American democracy is going through a rough patch, and the Constitution, for all its brilliance, has some flaws that limit the power of majorities. So why haven’t we made any real reforms in over 50 years? And what are other democracies doing to fight authoritarianism? Sharon sits down with Harvard government professors, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, to discuss their book, Tyranny of the Minority. They explore how past democracies have failed, and find the striking pattern that political m...
Jun 30, 2025•53 min•Season 19Ep. 21
Ever wonder how a white supremacist becomes an extremist? Sharon has a conversation with Matson and Tawni Browning about their book, The Hate Next Door. Matt gets candid about his time working undercover in white supremacist groups and what it was like to balance his dueling realities: where the job ended and where his home life began. Matt and Tawni also talk about the type of person white supremacist hate groups target for recruitment and the types of messaging they rely on to spread their vio...
Jun 23, 2025•50 min•Season 19Ep. 20
How does American society uphold the First Amendment while restricting books and censoring diverse ideas? Sharon talks with Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, about the surge in book bans, now over 4,000 nationwide. Suzanne explains how vague language about “protecting children” is used to remove books that reflect marginalized voices, often labeling them as “indecent” without justification. The result is classic literature and health-related content being removed from the shelves. Credits: Hos...
Jun 16, 2025•41 min•Season 19Ep. 19
These days, it feels like every fleeting thought, mistake, or awkward phase can be captured and shared online. So how are kids supposed to grow up in a world like that? Sharon sits down with Dr. Devorah Heitner, author of Growing Up in Public, to talk about how parents, teachers, and mentors can support kids as they navigate the digital world, with plenty of empathy along the way. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig ...
Jun 09, 2025•52 min•Season 19Ep. 18
All creatures, humans included, experience just a tiny slice of the full reality around us. Sharon chats with Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Ed Yong about his book An Immense World, which dives into the amazing and often unseen ways animals sense the world. Ed talks about how exploring these sensory worlds can lead to some pretty big, thought-provoking questions about life. Even if our own perception is limited, there’s so much we can discover when we stay curious an...
Jun 02, 2025•43 min•Season 19Ep. 17
This Memorial Day we take a moment to remember the 350,000+ American women who served in uniform during the war, in every service branch, in every combat theater, and in nearly two-thirds of the available military occupations at the time. Their service ranged from critical support roles flying planes across the country, drawing maps to help men get through Normandy, codebreaking, and building & maintaining the behind-the-scenes infrastructural work that made the heroics possible. Sharon is j...
May 26, 2025•48 min•Season 19Ep. 16
We’ve heard it before: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what did the Founders mean by “the pursuit of happiness,” and how do virtue and moral philosophy shape our understanding of this unalienable right? Sharon is joined by Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, to explore these questions, as well as to dive deeper into the history and meaning of the pursuit of life-long virtue. Learn how six of the Framers and Founders – flaws and all – embody diff...
May 19, 2025•46 min•Season 19Ep. 15
Ever feel like choosing between the "lesser of two evils" in the voting booth? Many Americans don’t feel represented by major candidates and worry a third-party vote is wasted. If you're frustrated with the two-party system, you're not alone. What if it didn’t have to be that way? Sharon is joined by law professor and author Max Stearns, to hear about another option: a Parliamentary Democracy. What would this look like, and how might Americans benefit by reimagining Democracy? Credits: Host and ...
May 12, 2025•48 min•Season 19Ep. 14
Imagine if you could ask someone anything you wanted about their finances. On What We Spend, people from across the country and across the financial spectrum are opening their wallets—and their lives—to tell you everything: what they make, what they want, and—for one week—what they spend. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 07, 2025•11 min
When did the political parties change sides? Is America a democracy, or a constitutional republic? Sharon welcomes back political historian, author, and Professor Heather Cox Richardson to discuss her book “Democracy Awakening.” Taking a different approach to this book from her previous work, Heather answers some of the big picture questions, once and for all, relating directly to America’s current standing as a democracy. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer...
May 05, 2025•45 min•Season 19Ep. 13
How can you tell if your news source is reliable? In this episode, Sharon talks with Vanessa Otero, founder of Ad Fontes Media and creator of the Media Bias Chart, about how to better evaluate the reliability of your news. They explore the difference between fact-based journalism and misinformation, and why so much of our news falls somewhere in the middle. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson To learn more a...
