When Laura and her husband divorced after two decades of marriage, their “little Colorado mountain town” could barely tell. It was quiet compared to the dramatic natural disasters that were afflicting the area — like flooding and wildfires. There were no raised voices, no feelings of fury. So why did they split? In the lead-up to their divorce, Laura had a revelation about what good love — the kind that will “survive life” — is supposed to sound like. Featured stories: “No Sound, No Fury, No Mar...
Dec 23, 2020•20 min•Ep 257•Transcript available on Metacast This holiday season, it’s OK to want more. Paula grew up in foster care, and year after year she would find herself “clobbered by desire” when the holidays rolled around. She longed for a mother and father to rescue her and “make everything better”; she wished for the hip-huggers and games she saw on TV. When she was 21, she met a man named Jeff who ruptured this annual cycle of desire. He became the inspiration for a hard-earned Christmas lesson. Featured stories: “The Holiday of My Dreams Was ...
Dec 16, 2020•26 min•Ep 256•Transcript available on Metacast This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence. In 2013, Courtney Queeney published an essay about surviving domestic violence and the legal proceedings that followed. She described going to a courthouse every two weeks to renew her emergency protection order against her ex. It was during this period that she found “scattered bright spots” — things to laugh about when everything seemed unfunny. She found comfort in the woman who shared her court schedule; her lawyer, whom she revered; a...
Dec 09, 2020•26 min•Ep 255•Transcript available on Metacast When Bette met her husband, he was leaning against a wall at a party. He had, as she put it, “smoldering looks and banked fires.” He was from Brooklyn; she was from the Bronx. She assumed his silent “bad boy” vibe meant “dangerous love and dramatic heartbreak.” They got married, and she realized that she’d misread his quiet demeanor: “His eyes were simply beautiful, and his silence wasn’t fierce; he just didn’t have anything to say at the moment.” After 56 years together, Bette’s husband passed ...
Dec 02, 2020•25 min•Ep 254•Transcript available on Metacast Andrew and Sarah met on a dating app. Their first date was just supposed to be coffee, but it lasted nine glorious hours. They talked nonstop across four San Francisco neighborhoods. But by 2 a.m., Sarah had an admission to make. She told Andrew, who is Asian-American, that his “race might be an issue.” Andrew was shocked. The kicker? Sarah is also Asian-American. Today, we hear both sides of this story — and find out where Sarah and Andrew are now. Featured stories: “When a Dating Dare Leads to...
Nov 18, 2020•27 min•Ep 253•Transcript available on Metacast Sarah and Liz met on a blind date in New York City. Sarah ordered a club soda with a splash of cranberry juice. Liz ordered wine — twice. A few weeks into dating, while taking a walk together through Chelsea Market, a feeling crystallized for Liz: “I knew in the way seasons change that I would love her before this one ended.” In order to make this work, Liz knew she could no longer hide from Sarah that she had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. But six weeks after they got married, Liz hit ...
Nov 11, 2020•24 min•Ep 252•Transcript available on Metacast Feeling election stress? Today's stories about a man and his dog may help. Timothy Braun was on a run through the Texas heat. When he stopped at a local animal shelter for a drink of water, he was taken by a dog who stared at him with pointy ears and mismatched eyes — one brown, one blue. He had no intention of adopting a dog, but “out of curiosity, or God knows what” he looked into the dog’s folder. It said that he'd been abandoned by an old woman. Her reason? “Dusty keeps following me around t...
Nov 04, 2020•31 min•Ep 251•Transcript available on Metacast In college, Malcolm Conner penned a rambling email intended for his crush. “You have cow eyes,” he wrote. “I know that sounds like a bad thing but have you ever looked into a cow’s eyes? They are so deep and brown and beautiful.” What he hadn’t disclosed — to his crush or to anyone at school — was that he was transgender and had transitioned at age 15. But he knew he had to tell this “charismatic acquaintance,” for what they had was flirtatious and unstoppable; it was, as Malcolm put it, physics...
Oct 28, 2020•20 min•Ep 250•Transcript available on Metacast They disagreed on a lot of things: She was a “bleeding-heart liberal”; he was a “conservative libertarian.” He “came from good Irish Catholic stock”; she called herself a “hopeful agnostic.” When the firefighter chased her down the street to ask her out, she pinned him as “a bald, white, middle-aged New York City cliché.” On their first date, no topic was off-limits. Not racism, not abortion, not substance abuse. With each date, another debate. Today’s episode is about the space they found in ea...
Oct 21, 2020•26 min•Ep 249•Transcript available on Metacast This episode contains strong language. On the first episode of the new Modern Love podcast, we hear from two women who examine their lives through the contents of their homes — the car in the driveway, the stained teacups, the razor and shaving cream by the sink. Though easy to ignore, these everyday objects often tell a larger story. Featured stories: “Bye Bye ‘Family’ Minivan," Kyrie Robinson “Tracking the Demise of My Marriage on Google Maps,” Maggie Smith Maggie’s story was narrated by Audm....
