Bob Brigham always knew he was adopted, but growing up, he didn’t know anything about his biological parents. When he was seven years old, a social worker came for a visit and Bob heard her whisper something to his mother – something about the Vietnam War. “Within a nanosecond, I created a story in my head.” Bob Brigham's book is This Is a True War Story. My Improbable History with Vietnam . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to...
Jun 03, 2026•49 min•Ep. 139
Mark Kuhn grew up in Iowa in a family of corn farmers. When he was 10 years old, he heard a BBC broadcast of the Wimbledon finals. He couldn’t stop thinking about it — he would daydream about tennis while doing his chores. And one day, he got an idea. “I’m looking at this cattle feedlot when I realized, ‘This is just about the right size for a tennis court.’” This episode was originally released in 2023. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want...
May 20, 2026•34 min•Ep. 138
Brandon and Gina hadn’t known each other long when they found themselves lost 8,500 feet high on a mountain. “We started yelling and nobody yelled back.” Bill Donahue’s article is Lost & Found in Backpacker Magazine . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-...
May 06, 2026•57 min•Ep. 137
One morning, Cathy found a takeout bag on her porch. It had the name “Rodolphe” on it, and contained one half-eaten order of french fries. The next morning, she found another bag. And then another. That’s when her neighbor Harley got involved: “We need to take this to the next level.” Harley Rustad wrote an article about the french fry mystery for Toronto Life . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up...
Apr 15, 2026•37 min•Ep. 136
One night, a stranger came up to comedian Dan Perlman and told him he looked just like the singer Michael Bublé. She asked Dan if he would impersonate him for one night. He had six days to get ready. Dan Perlman's short film is called Being Bublé . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. P...
Apr 01, 2026•37 min•Ep. 135
Delia Ephron has worked on some of the most famous romantic comedies of all time – like Sleepless in Seattle , and You’ve Got Mail – alongside her sister, Nora Ephron. In You’ve Got Mail , two people fall in love over email. Decades after writing that screenplay, Delia Ephron found herself in the middle of a very similar story. “I really did think I’d fallen into my own romantic comedy.” This episode was originally released in 2022. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and revie...
Mar 18, 2026•45 min•Ep. 134
A dog went missing in a park in Brooklyn. A local Facebook group decided to help. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal and other exclusive benefits. Learn more and sign up here . We also make Criminal and Phoebe Reads a Myste...
Mar 04, 2026•34 min•Ep. 133
“It felt like a magical experience. It felt like some sort of spell. I was living a childhood fairytale, of the comings and goings of this extraordinary animal that didn't need me, but seemed to be comfortable and willing to rest alongside me.” Chloe Dalton’s book is Raising Hare: A Memoir . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , a...
Feb 18, 2026•43 min•Ep. 132
In 2010, a man named Forrest Fenn took a bronze box filled with treasure into the Rocky Mountains and hid it. He told one treasure hunter, “You just need to put the clues together and go get it.” Justin Posey’s book is called Beyond the Map’s Edge . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. ...
Feb 04, 2026•34 min•Ep. 131
The B-15 iceberg in Antarctica was the largest iceberg in recorded history. Explorer Jill Heinerth wanted to see what it looked like from the inside. She assembled a team of the most accomplished divers in the world, and they traveled for 12 days through the rough waters of the Southern Ocean. Attempting to dive into cracks in the iceberg, her life was in very real danger three times. And the third time, she would be saved by an animal so small, so transparent, that you can see its heart beating...
Jan 21, 2026•37 min•Ep. 130
Heather Lende has written nearly 500 obituaries for people in her small town in Alaska. She’s known just about everyone she has written about. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal and other exclusive benefits. Learn more and ...
Jan 07, 2026•31 min•Ep. 129
When Emma Gatewood was 67, she told her children she was going on a walk. “The next they would hear from her would be via postcard… And it said, ‘By ‘walk’ I mean I'm thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail.’” Ben Montgomery’s book is Grandma Gatewood’s Walk. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any a...
Dec 17, 2025•41 min•Ep. 128
When Minh Nguyen was in school, he didn’t ask anyone to sign his yearbooks — he says he was too uncomfortable. But twenty years later, he started reaching out to all his former classmates. He asks everyone the same questions. For more, check out Jordan P. Hickey’s article for D Magazine . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and ...
Dec 03, 2025•29 min•Ep. 127
In 1971, for his mother’s birthday, Alvin Ailey gave her a ballet. The dance was grueling – sometimes the women who did it bled. “I remember very well seeing my mother on her knees scrubbing these white folks’ rooms and halls. That image is in my ballet ‘Cry.’” Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus (now on Patreon!) – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Rea...
Nov 19, 2025•35 min•Ep. 126
“He stole my watch. He stole my jewelry. I stopped wearing jewelry – just to see what else he would steal.” In 2004, Ava Do met a professional pickpocket at a bachelorette party in Las Vegas. And they fell in love. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-s...
