RadioWest

In his book Far From the Tree , the writer Andrew Solomon tells the stories of children whose profound differences—dwarfism, schizophrenia, Down syndrome, genius, and others—have made them the subjects of prejudice and changed their parents’ lives.

Thursday, we’re talking about sexual violence against undocumented laborers. Journalist Bernice Yeung joins Andrew Becker to explain their struggle for justice in the age of the #metoo movement.

Have you ever wondered how inanimate objects feel? Radio producer Ian Chillag's new podcast casts actors in the roles of everyday objects, like a can of off-brand cola. It's silly, yes, but it's full of very real, very human feelings.

Tuesday, we're talking about beavers. Nature writer Ben Goldfarb says beavers were crucial in shaping America's landscape and its human history. Then we killed them by the score. He joins us to explain why we should learn to love beavers.

Writer and adventurer Craig Childs’s latest book is a unique kind of travelogue. It’s about his journeys across the country and back in time to the Ice Age to learn what life was like for the first people to arrive in North America.

No idea from psychology has saturated popular culture like Hermann Rorschach’s inkblots. Friday, writer Damion Searls join us to talk about Rorschach’s life and the influence of his iconic creation.

Thursday, we’re asking this question: Is it true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? Investigative journalist and anthropologist Scott Carney went looking for answers. He joins us to talk about pushing past perceived limitations. (Rebroadcast)

Wednesday, we're talking about your compulsions. Everyone has them. Maybe you're a neat freak, or maybe it's exercise. But compulsions don't necessarily mean your brain is broken. In fact, they're a perfectly natural response to anxiety.

Robert Sutton is a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford, and his book is a how-to for dealing with the jerks in your life. He says there’s really one word that fits them though: a--holes.

What if we were living through the next Watergate? That’s the idea of the podcast Slow Burn, about the scandal that brought down President Nixon. Host Leon Neyfakh joins us to talk about a precarious political chapter and its implications today.