Wonder Woman as an Awkward Teenaged Refugee Confronting Injustice in America (0:33)

Guest: Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times Best-Selling Author of “Speak” and “Chains,” Author of “Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed”

Wonder Woman has become edgier and more empowered on screen over the years. The latest iteration of Wonder Woman’s story from DC Comics rolls the clock back to her teenage years–when she was just Diana Prince. She’s awkward, uprooted from home, living as a refugee in New York City. The new graphic novel is called “Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed." (Originally aired on June 22, 2020).

 

Capturing The Sound of Religion (24:55)

Guests: Isaac Weiner, Professor of Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University, Co-Director, American Religious Sounds Project; Amy DeRogatis, Professor of Religious Studies, Michigan State, Co-Director, ARSP

During the isolation of this pandemic, religious experience has looked different. Felt different. Sounded different. For instance, Catholics in Milwaukee banged their pots and pans along with the ringing of church bells on Easter Sunday. Audio from that day is part of the American Religious Sounds Project which has been tracking the sound of religion during the pandemic. (Originally aired May 27, 2020).

 

Preserving the History of Ice Harvesting (41:14)

Guest: Kenneth Lincoln, President of the Thompson Ice House Preservation Corporation

Winter is coming on, and that means lakes and ponds are going to start freezing over across the country. Back in the day, people relied on that happening to provide the blocks of ice that would go into iceboxes–they were literally boxes with ice in them-to keep things cool. Then came electric refrigerators and ice harvesting went out of business. That was a century ago. But there’s a small town in Maine keeping the tradition alive with an annual ice harvest on a local pond. (Originally aired March 11, 2020).

 

“The Mountains Sing”: Trauma, Resilience and the Legacy of War in Vietnam (52:52)

Guest: Nguyen Phan Que Mai, Author of “The Mountains Sing”

With Veterans Day this past week, we were reminded, once again, just how large the Vietnam War looms over America’s psyche. Six million American men and women who fought in the Vietnam War are still alive today–they’re the largest surviving group of veterans from a single conflict and far outnumber the veterans who’ve fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. So, it’s really no wonder that most of the books and movies about the Vietnam War that we’re familiar with are from the perspective of those veterans–from the perspective of America and its allies. Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s new novel is the rare exception. It tracks the effects of war on four generations of one Vietnamese family. The novel, which is called, “The Mountains Sing,” draws from the real experiences of Que Mai’s family. (Originally aired March 7, 2020).

 

An App That’s Designed to Be Your BFF (1:30:44)

Guest: Eugenia Kuyda, Co-Founder and CEO, Replika

A lot of things during this pandemic have moved online–including work, therapy, and routine doctor’s appointments. Many of our relationships have moved online, too. Three years ago, Eugenia Kuyda created an artificially intelligent bot that can take the place of a friend in some cases. It’ll talk or text with you about your day, offer support or insight and, because it’s artificially intelligent, it learns from your conversations over time. It’s like a warm fuzzy Siri or Alexa. The app is called Replika. (Originally aired April 16, 2020).