Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

David McCullough on the Life and Legacy of John Adams Sep 03, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, John Adams carried the weight of a nation that was still fragile and untested. He was the second president of the United States, a man caught between loyalty to his principles and the demands of politics. The late historian David McCullough shares Adams’ story not as a list of accomplishments—but as the life of a husband, father, and revolutionary who believed deeply in the republic he helped create. We’d like to thank the John Adams Institute for allowing us to share this story with our listeners.

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How the Bible Became the Most Influential Book in History Sep 02, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The Bible is the best-selling book in history, but it did not arrive fully formed. It was written over centuries, first passed along in fragments, then gathered into the texts we know today. Each step left its mark, from the languages in which it was first recorded to the choices that shaped its canon. The History Guy shares the story of how those writings survived and why the Bible’s history remains as important as its words.

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Why Tim Holt Traded Hollywood for the Cockpit in WWII Sep 02, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Holt built a career as one of Hollywood’s most familiar Western actors, appearing in 149 films over four decades. Audiences saw him ride through classics like Stagecoach and My Darling Clementine, where he played cowboys marked by grit and quiet resolve. But just as his career reached its peak, Holt left the cameras behind, trained as a bomber pilot, and flew combat missions in the Pacific, including raids over Tokyo. As part of our ongoing Hollywood Goes to War series, Roger McGrath tells the story of a man who moved seamlessly from Hollywood soundstages to the battlefields of World War II, living a life larger than the roles he played on screen.

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50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy: The iPhone, Radar, and TV Dinners Sep 02, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, did you know “radar” is actually an acronym? It stands for Radio Detection and Ranging — a term coined in 1940 by the U.S. Navy. Tim Harford, author of the bestselling book 50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy, shares the stories of three inventions that changed the way we live today.

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The Life and Legacy of Hairstylist Jay Sebring Before the Manson Murders Sep 02, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories Jay Sebring was Hollywood’s most sought-after men’s hairstylist. At his Fairfax Avenue salon, Frank Sinatra came for a trim, Jim Morrison’s iconic look was shaped, and Bruce Lee trusted his image to the man behind the chair. Sebring turned men’s hair into fashion, helping launch a global industry. He was on the brink of an even bigger future when the Manson Family murders ended his life in the summer of 1969. His nephew, Anthony DiMaria, has spent years bringing Sebring’s story back into focus. He co-authored Jay Sebring: Cutting to the Truth with Marshall Terrill, and today, shares how Sebring rose to the top of Los Angeles style — and why his legacy is more than the crime that ended it.

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Why a Family Chose Forgiveness After a Fatal Drunk Driving Crash Sep 01, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Laura Treppendahl was only beginning her adult life when it ended in a drunk driving crash. Her family’s grief was immediate and overwhelming, but so was their conviction about how to respond. When the young man responsible for the accident faced sentencing, the Treppendahls stood before the judge and said something that left the courtroom stunned: they forgave him. Laura’s parents share their remarkable story of faith.

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What It Was Like to Stand in the Shadow of an Atomic Blast Sep 01, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from 1945 to 1992, the United States conducted more than a thousand nuclear weapons tests. Many took place in Nevada, where young Marines were ordered into trenches to observe what would happen when the bomb went off. Among them was Toby Madrid. For decades, he stayed silent, sharing his memories only once with his son and a trusted co-worker, Richard Muniz. That rare conversation captured the surreal experience of facing a nuclear explosion in the desert and the shadow it left on the men who served.

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The WWII Pilot Who Survived a Shootdown and Joined the Resistance Sep 01, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lt. Howard Snyder’s B-17 Susan Ruth was shot down over Belgium in February 1944, he could have ended up a prisoner or worse. Instead, he vanished into the resistance. Hidden by members of the Belgian Underground, he spent four months evading capture and another three fighting alongside Maquis guerrillas in France. He rejoined Allied forces only after the liberation in September. Steve Snyder shares his father’s incredible journey of survival, resistance, and redemption in the face of Nazi tyranny.

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Esther de Berdt Reed and the Revolution That Women Raised Sep 01, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Esther de Berdt Reed wasn’t content to sit on the sidelines during the Revolutionary War. While the fighting dragged on and morale among Patriot soldiers dropped, Reed launched an ambitious campaign with other women to raise funds and provide relief for the troops. When she presented her plan to George Washington, he had his own ideas for how their efforts should be used. But Esther wasn't willing to go down without a fight.

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The Land Rover Case That Changed the Eighth Amendment Aug 29, 2025

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On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2013, Tyson Timbs had his $42,000 Land Rover seized by the state of Indiana after a low-level drug offense. That seizure set off a seven-year legal fight that reached the United States Supreme Court. The question was simple but historic: Could a state impose a punishment so extreme that it violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on excessive fines? The Court’s unanimous decision in Timbs v. Indiana reshaped how civil forfeiture works across the country. Ilya Somin takes us inside the twists and turns of the case and explains why this protection matters for every American.

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