The Preamble

We’ve all gotten trapped in the social media & news loop: Checks Twitter, scrolls on Instagram, reads comments, watches the news, checks Twitter, reads comments, checks the news again… and the cycle continues. Today’s guest, international best-setting author Katherine May, invites us to join her on a journey or reawakening in her newest book, Enchantment. Explore the art of reconnecting with the world around you, and learn to see the humanity of others. Whether it’s a gorgeous sunset, a mossy rock, or your sourdough starter, wonder is all around us if we can practice mindfulness, engage our curiosity, and look for it.

Special thanks to our guest, Katherine May, for joining us today. 

Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder 

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is it like to transition from one of the most powerful positions in the world, to that of an ordinary citizen? Sharon is joined by presidential historian and New York Times bestselling author, Jared Cohen, to share about what happens when presidents – at the pinnacle of their prestige and influence – leave office. What can we learn about human nature and building a legacy from these past political figures? Join us as we explore Jared’s new book, Life After Power, that confronts the ambiguous question of “what’s next” through the lenses of seven presidents, and how they found meaning in life beyond the White House.

Special thanks to our guest, Jared Cohen, for joining us today. 

Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder 

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve heard it before: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But what did the nation’s Founders mean when they identified “the pursuit of happiness” as an unalienable right? And what role does moral philosophy play in understanding the virtues that accompany the pursuit of happiness? Today we’re joined by Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, to explore these questions, as well as to dive deeper into the history and meaning of the pursuit of life-long virtue. Learn how six of the Framers and Founders – flaws and all – embody different virtues, and consider the importance of electing leaders who will be virtuous and uphold the principles of Democracy.

Special thanks to our guest, Jeffrey Rosen, for joining us today. 

Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder 

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What makes a real hero? From Amelia Earhart, to Abraham Lincoln, to Jane Goodall, there are some names we all know – and with good reason. When today’s guest, author Brad Meltzer, became a father, his writing career took a turn. In a world of TikTok stars and YouTube influencers, he wanted a book series for children that set apart the character of true heroes, from those who are out for fame. Join us as we step inside the creative process of how Brad begins to write a children’s book, the collaboration with gifted illustrator, Christopher Eliopoulos, and how they choose the heroes they will bring to life next.

Special thanks to our guest, Brad Meltzer, for joining us today. 

Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder 

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux  

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was supposed to be a picturesque and luxurious sightseeing tour over Antarctica. One filled with wonder and awe, in a tour that had cultivated a reputation for giving passengers the “trip of a lifetime.” But what began as an adventurous flight near Mt. Erebus, the southernmost active volcano in the world, became one of New Zealand’s most catastrophic accidents. What really happened? And who was ultimately responsible? Meanwhile, President Carter had just lost the election to Ronald Regan, who announced the release of the hostages in Iran the same day he was inaugurated. Was this timing a coincidence, or did President Carter get a bad deal? Join us for the final episode of the series, Mayhem: The 1970s You Never Knew.

Writer, Host, and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Writers and Researchers: Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, and Kari Anton

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“You are now leaving Iranian air space!” It was a moment that dozens of hostages and their loved ones longed for with bated breath, for 444 days. Freedom. To be released, and returned home. The Iranian hostage crisis captured the attention of the world, but how did we get there? President Jimmy Carter was in Iran for a New Year’s celebration in 1978, and his infamous toast would have become a viral clip had it taken place today. Little did he know that days later, an Iranian newspaper article would set off months of cyclical rioting, protests, and ultimately the invasion of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, with 66 Americans being taken hostage.

Writer, Host, and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Writers and Researchers: Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, and Kari Anton

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A religious leader with a raging drug addiction who led his following to a tragic end. A President with the hope of finding peace between Israel and Egypt. And a politician who was pivotal to the early LGBTQ+ rights movement, and lost his life in the process. Join us as we explore the stories of three men in 1978 who all had specific visions of the world, and the reality of those visions coming to fruition. If you’ve ever wondered where the term “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid” came from, or you want some context for what is happening in the Middle East, you’re in the right place. 

Content Warning: This episode contains subject matter that is not suitable for children.

Writer, Host, and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Writers and Researchers: Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, and Kari Anton

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know that Star Wars almost started a war in real life, over a sandcrawler model? Would the film have been so wildly successful if someone else had been cast in the role of Han Solo, such as – let’s say – Christopher Walken? How would a band today be received if their drug use was so integral to their music, that they considered thanking their dealer in the liner notes? And let’s take that iPhone from your pocket, and compare it to the speed of an Apple II computer in 1977, which was 3,000 times slower. Join us as we explore revolutionary cultural shifts in the late 70s, and how these phenomena have evolved in the last four decades.

Writer, Host, and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon

Audio Producer: Jenny Snyder

Writers and Researchers: Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, and Kari Anton

Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.