Apr 28, 2025•42 min•Season 19Ep. 12
You may not be familiar with their names, but William and Ellen Craft were a determined enslaved couple who made their escape through disguise and performance, and in their success, defied the limitations of gender and race. Sharon talks with Ilyon Woo, author of “Master Slave Husband Wife,” which beautifully depicts their epic journey from slavery to freedom. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson To learn mor...
Apr 21, 2025•41 min•Season 19Ep. 11
We hear the word “reform” tossed around a lot when it comes to education, but what does it actually mean? And how does school segregation—both past and present—continue to shape our classrooms today? Sharon sits down with Dr. Bettina Love, a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and author of “Punished for Dreaming.” From chronic underfunding and the overemphasis on standardized tests to teacher burnout and the devaluing of educators, it’s clear the system is struggling. So, where ...
Apr 14, 2025•59 min•Season 19Ep. 10
We have a tendency to regard many of our U.S. Presidents as heroes, illuminating the ways in which they shaped our nation for the good, that we often gloss over their missteps. Historians piece together facts and details to fill in the gaps of the bigger picture, but how often are our interpretations colored by our own lived experiences and perceptions? Sharon speaks with presidential historian Alexis Coe, who talks about her goal as a historian to tell the whole story. Listen in to learn some f...
Apr 07, 2025•47 min•Season 19Ep. 9
We're excited to bring you a beautiful episode of The Moth, The Rest is History. In this hour, Henny Lewin, a young Jewish girl, is smuggled out of a Lithuanian ghetto during WWII, Musician Frank Almond makes a historic discovery, and Sivad Johnson takes us behind the scenes of the Detroit Fire Department. On Tuesdays and Fridays, The Moth’s podcast feed presents episodes of the Peabody-Award Winning Moth Radio Hour and original episodes of The Moth Podcast. Since its launch in 1997, The Moth ha...
Apr 03, 2025•57 min
Lady Bird, a whip-smart Southern woman, met Lyndon Johnson in Austin, Texas where he proposed to her at the end of their first date (she said no!). Eventually, the pair married and moved to Washington DC. Today, Sharon talks with author Julia Sweig about her newest book, Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight. The research and writing took Julia over six years, as she meticulously poured over the details of not only Lady Bird’s life, but also the 1960s era and the state of the nation at the ti...
Mar 31, 2025•47 min•Season 19Ep. 8
It's the trifecta of listener-favorite subjects: an American First Lady, World War II, and a secret adventure. Shannon McKenna Schmidt joins us to share about her new book, The First Lady of World War II:, which chronicles Eleanor Roosevelt’s journey to the Pacific theater during wartime. The five-week trip took her through the South Pacific, and began as a secret when she hitched a ride on a transport airplane next to sacks of mail. Tune in to hear what happened when she touched down in Austral...
Mar 24, 2025•43 min•Season 19Ep. 7
There’s a reason her book was just chosen for Oprah’s book club. Sharon McMahon talks with her friend Amy Griffin—venture capitalist and new author—to talk about her powerful memoir, “The Tell.” On the outside, Amy had a picture perfect life. But hiding behind that facade was a horrifying secret she had kept for decades. She explains what happened to her as a child, how it affected her life in ways she never realized, and why she wanted to finally share her truth. Credits: Host and Executive Pro...
Mar 17, 2025•51 min•Season 19Ep. 6
Want to know the secret to getting more out of life? Sharon McMahon chats with #1 NYT best-selling author Brad Meltzer about his latest book, “Make Magic,” based on his viral commencement speech from last year. Brad shares the four things you can do to lead a more kind, empathetic life full of wonder. And because Brad doesn’t have enough to do, he has written another new political thriller, “The JFK Conspiracy.” During their discussion, he tells Sharon about a lesser-known plot to assassinate JF...
Mar 10, 2025•50 min•Season 19Ep. 5
How do you stay true to your values when the world pushes you to conform? Sharon McMahon is joined by award-winning Cornell professor Dr. Sunita Sah to talk about her new book, “DEFY: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes.” Dr. Sah breaks down why we feel pressured to comply—and says real defiance isn’t about rebellion, but about standing up for what you believe, even when it’s uncomfortable. After listening to this discussion, even the most obedient people pleasers will be able to say no....
