In the new novel Archive of Unknown Universes, author Ruben Reyes Jr. allows his characters to literally explore alternate versions of history: one version where the Salvadoran war ends in a peace treaty, and another where the government wins. Reyes Jr discuses the novel, his debut.

NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik and Vulture senior editor Jesse David Fox share their thoughts and reporting about the Trump administration's efforts to tamp down critique from late night comedy talkshow hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.

The new FX series "The Lowdown" stars Ethan Hawke as an amateur sleuth who becomes obsessed with getting to the bottom of a mysterious death in Tulsa. The show's creator, writer, director, and executive producer Sterlin Harjo joins to discuss the series, which premieres September 23.

[REBROADCAST FROM July 17, 2025] The new two-part documentary "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" provides an in-depth look into the life and career of America's beloved piano man. Co-director Susan Lacy discusses the film, which is streaming on HBO Max. Listeners weigh in with their favorite Billy Joel memories and performances. 

In the 90's, Jane Pratt launched the influential magazine Sassy, then went on to publish XO and Jane--women's magazines that combined thoughtful and often pioneering journalism with fashion and beauty. Now after the "death" of print, Pratt is returning to editorial with "Another Jane Pratt Thing," which launched September 26th on Substack. She joins to discuss. 

Last night marked the return of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which had been on pause for a few years. Once a dominant women's underwear and lingerie brand, Victoria's Secret has struggled to keep up with modern notions of beauty and desirability... and the former CEO, Les Wexner, became embroiled in the scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein. Co-author Lauren Sherman  joins us to discuss her new book, Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon. The book was co-written with Chantal Fernandez.

Earlier this month, part of the Delaware Aqueduct, which supplies most of New York City's tap water, is closing for maintenance, and residents might notice their water tastes or smells different. Rohit Aggarwala, commissioner of NYC's Department of Environmental Protection, discusses the city's water sourcing, and what it might mean for its famously perfect and delicious tap water. Plus, listeners call in to share whether they've noticed differences in their tap water, and to share how NYC's water is a point of local pride.

A new book explores the significance of music as a form of cultural expression for Caribbean communities. It's titled, Vibes Up: Reggae and Afro-Caribbean Migration from Costa Rica to Brooklyn. Author Sabia McCoy-Torres, who is also an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Africana Studies Program at Tulane University, joins us to discuss.

The QAnon conspiracy theory has taken hold of many Americans in the last few years, many of whom truly believe there is a cabal of pedophiles running the country, and Donald Trump is the only one who can stop them. A new book investigates how QAnon has torn some families apart. Author Jesselyn Cook joins us to discuss The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family as part of our political book series, Get Political.

18-year-old Jackson Reffitt made national news for his decision to turn his father in to the FBI for his role in the Jan. 6th attack on the Capitol. A new play dramatizes the investigation and resulting trial, using the words from statements, evidence, and court transcripts. Reffitt joins us to discuss, alongside the play's creator and director Stephen Sachs, and Patrick Keleher, who plays Reffitt in the play. 'Fatherland'  is running at New York City Center through November 23rd.

[REBROADCAST FROM MARCH 25, 2024] Amy Lin was newly married when her husband collapsed suddenly while running a half-marathon, and died. In her new memoir, Here After, Lin writes about the grief of losing her partner at such a young age, and how she managed to continue on. Lin joins us to discuss the book as part of our series Mental Health Mondays, and take calls from people who have experienced a similar loss.

[REBROADCAST FROM JAN. 22, 2024] In his latest book, Judson A. Brewer, psychiatrist and associate professor at Brown University, shares everything he’s learned over the past two decades of studying habit change and shows readers how to abandon unhealthy eating habits while creating better ones. Brewer joins us to discuss his book, The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We’re Not Hungry and How to Stop.

[REBROADCAST FROM SEPT. 26, 2024] We spend the hour diving deep into the history of brain surgery, from the earliest days, to lobotomies, to the new cutting-edge research into minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz, attending neurosurgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine, joins us to discuss his new book, Gray Matters: A Biography of Brain Surgery.

Recently, New York Times reported a 64-percent surge in elective breast-reduction surgeries among women since 2019. New York Times correspondent Lisa Miller wrote the piece, titled "The Power of a Smaller Breast," and joins us to discuss her insights.

