The Brian Lehrer Show

• Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore, professor of American History at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it so difficult, but still possible, to change.
• A. J. Jacobs, host of the "Hello Puzzlers" podcast, essayist, and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), reports back on how AI is already woven into daily life with another take on being a "human guinea pig," going 48 hours without using AI.
• Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.
• Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person.

These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:

Jill Lepore on the American Constitution (Sep 16, 2025)

A.J. Jacobs Tries Life Without AI (Nov 3, 2025)

A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change (Sep 25, 2025)

Can We Change Our Personalities? (Mar 12, 2025)

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On this Thanksgiving, enjoy some of our favorite recent conversations:

• Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker, and co-director Sarah Botstein talk about their new, 12-part docuseries on PBS called "The American Revolution," which is being released just ahead of next year's 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
• Julian Brave NoiseCat, writer, filmmaker and student of Salish art and history and the author of We Survived the Night (Knopf, 2025), talks about his new book, the story of North American indigenous people through his reporting and his own story, all in the style of a traditional "coyote story."
• Avery Trufelman, host of the podcast "Articles of Interest," talks about the new season of her podcast, where she explores the link between the U.S. military and the clothes we all wear, like t-shirts, hoodies and other exercise gear.
• As part of our WNYC centennial series, Kenneth C. Davis, author of the "Don't Know Much About History" series and most recently, The World in Books: 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction (Scribner, 2024), reviews the history of the American Thanksgiving holiday and how it has changed over the past 100 years.
• A Washington Post article explained how most families have a secret language that only they understand, or a "familect" as some lingusts call it. Listeners share the words in their family that only they use, which are often conjured in the minds of small children and then used for years down the road.

These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:

Ken Burns on The American Revolution (Oct 31, 2025)

Indigenous Peoples' Story (Oct 13, 2025)

The Military's Influence on What We Wear (Oct 21, 2025)

100 Years of 100 Things: How We Think About Thanksgiving (Nov 27, 2024)

Your Family's 'Secret Language' (Sep 15, 2025 and Oct 6, 2025)

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Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio and the co-author of Freakonomics (Harper Collins, 2025), now in a new 20th anniversary edition, reflects on 20 years of "Freakonomics," its impact and use of data, and talks about what's next.

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Elizabeth Kim, Gothamist and WNYC reporter, talks about the latest news from Mayor-elect Mamdani's transition plans.

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Shop Listener is back for the 2025 holiday season. Listeners call in to shout out their businesses that sell gifts for the holiday season.

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President Trump and his allies are framing recent kidnappings and attacks in Nigeria as Islamic assaults on Christians, even threatening military intervention. NPR international correspondent Emmanuel Akinwotu explains what’s truly behind the violence, how it’s being portrayed in Washington, and why the situation is more complex than a religious conflict.

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Ana González, host of WNYC's new podcast (with Yo-Yo Ma) Our Common Nature, talks about the new podcast she hosts where Yo-Yo Ma travels around the country and collaborates with musicians in nature. Plus, they talk about the pictures people have sent in of their favorite places in nature.

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Elizabeth Alexander, president of The Mellon Foundation, poet, educator, memoirist and scholar and the author of The Trayvon Generation (Grand Central Publishing, 2022), talks about the Mellon Foundation's new grants and funding for literary arts and jazz musicians, and why money for the arts from the nonprofit sector is crucial.

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David Herzberg, professor of history and director of the drugs, health and society program at the University at Buffalo, offers his take on the fentanyl crisis, and why he says President Trump is wrong about almost every aspect of it.

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Michael Scherer, staff writer at The Atlantic, talks about his cover story on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other news.

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