All Of It with Alison Stewart

In 2017, a former marine calmly threatened to blow up a suburban Atlanta bank and took two hostages. His name was Brian Brown Easley and he was suffering from PTSD and experiencing homelessness. A new film called "Breaking" dramatizes the events of that day and stars John Boyega as Beasley. Boyega and director Abi Damaris Corbin join to discuss.

The Hat Shop has been a fixture of Soho Village for 27 years, but after owner Linda Pagan's landlord refused to renew her lease, she has found a new location, just a couple of blocks away. Pagan joins us to discuss her store, the new location, and her love of hats!

Michael K. Williams was in the process of writing his memoir when he passed away unexpectedly in 2021. The book, called Scenes From My Life, details his memories of life growing up in East Flatbush, his starring role as Omar in "The Wire," and his struggles with addiction. Jon Sternfeld, co-writer of the book, and Dominic Dupont, Williams's nephew who is also the program director for his uncle's foundation Making Kids Win, join us to discuss the memoir, and the legacy of Michael K. Williams, the actor and the man.

For Wednesday's installment of our August Full Bio series, we speak with Gene Jarrett, dean of the faculty and English professor at Princeton, and author of a new biography about the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, called, Paul Laurence Dunbar: The Life and Times of a Caged Bird. On day two, we learn about how Dunbar tried to make a career in poetry and writing after high school, including the time he met Frederick Douglass, and why he moved to New York. Plus, we hear WNYC's Michael Hill read a selection of Dunbar's poetry.

For the latest installment of our ongoing Full Bio series, we speak with Gene Jarrett, dean of the faculty and English professor at Princeton, and author of a new biography about the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, called, Paul Laurence Dunbar: The Life and Times of a Caged Bird. On day one, we talk about Dunbar's parents, who were born as slaves, and the environment he grew up in in Dayton, Ohio, in the 1800s. Plus, we hear WNYC's Michael Hill read a selection of Dunbar's poetry.

Pickleball is sweeping the courts of America. With an estimated 4.8 million Americans now playing the sport, Rachel Simon, author of Pickleball for All: Everything but the "Kitchen" Sink, takes listener calls from Pickleball players and fans alike, and explains the history and basics of the sport.

Brian Levy worked as a pastry chef at A-list restaurants like Babbo using traditional refined sugars and flours, but in his new book he explores a way to make sweet treats by harnessing the natural sweeteners found in fruits, nuts, and fermented products. His new book, Good & Sweet: A New Way to Bake with Naturally Sweet Ingredients, features 100 recipes and he joins us to discuss.

President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan will affect tens of millions of borrowers. Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors explains what the plan does, and who it does – and doesn’t – help, and takes questions from callers.

Writer and musician Ali Sethi joins as the musical guest at our August Get Lit radio special! Sethi is one of Pakistan's most popular pop singers; his song "Pasoori" has become a hit around the world and has 300 million views and counting on YouTube. He joins us with exclusive performances.

NOTE: Parts of this segment have been edited. The version that ran on air played an excerpt of Sethi's song "Kya Hai." This version contains the full performance.