[REBROADCAST FROM February 20, 2025] Powerhouse country and Americana duo The War and Treaty join us live in the studio to perform songs from their brand new album, Plus One.

Writer and musician Franz Nicolay's new book, Band People: Life and Work In Popular Music, highlights the people you might not think of when you think of your favorite bands —the people who comprise the rhythm and horns sections, side-of-stagers, backup singers, and others like them whose stories rarely get told. Publisher's Weekly calls it "a captivating look at what it means to occupy the complicated space 'between a career and a calling.'” Franz Nicolay joins us to discuss.

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna discuss starring together in the new Hulu series, "La Máquina," about a boxer and his manager trying to get him back in the ring for one last fight. The show is out now on Hulu.

El Museo del Barrio’s second large-scale survey of Latinx contemporary art, Flow States – LA TRIENAL 2024 features 33 participating artists working across the United States, Puerto Rico, The Philippines and the United Kingdom. Susanna Temkin, curator at El Museo del Barrio and María Elena Ortiz, curator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, co-curated the show alongside Rodrigo Moura, chief curator at El Museo del Barrio. Tempkin and Ortiz join us to discuss the show on display through Sunday, February 9, 2025.
 

El Museo del Barrio’s second large-scale survey of Latinx contemporary art, Flow States – LA TRIENAL 2024 is on display through Sunday, February 9, 2025. Mark Menjívar, San Antonio-based artist and associate professor in the School of Art and Design at Texas State University, has a piece featured in the show reflecting on the topic of migration through birds. He joins us to discuss before leading a bird walk tomorrow in Central Park at 9:30 a.m.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual now on view through January 5. We continue with Kirk Maynard, who discusses his piece in the show, "Periphery Series #22," and how he came up with the idea to paint subjects from their sides.

In honor of Spooky Season, a new series on the Criterion Channel puts the spotlight on horror films featuring great practical special effects, from the 1930s to the 80s, before the advent of CGI. Curator Clyde Folley joins us to discuss his series, Horror F/X, available to stream on Criterion Channel through October.

When Nisha Vora went vegan at the age of 28, she thought her lifelong love affair with food was coming to an end. But after discovering that smoothies and acai bowls did not count as meals, her hunger pushed her to become a much better cook. Now, her latest cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor, is a bestseller. She joins us to discuss how to make flavorful plant-based recipes -- and take listener calls.

Here's a recipe from the cookbook:

Sticky Coconut Milk–Braised Tofu

Serves 3 to 4 | GFO, NF

As much as I love crispy tofu, I may love this braised tofu even more. Here, squares of tofu are pan-fried until golden and crispy, then braised in a Thai-inspired blend of coconut milk, soy sauce, lemongrass, and spices. Frying the tofu first makes the perfect porous surface for the deeply savory and slightly sweet braising liquid to seep into, creating that spongy and chewy yet tender texture found in Chinese restaurant tofu dishes.

Tip: To serve a crowd, double the tofu and braising liquid. Fry the tofu in two batches; after frying the first batch, start simmering the liquid in a 3-quart (2.8 L) saucepan, then follow the recipe as written.

Big-Flavor Meals: Serve over a bed of jasmine white rice or brown rice, along with blanched or stir-fried green beans, bok choy, or broccolini.

1 (14-ounce/400 g) block extra-firm tofu, drained
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice

Braising Liquid
1 tablespoon coriander seeds1 (13.5-ounce/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup (140 g) soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for GF)
1/4 cup (84 g) agave nectar (or organic brown sugar or cane sugar)
2 lemongrass stalks, minced (see page 472 for prep tips)
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced (peel on okay)
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 to 3 Thai chiles (or 1 serrano pepper), stemmed and sliced in half vertically (use 3 chiles for spicy!; omit for mild heat)
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

For Serving

Cooked white or brown rice
Roasted black or white sesame seeds
1 handful chopped cilantro or Thai basil (optional)

1. Wrap the tofu in a thin dish towel or a few paper towels and press for 10 to 15 minutes (see page 265).

2. Slice the tofu in half vertically, then flip each slab around and slice crosswise into squares about 1/2-inch (1 to 1.5 cm) thick. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a cutting board. Gently press down on the squares with a towel to release more water. Sprinkle the tofu with a couple of pinches of salt. Line a large plate with a few paper towels.

3. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Carefully add the tofu, arranging it in a single layer. Move the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat it and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a thin spatula to flip and cook until the other side is also golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. While the tofu cooks, make the braising liquid. Use the back of a large knife or a sturdy mug to roughly crush the coriander seeds. Or you can use a mortar and pestle or pulse once in a spice grinder.

5. In a medium (2-quart/2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, agave, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles (if using), roughly crushed coriander, white pepper, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. It should be very flavorful and quite salty.

6. Add the fried tofu to the braising liquid and stir to coat. A few pieces of tofu will peek up above the liquid, but that’s okay. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is almost wrinkly and the liquid has thickened into a sauce that sticks to the tofu, about 35 minutes. 

7. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly; discard the cinnamon stick. Serve over rice, pour a little braising liquid on top of the rice (not a lot, as it’s quite potent), and garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.

The new film "Saturday Night"  dramatizes the creation of the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live. We speak with writer and director Jason Reitman, along with actor Gabriel LaBelle, who stars as a young Lorne Michaels. "Saturday Night"  is in theaters nationwide Friday.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual now on view through January 5. We continue with Terrance Cummings, who discusses his piece in the show, "Family," and his story from a childhood in Alabama to settling in the Garden State.

Author Dinaw Mengestu joins us for a preview conversation ahead of our October Get Lit with All Of It event. We're spending the month reading his new book, Someone Like Us, about a journalist who returns home to his Ethiopian community in D.C. to uncover family secrets and examine his father's sudden death. To borrow your e-copy, and grab your tickets to our October 30 event, click here.

[REBROADCAST FROM May 22, 2025] The new two part documentary "Pee-wee As Himself" features some of the final interviews with comedian Paul Ruebens before his death in 2023. The documentary, directed by Matt Wolf, follows both the public and private life of Ruebens, who discusses his sexuality in detail for the first time. 

In the latest novel from author Garth Greenwell, a poet's life is upended when he is struck suddenly by serious and intense pain. Greenwell joins us to discuss Small Rain.

Habibi Festival, the annual celebration of music from the Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) region, returns to Joe's Pub this week. Organizers Meera Dugal and Alex Knowlton give some highlights alongside Algerian percussionist Karim Ziad, who performs live in our studio. Habibi Festival runs October 8-12.

Grammy-award winning and Bronx born-and-raised vocalist Samara Joy returns with a new album, Portrait, out this Friday. Joy discusses her whirlwind of a last two years, her approach to this new album, and we get an exclusive listen to some unreleased tracks.

Samora Pinderhughes releases the first part of his new two-part album, Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears on October 18, but this week he performs live at Blue Note on Oct. 7-8th. He joins us before his performance to preview the project and to discuss his career as a multidisciplinary artist.

James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Kristina Cho discusses her latest cookbook, Chinese Enough: Homestyle Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, and More, which combines her Cantonese roots with her American upbringing. Cho will be speaking at Farm to People with Books Are Magic tonight.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual now on view through January 5. We continue with Copie Rodriguez, who discusses his piece in the show, "Mom," and how he captures neighbors and community members in his work.

From Marla Mindelle, creator and star of "Titanique,"  comes a new comedy that sees its protagonist, Stacey, trapped inside a musical. Will she find (or sing) her way out? Mindelle joins us to discuss "The Big Gay Jamboree,"  which she co-wrote and stars in. The show is running at the Orpheum Theater through January 19.

Daniel Dae Kim stars in David Henry Hwang's farcical play "Yellowface," about an Asian American playwright who mistakenly casts a white actor in an Asian role in his own production. Kim and Hwang join us to discuss the production, which runs through November 24.

Author Charles Bock didn't have being a father on his list of high priorities. But when his wife dies of cancer, leaving him a single father to a three-year-old daughter, he realizes it's time to step up. He recounts his experience with single fatherhood in the new memoir, I Will Do Better: A Father’s Memoir of Heartbreak, Parenting, and Love. We discuss with Bock, and take calls from our listeners, as part of our series Mental Health Mondays.

This week, we're spotlighting local New Jersey artists who are showing work at the Montclair Art Museum as part of the 2024 New Jersey Arts Annual show now on view through January 5. We start with Maria Mijares, who discusses her piece in the show, "4 Fashion Girls" and her work in public spaces around the Garden State.