Mar 03, 2025•43 min•Season 19Ep. 4
Children and their parents were taken at gunpoint, with barely time to pack. Their prized possessions, including family heirlooms and even pets, had to be left behind. Norman Mineta was still in elementary school when he was forced onto a train with his parents and siblings. He had no idea where he was going and the shock at seeing his new home would stay with him forever. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson...
Feb 24, 2025•43 min•Season 19Ep. 3
When FDR signed executive order 9066, he upended lives and forever altered the course of American history. With the stroke of a pen, more than 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry would be forced from their homes, jobs, schools, and lives. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad cho...
Feb 17, 2025•44 min•Season 19Ep. 2
What happens when fear and prejudice are ignited by the hysteria of war? In 9066, you'll find out. Follow Daniel Inouye, who was only 17 when he discovers the first civilian dead on December 7, 1941. He -- and more than 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry -- will struggle with what it means when the nation that they loved attacks the one that they call home. Credits: Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks Audio Producer: Craig Thompson To learn more ...
Feb 10, 2025•3 min•Season 19Ep. 1
How did Leanne Morgan go from a small-town mom to one of the biggest comedians in the country? Sharon McMahon chats with the hilarious Leanne Morgan about doing comedy in a parking lot, her love of Costco (because, of course), how she survived a 200 city comedy tour, and never giving up on your dreams. It took more than 20 years, but Leanne now has her own Netflix special, a sitcom in the works, a movie alongside Reese Witherspoon, and a NYT best-selling book. If you want to laugh while also bei...
Feb 03, 2025•54 min•Season 18Ep. 22
Why has the Supreme Court become such a hot topic of debate? Sharon McMahon is joined by co-host of the Advisory Opinions podcast and former director in the DOJ, Sarah Isgur, for a spirited discussion about why the Court has become so political. Sarah shares her theories on the reason public opinion of SCOTUS has plummeted, and why she believes it’s a good thing that the Court doesn’t always agree with the majority opinion. Sarah also gives us her insider predictions on which justices might reti...
Jan 27, 2025•50 min•Season 18Ep. 21
How does someone become a great communicator? Sharon McMahon talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg about his latest book, Super Communicators. He explains being a strong communicator isn’t some magical, innate talent but a skill that anyone can learn. How do top executives talk to others? How can you deal with people who insult or talk down to you? And what can you say to someone who tells you to calm down? Charles breaks down the three types of conversations and shares tip...
Jan 20, 2025•45 min•Season 18Ep. 20
She was the first female cabinet secretary, but secretly, out of the spotlight, Frances Perkins also saved countless lives during World War II. Author Rebecca Brenner Graham shares incredible stories from her new book, Dear Miss Perkins, which showcases the letters of people who wrote to Perkins, desperate for her help to escape Nazi Germany. As the longest-serving Labor Secretary, Perkins stared down personal attacks and fierce opposition to do what she knew was right: making quick decisions th...
Jan 13, 2025•42 min•Season 18Ep. 19
How did an award-winning librarian become the target of an online hate campaign? Sharon McMahon chats with Amanda Jones about her new book, “That Librarian,” and her experience speaking out against book bans and censorship. Amanda talks about the consequences she’s faced, including death threats and her address being posted online, and why she’s so passionate about making books accessible to everyone. From the misinformation fueling these bans, to the crucial role libraries play in communities, ...
Jan 06, 2025•46 min•Season 18Ep. 18
What role should the US play in international conflicts? Pulitzer prize finalist and historian H.W. Brands joins Sharon McMahon to discuss his latest book, “America First.” They dig into the America First movement inside the United States during the 1930s and early 40s. As World War II was raging, President Franklin Roosevelt was looking to gin up support for the US to help its allies fight the war. But celebrity aviator Charles Lindbergh and the America First Committee were standing in his way....
Dec 30, 2024•45 min•Season 18Ep. 17
Was there a secret conspiracy between Ronald Reagan’s campaign and Iran to help him win the 1980 election? NYT bestselling author Craig Unger unpacks the plot in his most recent book, “Den of Spies,” a story he worked on for 30 years. The Iran hostage crisis had plagued Jimmy Carter’s presidency, and was seen as one of his biggest failures. Reagan’s campaign worried that an October hostage release would give Carter a boost to win reelection. So, Unger explains, Reagan’s team hatched a plan to ge...
Dec 23, 2024•41 min•Season 18Ep. 16