Oct 14, 2020•28 min•Ep 248•Transcript available on Metacast Love is going to sound a little different this season. Tune into the first episode on Oct. 14, with new episodes every Wednesday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Oct 07, 2020•2 min•Ep 247•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s essay, Lilian Oben writes about how essential it is to be seen in relationships — to be able to take up space, without being asked to change who we are. Her essay is read by Zawe Ashton ("Betrayal"). Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Jun 24, 2020•28 min•Ep 246•Transcript available on Metacast Do you tell your friends you love them? And do you say it like that, using those words? Is it easy for you to say? Is it fraught? Ricardo Jaramillo takes those questions on in this week’s essay. It’s read by Ncuti Gatwa, who stars in “Sex Education” on Netflix. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify....
Jun 17, 2020•17 min•Ep 245•Transcript available on Metacast Lorraine Toussaint ("The Glorias") reads an essay by Kim McLarin. Then, we catch up with Kim to hear how she is doing in this moment. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Jun 10, 2020•24 min•Ep 244•Transcript available on Metacast Hasan Minhaj ("Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj") reads Brian Goedde's essay about a man investigating his own breakup. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Jun 03, 2020•20 min•Ep 243•Transcript available on Metacast Saoirse Ronan ("Little Women") reads an essay about how a language barrier impacts the relationship between a young woman and an Iraqi doctor. This is an encore presentation. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
May 27, 2020•19 min•Ep 242•Transcript available on Metacast "Lolita," Vladimir Nabokov’s novel about a man’s sexual obsession with a young girl, is famously controversial. But when Bindu Bansinath started to read it, it unexpectedly became a kind of road map for her, showing her a way out of the situation she was in. Jameela Jamil ("I Weigh") reads her piece. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify....
May 20, 2020•20 min•Ep 241•Transcript available on Metacast Living alone can be liberating, maddening, joyful ... lonely. It also might feel very different today than it did several months ago. This episode features stories from people who live alone, telling us how they are doing right now. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
May 12, 2020•21 min•Ep 240•Transcript available on Metacast If you're running out of things to do at home — or if you just need a break from stress and worry — we have a suggestion. Listen to this week's episode featuring Gillian Jacobs and Mandy Len Catron, and then try the 36 questions that (may) lead to love. You can find the 36 questions here: https://nyti.ms/2SFbICi Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify....
May 06, 2020•21 min•Ep 239•Transcript available on Metacast Daisy Edgar-Jones (Hulu's "Normal People") reads Kyleigh Leddy's essay, about the online presence people leave behind. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apr 29, 2020•19 min•Ep 238•Transcript available on Metacast What if all the conventional wisdom about why you are single is wrong? Laura Prepon ("You And I, As Mothers") reads Sara Eckel's essay. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apr 22, 2020•19 min•Ep 237•Transcript available on Metacast We hear more of your stories about how the COVID-19 outbreak has changed your relationships with one another. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apr 15, 2020•15 min•Ep 236•Transcript available on Metacast Modern Love presents an excerpt of the first episode of “Sugar Calling." Hear Cheryl Strayed in conversation with the author George Saunders, her old friend and mentor from graduate school. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apr 09, 2020•10 min•Ep 235•Transcript available on Metacast When you’re in a new relationship, you’re always trying to present your best self. But anyone who’s been in a relationship for awhile knows that you can’t keep the act up forever. David Finch writes about that in his essay, which is read by Daniel Radcliffe. Daniel stars in the upcoming "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" interactive special on Netflix. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or ...
Apr 08, 2020•19 min•Ep 234•Transcript available on Metacast Listeners share stories of how their relationships have changed during the coronavirus outbreak. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apr 01, 2020•20 min•Ep 233•Transcript available on Metacast There's something wonderful about sharing your favorite books with the person you're falling in love with. And Karla Derus was a longtime book lover, dating a man who was also a big reader. But Karla also had a secret. Emmy-winning actress Uzo Aduba ("Mrs. America") reads Karla's essay. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify....
Mar 25, 2020•20 min•Ep 232•Transcript available on Metacast Ali Fazal ("Victoria and Abul") tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a man and his elderly neighbor. This is an encore presentation. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Mar 18, 2020•19 min•Ep 231•Transcript available on Metacast Could you use a little extra comfort and love from afar right now? We thought so. We're sharing an episode of another WBUR podcast, "Endless Thread." This is a story about processing grief, and where we turn when the people closest to us don't seem to know what to do or say to help us move forward. If you enjoy this episode, subscribe to "Endless Thread" wherever you get your podcasts. More info here: https://smarturl.it/endlessthread Unlock full access to New York Times podc...
Mar 13, 2020•38 min•Ep 230•Transcript available on Metacast Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("The Morning Show," "Misbehaviour") reads an essay about a friendship between two people who meet in a pub in Notting Hill. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Mar 11, 2020•23 min•Ep 229•Transcript available on Metacast Lesley Manville ("Ordinary Love") reads an essay by Sally Hoskins about finding an unexpected support group in a hospital waiting room. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Mar 04, 2020•22 min•Ep 228•Transcript available on Metacast 