[REBROADCAST FROM April 28, 2025] As The Dogist, photographer Elias Weiss Friedman has won over millions of fans with his photos of dogs in New York and around the world. In a new book, titled This Dog Will Change Your Life, he shares stories about some of the dogs he's met, both as The Dogist and in his private life, and how those interactions have shaped him. 

In honor of WNYC's 100th birthday, All Of It is celebrating 100 pieces of art in New York City. Each month we'll speak with a tastemaker in the arts world about their favorites. Our October segment features Hyperallergic co-founder and editor-in-chief Hrag Vartanian who shares 10 pieces he thinks all New Yorkers should see.

Beloved New Jersey crossing guard Patrice Jetter is thrilled when she falls in love with Gary. The couple can't wait to marry. The problem? They both have disabilities, and if they decide to marry, their government benefits will be cut. A new documentary, "Patrice: The Movie"  follows the couple's attempts to fight back against these rules. Director Ted Passon and subject Patrice Jetter join us to discuss the film, which is available to stream now on Hulu.

A new documentary follows a couple who learn that three of their four children have retinitis pigmentosa, an incurable condition which means they will soon lose all of their eyesight. The couple decides to pull their kids from school and journey around the world, showing them all the things that soon they will no longer be able to see. Subjects and partners Edith Lemay and Sébastien Pelletier  and co-director Edmund Stenson join us to discuss the film "Blink,"  which premieres in theaters today.

We air highlights of the performance half of our September Get Lit with All Of It book club event with author Erik Larson. Songwriter and author David Berkeley and songwriter and producer Ben Parker make up the band Sons of Town Hall. The 19th-century inspired duo perform timeless folk music under the aliases George Ulysses Brown and Josiah Chester Jones. We present our interview with Sons of Town Hall and a special live performance.

Get Lit is back! We kick off our fall season with best-selling author and historian Erik Larson. He joined us for a live, in-person event to discuss his latest history of the Civil War, The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War.

Radiolab for Kids Presents: Terrestrials returns for a new season about tree stumps, squirrels, and more! Plus... an album! Producer Ana González and producer & "Song Bud" Alan Goffinski join us for a special listening party and talk about the new season, plus take calls from curious young listeners.

For this week's installment of Food for Thought Thursdays, hear flavor tips and recipes from a new cookbook from Sarah Kieffer, 100 Afternoon Sweets: with Snacking Cakes, Brownies, Blondies and More.

Before Roe v. Wade, Dr. Curtis Boyd decided to dedicate his career to providing safe, but illegal, abortions in Texas and New Mexico. It was at one of those clinics that he met his wife, Glenna Halverson-Boyd, who became a counselor to women seeking an abortion. The couple write about their decades of providing abortion care and advocacy in their new memoir, We Choose To: A Memoir of Providing Abortion Care Before, After, and During Roe. The Boyds join us to discuss as part of our political book series, Get Political.

Our book club for kids, Get Little, returns with award-winning multihyphenate filmmaker and musician Questlove! His new picture book, The Idea in You, celebrates creativity in young minds. Questlove joins us to talk about the book and take calls from kids.

To acknowledge the death of beloved Broadway actor Gavin Creel, we revisit his conversation with Alison about his one-man show "WALK ON THROUGH: Confessions of a Museum Novice," which uses music to document his journey to appreciate the art at the Metropolitan Museum.

[REBROADCAST FROM March 7, 2025] Before the 1985 Grammy Awards, no women had ever been nominated for Producer of the Year. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman became the first as part of Prince and the Revolution, though still no woman has ever won the award. Wendy & Lisa discuss their career. And, hear a little bit from Susan Rogers, a veteran audio engineer who worked for years with Prince and on a number of Wendy & Lisa's albums.

Despite being a relatively small neighborhood, Greenwich Village has had an outsized impact on music history. A new book chronicles the rise and fall of the music scene in Greenwich Village. We speak with author David Browne about his book,Talkin' Greenwich Village: The Heady Rise and Slow Fall of America's Bohemian Music Capital. He joins us for the hour, and we take calls.

A new Independent Lens documentary explains the Electoral College's complexities while following four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election. The film is called "One Person, One Vote?" Director Maximina Juson and former Colorado State Senator Polly Baca, who participated in the film, join us to discuss.