The Preamble

By Sharon McMahonEducation

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The Preamble episodes

May 06, 2022 The Many Roles of Lady Bird Johnson with Julia Sweig
In today’s episode, Sharon talks with author Julia Sweig about her newest book,
Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight
. The research and writing took Julia over six years, as she meticulously poured over the details of not only Lady Bird’s life, but also the 1960s era and the state of the nation at the time. Lady Bird, a whip-smart Southern woman, met Lyndon Johnson in Austin, Texas where he proposed to her at the end of their first date (she said no!). Eventually, the pair married and moved to Washington DC. As LBJ’s political career progressed, Lady Bird’s influence spread; she was a woman who showed up. Listen to learn more about Lady Bird: her real first name, the complexities of her marriage to LBJ, her relationship with the Kennedys, her environmentalism, and her propensity to document her life, from the major moments down to the mundane details.
44 min
May 04, 2022 When Fixing the Problem Isn't the Answer with Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers
In this episode, Sharon reunites with the hosts of Pantsuit Politics, Sarah and Beth, to talk about their brand new book, Now What? How To Move Forward When We’re Divided (About Basically Everything). While we all want the next step to be solving conflict together, it’s not a realistic approach. Instead, think of asking “Now what?” as a catalyst for connecting with people in a more heartfelt way. The goal isn’t to fix other people, the goal is to strengthen our understanding about the complexities of human relationships. Seeking peaceful solutions looks like honoring other people’s stories, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and authentically showing our own beliefs and joys. The ways in which we live our beliefs is often varied; we show up in different ways during different stages of our lives.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
38 min
May 02, 2022 Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots with Mary Marantz
In this episode, author Mary Marantz joins Sharon to talk about Mary’s new book, Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots. Together, Sharon and Mary touch on important topics like perseverance, education, and extending gentleness to each other and our own selves. Our egos want to keep us safe, but when we continuously operate from a place of safety, taking risks can feel too scary. Ultimately, slow growth equals strong roots means that, when a tipping point day comes in our lives, we have worked hard to grow our character and foundation to meet new challenges with strength and success. Growth and hard work doesn’t happen like a movie montage with a good soundtrack, it takes a lifetime.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
37 min
April 29, 2022 The Many Meat Thermometers of Sharon's Kitchen with Kendra Adachi
In today’s episode, Sharon has a light-hearted conversation with her friend, Kendra Adachi, the genius behind The Lazy Genius books, podcast, and online collective. Kendra and Sharon first bonded over Kendra’s motto of “be genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t”, which can be applied to all areas of life–whether you’re in the kitchen or in the comments section of a political post. Kendra talks about the time she visited Sharon’s home with a film crew to help her reorganize parts of her kitchen using five steps: prioritize, essentialize, organize, personalize, and systemize. Copies of Kendra’s new book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, are available on May 3rd (after surviving the harrowing adventure of being lost at sea!)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 min
April 27, 2022 Arizona: The Navajo Code Talkers with Lindsay Sherbondy
In today’s episode, Sharon is joined by artist, designer, and mom, Lindsay Sherbondy. Together, they talk about the Navajo Nation’s WWII Code Talkers. This elite group of men created and used a code used for relaying information between military units during World War II. The Navajo code is the only spoken military code never to have been deciphered, and the code talkers were instrumental in the victories of several battles during the war. They returned as unsung heroes because of the classified nature of their mission, living with their wartime secrets for more than 25 years before receiving official recognition by the U.S. government.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
34 min
April 25, 2022 Lessons to Save Your Life with Dr. Edith Eger and Dr. Marianne Engle
In this episode, Sharon sits down with psychologist and best-selling author, Dr. Edith Eger and her daughter–who is also a psychologist–Dr. Marianne Engle. When Dr. Eger was a young girl, she was a talented gymnast who trained for the Olympic games but was instead imprisoned at Auschwitz. As a survivor, she has written beautiful books full of light and healing. Dr. Eger advocates that we don’t ask “Why me?” but rather, “What now?”, which is a question that promotes action and an openness to change and possibility. Both Dr. Eger and Dr. Engle remind us that you can’t heal what you don’t feel; acknowledging our stories is a step toward freedom.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
40 min
April 22, 2022 Alaska and the Largest Earthquake Ever Recorded with Jeff Dauler
In today’s episode, Sharon is joined by podcaster Jeff Dauler and the two sit down and talk about Alaska’s 1964 earthquake–the largest earthquake ever recorded. While scientists said that the quake made the earth “ring like a bell” and the shaking and subsequent landslides and tsunamis devastated many Alaskan towns and cities, it also led to modern geological insights about how the earth’s crust is understood. They also talk about the lead scientist–a pioneer in her field–who led the efforts to identify potential future disasters and develop safety protocols.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
33 min
April 20, 2022 A Prolific Public Media Career with Cathy Wurzer
In this episode, Sharon talks with Emmy-Award winning broadcast journalist Cathy Wurzer about the role of public media in the U.S. To start, Cathy shares how she got into broadcast journalism, and the joy she feels in connecting with her listeners. Cathy believes that the soul of public radio lies in its ability to reach and cater to communities; to be free to be quirky and not beholden to ratings. They also talk about the ways in which covering politics has evolved over the years, why Minnesota has the highest voter turnout rates in the country, and the misconceptions people may have about public media news slants.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
32 min
April 18, 2022 Alabama: The Barrier-Breaking Tuskegee Airmen with Emma Chapman
In today’s episode, Sharon welcomes guest Emma Chapman, one of the founders of A Beautiful Mess, to hear the story of Alabama’s infamous 99th Pursuit Squadron: the first Black military pilot unit trained at the Tuskegee Airfield in Alabama. The airmen broke racial barriers at home and excelled overseas during World War II, earning the name Red-Tails and becoming some of the most decorated wartime aviators in U.S. history.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
35 min
April 15, 2022 Northern Mariana Islands: A Deep and Vast History with Sharon McMahon
In today’s episode, Sharon continues her tour of the U.S territories by talking about the history of the Northern Mariana Islands. This island territory is not well-known to mainland Americans–we don’t talk about them very often–so consider this your crash course! The Northern Mariana Islands are a submerged mountain chain in the Pacific Ocean near Guam. Learn the name the explorer Ferdinand Magellan gave to the island chain, and who it was ultimately named after, along with other facts, like the cultures that have influenced the islands, the incredible depths of the Mariana Trench, and which famous Hollywood director made history in the Marianas.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
25 min

About The Preamble

From the publisher's feed

The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the…