Decades after her brother's mysterious disappearance, Toni finally learns the truth about what happened to him. ~41~ This is episode is made possible thanks to the support of the Kindred Spirits, our community of supporters on Patreon. In addition to ad-free episodes, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, as well as bonus exclusives you won't hear anywhere else. This week, they're hearing a very special excerpt from our Family Ghosts Live show at the Bell House last summer. If...

Mar 04, 202054 minSeason 3Ep. 11

26: Spirit World

Mythic masonry, a haunted crucifix, and the Marfa lights. This week: Jim peeks behind the veil of Gothic horror, Susan's mom goes looking for - and finds - evidence of the afterlife, and Melle searches the highways of Louisiana for some missing pages of her family's history. ~41~ This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. In addition to early access to episodes, Kindred Spirits hear all our stories ad-free, and get exclusive bonus con...

Feb 19, 202057 minSeason 3Ep. 10

25: The Ambassador

Mac and his mom have a lot to talk about: her relationship with her psychic, his brother's murder, and a life-altering betrayal that happened decades ago. But with her health in rapid decline, Mac's starting to worry it might be too late to get any answers. ~41~ This episode is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Kindred Spirits - our supporters on Patreon. In addition to getting early access to all our episodes, and hearing them ad-free, Kindred Spirits get special bonus episode...

Feb 12, 202049 minSeason 3Ep. 9

24: Little Stonehenges

Following her father's death, a ghost appears in Natalie's childhood home and refuses to leave. Natalie has spent the last few decades attempting to decode the ominous messages it left behind. ~41~ This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. In addition to early access to all of our episodes, Kindred Spirits hear them ad-free, and get bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're hearing a story from Sam about ...

Feb 05, 202054 minSeason 3Ep. 8

23: Your Ghost

Three stories about the moment when the static dissolves, and a transmission from the past comes through loud and clear. Featuring Sandi Marx (https://www.sandijmarx.com/), Richard Cardillo (https://themoth.org/storytellers/richard-cardillo), Nimisha Ladva (https://twitter.com/nimishaladva), and Maggie Carson (http://maggiecarsonmusic.com). ~41~ This episode is made possible by the generous support of the Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon. For just $5/month, Kindred Spirits get early ac...

Jan 29, 20201 hr 5 minSeason 3Ep. 7

22: The Trove

Mariah travels to a country she's never been to in hopes that she can find a man she's never met: her father. ~41~ This episode is supported in part by the Kindred Spirits - our supporters on Patreon. For just $5 a month, Kindred Spirits get early access to all of our episodes, hear them ad-free, plus exclusive bonus episodes that aren't available anywhere else. This week, they're getting a behind the scenes conversation between Sam and Mariah about the development process for this week's story....

Jan 22, 202058 minSeason 3Ep. 6

21: Collateral For Ten Million

Kierran grew up hearing stories about her grandfather's adventures owning diamond mines, tangling with the mafia, robbing banks, and other wild tales. But as she's gotten older, Kierran's starting to realize some of those stories might be total B.S. And if they are, she wants to know why everyone was so willing to let him get away with it. ~41~ The Kindred Spirits, our supporters on Patreon, have already heard this episode ad-free - and they're also getting exclusive bonus episodes you can't hea...

Jan 15, 202057 minSeason 3Ep. 5

20: A Boy In A Story

David tells the story of three unlikely family members who shaped his life. ~41~ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 08, 202058 minSeason 3Ep. 4

18: The Clotilda Legacy, Part 2: The Stronghold

Joycelyn and Darron try to escape the shadow of the Meaher family's pervasive influence in Africatown. ~41~ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 11, 201942 minSeason 3Ep. 2

17: The Clotilda Legacy, Part 1: The Descendants

Africatown is a small community in Mobile, Alabama, where many families share a painful history. For decades, their story has been an open secret - until now. ~41~ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 04, 201939 minSeason 3Ep. 1

Season 3 Trailer: A Circle of Ghosts

The official trailer for Season 3 of our show - coming to your headphones on December 4th. ~41~ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 20, 20192 min

16b: Bone Hill - Act 2

Martha's family makes a home on Black Mountain, and reckons with the past. "From whence we came, we shall return. From the old ways, our lessons learned." - Martha Redbone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 03, 20191 hrSeason 2Ep. 10