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Narrated by Andy Garcia. At the turn of the century until the 1930s in the cigar factories of Tampa and Ybor City, a well dressed man in a panama hat with a loud and beautiful voice sat atop a platform and read to the cigar workers as they rolled. These readers, known as Lectores de Tabaqueres, read Cervantes, Zola, Victor Hugo, Karl Marx, Jules Verne…. It was the voices and words of these lectores, before radio and mechanization, who informed, organized, and incited the cigar workers, who labored by hand until the 1930s, when both the rollers and readers were replaced by mechanization. A lost tradition of story and smoke.

From the Lost & Found Sound series on NPR. Produced by The Kitchen Sisters (Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva) and Jay Allison. The Kitchen Sisters Present is part of Radiotopia from PRX.

Two Americans embark on a quest: fly across an ocean to try to get into the most exclusive nightclub in the world – Berghain. A German techno palace where the line outside can last 8 hours, and the bouncers are merciless in their judgments. The club does not explain how it makes its decisions about who can enter, but one foolish podcaster will try to explain anyway.

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Lawyer Gabriel Utterson hears a troubling tale about a man named Hyde. When he discovers that Hyde stands to inherit the fortune of his esteemed friend Dr Jekyll, a mystery begins to take shape. Who is this unsettling stranger, and what hold does he have over the doctor?

Set in the foggy, cobblestone streets of London, lawyer, John Gabriel Utterson investigates the mysterious relationship between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and a sinister man named Edward Hyde. What begins as a troubling mystery surrounding a suspicious will, quickly spirals into a dark exploration of science, morality, and the duality of man. 

The Haunted Library is open. Come in. Stay awhile.

Subscribe to The Haunted Library Plus on Apple Podcasts to hear the next chapter ad-free and 7 days earlier than anyone else. 

Narrated by Colin Morgan
Written by Robert Louis Stevenson
Sound design by Jon Nicholls
Produced by Lydia Shamah for BBC Studios
Associate Producer: Lorna Newman for BBC Studios
Recording Engineer: Laurence Pearson for ID Audio

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With all the talk about rogue AI potentially ending civilization, it’s hard not to think of The Matrix. When there are stories about people falling in love with ChatGPT, it’s hard not to think of movies like Her. But it’s possible that science fiction isn’t the best prism to understand AI right now – even if it feels like we’re living in a sci-fi story. Some experts are using ancient mythology instead. I talk with Berkeley researcher and author Nina Beguš, journalist and author Vanessa Chang, and Truman State University professors Amy Norgard and Josh Nudell how myths like Pygmalion or Pandora reflect primal human desires and fears that have an effect on the development of AI. I also talk with audio journalist Rebecca Nolan about her experience trying to bring her father back from the underworld as a chatbot.

This episode is sponsored by Monarch. Use the code IMAGINARY at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50.

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How do you tell if an economy is actually working? Most economics classes point to controlled inflation, steady growth, or low unemployment - but what if the level of financial fraud is the real hidden indicator?

Robin Wigglesworth and Gillian Tett talk to Dan Davies, financial historian and author of Lying for Money, to hear about some of the wildest and most shocking frauds in history. From 'the great salad oil swindle,' which almost brought down American Express to a fake gold mine in Borneo that ended with a mysterious fall from a helicopter. Together they explore how trust drives modern economies - and how fraudsters continuously exploit it.

Further reading: Lying for Money: How Legendary Frauds Reveal the Workings of Our World by Dan Davies

To enjoy future episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Story of Money wherever you get your podcasts, also on the show's dedicated YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@FTTheStoryOfMoney

Hosts: Gillian Tett and Robin Wigglesworth

Senior Producer: Michela Tindera

Executive producers: Kate Ford and Manuela Saragosa

Video producer: Michael Saliba

Original music and sound design: Breen Turner

Broadcast engineers: Bianca Wakeman and Petros Gioumpasis

Podcast development: Laura Clarke

FT global head of audio: Flo Phillips

Learn more at www.ft.com/tsom or get in touch at [email protected]

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Sayre’s twin brother, Connor, asks if he wants to look for their birth father who they’ve never met. This episode also contains: strippers, distracted therapists, and wildfires.

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Annie Sim is the CEO (Chief Eating Officer) of The Table Less Traveled

Evan Stern is the host of Vanishing Postcards

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A woman in Texas agrees to carry a child for a wealthy couple in California. She thinks she’s helping a family in need. Then she becomes a whistle-blower.

New Yorker subscribers get early, ad-free access to “The Journey.” In Apple Podcasts, tap the link at the top of the feed to subscribe or link an existing subscription. Or visit newyorker.com/dark to subscribe and listen in the New Yorker app.

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Your brain is a master storyteller. The problem? It’s also an unreliable narrator.

We like to think our beliefs are built on facts, logic, and careful reasoning. But psychologist and author Owen Fitzpatrick argues that the process often works in reverse: we decide what feels true, then search for evidence that proves us right. This can reinforce limiting beliefs, fuel political polarization, and make us surprisingly susceptible to propaganda.

In this conversation with guest host Michael Kovnat, Owen explores how these narratives shape our confidence, identity, and decisions — and what it takes to change them.

📖 Inner Propaganda: Leading Hearts and Minds Through Turbulent Times by Owen Fitzpatrick

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Beginning a new 12-part spy drama.

SCOTLAND, 1964: Paul Wilder used to be a spy but he’s put that life behind him. Now, three years after he ‘retired’, he meets a woman with an offer he’s not allowed to refuse.

Contains violence and some strong language.

THE DIVIDE is a Definitely Human production. Visit www.DefinitelyHuman.co.uk for more information and full credits.

Support Definitely Human productions and get access to extra content at www.patreon.com/definitelyhuman.

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