(Speaking with Nancy was such a highlight of this year. In addition to all we discussed in this raw, beautiful, candid, downright funny conversation, I'm glad to report that subsequent to when we spoke, Nancy was able to "ring the bell" as a cancer survivor!)

We’re joined by author, essayist, investigative journalist and the gloriously feral Nancy French. We discuss Nancy's new memoir, GHOSTED: AN AMERICAN STORY, which involves deeply personal topics such as her experiences with sexual abuse, faith struggles, being a ghostwriter for politicians, and increasing political turmoil. Nancy also talks about navigating her long-standing personal and professional relationships amid the Trumpification of the Republican party; how the party has drifted away from folks like her even though Nancy’s positions and philosophy haven’t changed; and how her Christian faith has played a significant role in the journey. We also candidly explore the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, the complexities in religious institutions, and being resilient in troubled times.

Nancy French is a five-time New York Times bestselling author, essayist, investigative journalist, and storyteller at the Moth. She’s published op-eds and articles in the Washington Post, USA Today, Time and many other publications. Her investigative journalism into abuse at Kanakuk Kamps appeared on the front page of USA Today. Nancy is also the co-author of The After Party with friend of the pod Curtis Chang and she’s the author of the new memoir GHOSTED: AN AMERICAN STORY.

01:20 Nancy French: A Brief Introduction; 

05:14 The Art of Ghostwriting; 

09:53 The Journey of Discovery and Art; 

13:45 The Struggles of Writing Your Own Story; 

19:38 The Challenges of Confronting Past Abuse; 

31:10 The Power of Love and Relationships; 

37:47 The Struggle with Faith and the Church; 

40:25 Reflections on Christian Faith and History; 

41:16 Experiences of Divine Intervention; 

42:07 Discussing Faith with Non-Believers; 

46:19 Political Writing and Its Consequences; 

50:12 The Shift in Political Identity (Despite Not Having Changed); 

52:11 The Impact of Political Polarization; 

55:34 The Power of Human Connection Across Differences

We're on YouTube! 

https://www.youtube.com/@politicsandreligion

Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

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Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

Please support our sponsor Meza Wealth Management: www.mezawealth.com

You can find Corey on all the socials @coreysnathan such as

bsky.app/profile/coreysnathan.bsky.social

www.nancyfrench.com

GHOSTED on Amazon - https://amzn.to/49tSNzO

www.threads.net/@nancyjanefrench