Nov 05, 2025•42 min•Ep. 125
A visitor to the islands of the Pacific Northwest once described seeing “a forest of totem poles.” But by the time Robert Davidson was born, there wasn't a single one left standing in his village. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of ...
Oct 22, 2025•31 min•Ep. 124
People in India have been flying kites for hundreds of years – using them to predict the weather, carry love letters, and compete in the air. But they share the sky and a name with hundreds of thousands of scavenging birds: black kites. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll ...
Oct 08, 2025•35 min•Ep. 123
In 1964, a landlord in Washington, DC, noticed that his tenant hadn’t paid rent and went to look for him. The tenant wasn’t in the building – but he’d left behind something strange – something that he’d been working on for 14 years. We have a small favor to ask! We’ve put together a survey about our shows – and our membership program, Criminal Plus – and it would mean a lot to us if you could fill it out. You can find it at thisiscriminal.com/survey . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Fo...
Sep 24, 2025•34 min•Ep. 122
In October of 2006, a press conference was held at a hospital in Denver. During the press conference, a man asked if anyone watching could tell him who he was, or how he got there. Because he didn’t know. This episode was originally released in 2021. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads....
Sep 10, 2025•37 min•Ep. 121
Never check a bag, always bring a journal, and consider duct tape: a conversation with Rick Steves. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal and other exclusive benefits. Learn more and sign up here . We also make Criminal and Ph...
Aug 20, 2025•28 min•Ep. 120
In 1966, Maurice and Maralyn Bailey had been married for three years. They’d bought a house in the suburbs in the middle of England, and had jobs at the tax office and a printing press. “They're living a respectable day-to-day suburban existence — which is kind of driving them both crazy. And one rainy evening, Maralyn just says, ‘You know what? Why don't we sell this house and build a boat and go?’” Sophie Elmhirst's book is A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck . Sa...
Aug 06, 2025•55 min•Ep. 119
When writer Rachel Carson built a house on Maine’s Southport Island, her new neighbor, Dorothy Freeman, sent her a note to welcome her. Rachel wrote back. And when the summer was over, they kept writing to each other. Lida Maxwell’s book is Rachel Carson and the Power of Queer Love. Martha Freeman's book is Always, Rachel: The Letters of Rachel Carson and Dorothy Freeman, 1952-1964 Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is L...
Jul 16, 2025•43 min•Ep. 118
An episode all about hot dogs and the people who love them. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal and other exclusive benefits. Learn more and sign up here . We also make Criminal and Phoebe Reads a Mystery . Artwork by Julien...
Jul 02, 2025•43 min•Ep. 117
In 1910, a group of British men set off on an expedition – they wanted to be the first people to reach the South Pole. Over a hundred years later, in the journals and letters that survived, a writer discovered a love story. For more, check out Allegra Rosenberg’s article, “ From Antarctica with Love .” Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , C...
Jun 18, 2025•38 min•Ep. 116
In 1963, Jeanne and Alan Abel traveled to Washington, DC to picket in front of the White House. They said they were part of a campaign that wanted to put clothes on animals — including the first lady’s horse. Jenny Abel and her husband, Jeff Hockett, made a documentary about her parents called Abel Raises Cain . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This i...
Jun 04, 2025•32 min•Ep. 115
Two years ago, we started making Criminal Plus episodes — behind-the-scenes conversations featuring Phoebe and Criminal co-creator Lauren Spohrer. Today, we’re sharing some of those conversations with you — about everything from Phoebe’s jangly bracelets to the reason a judge ordered a man to watch Bambi . And we’re also sharing a promo code if you’d like to support our work and join our membership program. Use the code “JOINUS” for 20% off of an annual Criminal Plus membership, at thisiscrimin...
May 30, 2025•24 min
For the past 40 years, people have been sending Sally Winey their damaged stuffed animals, and she's been doing what she can to repair them. "That bear's been with them through everything.” Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Crimina...
May 21, 2025•33 min•Ep. 114
Terence McPherson and Shawnika Giger met at a party in Atlanta, and went on their first date a few weeks later. Things were going well, until they started to talk about money. This episode is in collaboration with our friends at This Is Uncomfortable . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ad...
May 07, 2025•43 min•Ep. 113
When The Guardian sends two strangers on a blind date, the last question they have to answer for the newspaper column is “Would you meet again?” We asked people how their dates went – and what happened next. Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Mystery without any ads. Plus, you’ll get behind-the-scenes bonus e...
Apr 23, 2025•37 min•Ep. 112
At The Guardian newspaper, there’s a person who has to find two complete strangers to send on a blind date every week. In our next episode, we hear about how things really went from the blind daters themselves. You can listen right now by signing up for Criminal Plus . Say hello on Facebook and Instagram . Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts . Want to listen to This is Love ad-free? Sign up for Criminal Plus – you’ll get to listen to This is Love , Criminal , and Phoebe Reads a Myste...
Apr 09, 2025•41 min•Ep. 111
