Think from KERA

Latest Episodes:

Paris through the eye of a food writer May 13, 2024

Show notes

Ruth Reichl made a name for herself writing about food for The New York Times and Gourmet magazine. And now she turns her talents to the world of fiction – while keeping one foot planted in her first love. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss her new novel, which tells the story of a woman one a life-changing culinary trip to France. It’s called “The Paris Novel.”

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From Charley Pride to Beyoncé: The Black roots of country music May 10, 2024

Show notes

Beyoncé might’ve been the first Black woman to hit No. 1 on the Billboard country album chart, but she stands on the shoulders of giants. Alice Randall, the first Black woman to write a No. 1 country hit, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the Black roots of country music, from Grand Ole Opry acts that broke boundaries, to rising stars shaping the genre’s bright future. Her book “My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future.”

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Why so many people love the suburbs May 09, 2024

Show notes

More than half the U.S. population lives in the suburbs—so why all the dissing? Julie Beck is a staff writer at The Atlantic, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how dismissing the suburbs discounts the very rich lives of those who choose to live there—plus we’ll examine how nostalgia and convenience play a part in what makes a place feel like home. Her article is “What the Suburb Haters Don’t Understand.”

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Is your culture cool with therapy? May 08, 2024

Show notes

Being a “third culture” kid—someone pulled between their immigrant parents and U.S. culture—can take a mental toll. Sahaj Kaur Kohli is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, a mental health and wellness community organization for adult children of immigrants, and an advice columnist for the Washington Post. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why seeking out therapy is really difficult for the children of immigrants—from finding someone aware of cultural nuances, to understanding why sometimes family isn’t supportive. Her book is “But What Will People Say?: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures.”

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It’s 2024: Where are our flying cars? May 07, 2024

Show notes

A running joke in the tech world is that flying cars are perpetually three to five years away. So when will they ever be a reality? New Yorker staff writer Gideon Lewis-Kraus joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the industry trying to create “electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles”—a.k.a. flying cars—and what it was like for him to actually fly one of the prototypes. His article is “Flight of Fancy.”

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You're not crazy: Gaslighters are real May 06, 2024

Show notes

We bandy about the phrase “gaslighting” a lot these days, maybe it’s time for a refresher on what it really means. Kate Abramson, associate professor of philosophy at Indiana University Bloomington, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what defines gaslighting, what motivates perpetrators, and why the idea intrigues us so. Her book is “On Gaslighting.”

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Why screenwriters can’t make a living May 03, 2024

Show notes

The Writers Guild of America strike was settled – so why is selling screenplays in Hollywood harder than ever? Daniel Bessner is a contributor to Harper’s Magazine and an associate professor at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how investors are changing the business landscape for television and movie writers – and the ways writers hustle for any work. His article is “The Life and Death of Hollywood.”

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Feathers, fur and freedom: The birth of the animal rights movement May 02, 2024

Show notes

The animal rights movement of today traces its roots to just after the Civil War. Bill Wasik, editorial director of The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss a late 19th century wave of activism that moved our culture away from seeing animals as just property to a new way of viewing their lives with compassion. His book, written with co-author Monica Murphy, is “Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals.”

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Does spying on your kids really protect them? May 01, 2024

Show notes

For many parents, policing a child’s online activity is a challenge. Devorah Heitner, an expert in young people’s relationship with digital media and technology, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how to balance protecting kids with allowing them to have some level of autonomy, what to do when mistakes are made, and how to support them as they build identities online. Her book is “Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World.”

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Is ‘less than lethal’ force by police actually safe? Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

Police officers use a variety of means to subdue agitated and sometimes violent suspects, all of which involve risk. Serginho Roosblad, video producer for the Associated Press’ Global Investigations team, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss an investigation into why “nonlethal” techniques still led to more than a thousand deaths over a 10-year period. His Frontline documentary “Documenting Police Use of Force” debuts tonight on PBS stations.

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