Finding home might not always require a map — sometimes it means looking inward. Larissa Pham joins host Krys Boyd to talk about her memoir, a travelogue that combines her love of art and music and ultimately helped her map a way home. Her book is called “Pop Song: Adventures in Art and Intimacy.”

When complex social justice ideas get reduced to a single word or phrase, they become easy to weaponize. Nesrine Malik is a columnist and features writer for the Guardian, and she joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how “wokeness,” “political correctness,” “free speech,” “cancel culture” and other shorthand terms are used to both drive and tamp down social justice movements. Her book is “We Need New Stories: The Myths that Subvert Freedom.”

As lockdowns spread across the country last spring, the economy tanked. But the aftermath wasn’t as bad as predicted. New York Times economics reporter Ben Casselman joins host Krys Boyd to talk about what was predicted for the nation’s fiscal health, why the ripple effects weren’t as far reaching as they could’ve been, and who could still use a little help. His recent article is headlined “America Is on a Road to a Better Economy. But Better for Whom?”

If you've ever wondered how Krys chooses who she talks to or what she wants to talk about, this is your chance to find out. Every weekend Krys will share highlights from the conversations she had that week and offer a behind the scenes look at the creation process of Think. On this week’s episode: 5 tips for being a better communicator.

Featured conversations:

- Face To Face: https://think.kera.org/2014/08/28/face-to-face/

- A Conversation About … Conversations: https://think.kera.org/2021/06/02/a-conversation-about-conversations/

-Come Together: A Guide To Better Parties And Meetings https://think.kera.org/2018/09/03/come-together-a-guide-to-better-parties-and-meetings-2/

- It’s OK To Use Emojis With Your Co-Workers: https://think.kera.org/2021/06/01/its-ok-to-use-emojis-with-your-co-workers/

- How To Talk To Someone Who’s Wrong: https://think.kera.org/2018/08/15/how-to-talk-to-someone-whos-wrong/

Two and a half-years after slavery was outlawed, the news made its way to Galveston, Texas. The occasion has been a state holiday since 1980 and many cities across the country now commemorate Juneteenth. Harvard historian Annette Gordon-Reed grew up in Texas, and she joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the history of Texas exceptionalism, an economic model based on slavery and race, and the legacy that remains today. Her book is called “On Juneteenth.”

A pint after work now and then might be more than a comforting habit — it could be evolution. Edward Slingerland is distinguished university scholar and professor of Asian studies at the University of British Columbia, as well as co-director of the Centre for the Study of Human Evolution, Cognition and Culture. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why many organisms — human and otherwise — like to tie one on now and again and the effect that has had on our societies. His book is called “Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization.”

The top 1 percent of American earners has an income share more than the bottom 40 percent of all households. Vox senior reporter Emily Stewart joins host Krys Boyd to talk about who benefits from tax policy and to make the case that important infrastructure updates could be paid for if we had the political will to adjust the tax code. Her article is headlined “Seriously, Just Tax the Rich.”

Love it or hate it, small talk is a part of life. And how we wrap up our conversations reveals a lot about us. Elizabeth Stokoe, professor of social interaction at Loughborough University, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about how personal interactions and niceties reveal our motives – and we’ll get tips for having more meaningful conversations. Her article, “Conversations, and how we end them,” was published in Nature.

Back pain, vision loss, carpal tunnel syndrome — all can be blamed on the personal computer. Laine Nooney, assistant professor of media and information studies at New York University, joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the ailments brought about computer usage – and about the trouble with shutting down your work computer for the day only to pick up your tablet. Their article, “How the Personal Computer Broke the Human Body,” was published in Vice.

We turn to the TV meteorologist for the forecast, but if you miss the news you might try listening to the crickets or observing the birds. Explorer Tristan Gooley joins host Krys Boyd to talk about the subtle — and not so subtle — signs nature gives us to interpret the wind, rain, snow and sun. His book is called “The Secret World of Weather: How to Read Signs in Every Cloud, Breeze, Hill, Street, Plant, Animal, and Dewdrop.”