Best Ttbook Podcasts (2024)

1
Playing with Words 51:54

2h ago51:54

51:54

Sometime in the last couple of years, America’s collective morning routine shifted. We used to start the day with coffee. Now it’s coffee and Wordle. Or Spelling Bee. Or both, plus the crossword. We’re living in a golden age of word games – which is fun, and one way to get just a tiny bit of relief when the world feels out of control. Original Air …

1
Luminous: Is It The Drug Or Is It The Trip? 52:20

5d ago52:20

52:20

For all the talk about how psychedelics might transform psychiatric care, there's still a fascinating question at the heart of psychedelic science. Is it the mind-blowing experience that fundamentally changes a person’s outlook on life? Or is it the powerful molecules that rewire the brain? Original Air Date: December 16, 2023 Interviews in this ho…

1
Generation Witch 52:00

5d ago52:00

52:00

As a culture we’ve long been fascinated by witchcraft, with witches through the ages practicing magic and making spells. Even through the spread of misinformation, and when they’ve been hunted and silenced. We take you from the 17th century to the online witch communities of today. Original Air Date: October 30, 2021 Interviews in this hour: WitchT…

1
In Your Dreams 51:58

11d ago51:58

51:58

What’s the last dream you remember having? Some of us dream every night. But we’re in too much of a hurry to remember our dreams or think about them the next day. Others of us are dream-deprived. What if we embrace our dreams — and our night selves — as a way to understand ourselves better, to connect to each other, even to lead a better life? Orig…

1
Everyday Magic 51:55

20d ago51:55

51:55

What would it be like to live in a world where magic is still alive? Not weird, not woo-woo, just ordinary. 400 years ago, consulting a magician in downtown London was as unremarkable as calling a plumber today. Even now, there are places where magic never died – like Iceland, where 54 percent of the population believes in elves, or thinks they mig…

1
One Nation Under God? 52:03

27d ago52:03

52:03

In 2020, Donald Trump won 84 percent of the white evangelical vote. Lately, he’s been leaning even more deeply into the rhetoric of Christian nationalists. Who are they, and what’s their role in the evangelical church? We talk with some Southern Baptists today, whose views may surprise you. Original Air Date: March 09, 2024 Interviews In This Hour:…

1
Cult of the Self 51:46

1M ago51:46

51:46

In the world of internet influencers and YouTube stars, it’s not enough to be ordinary anymore. You need to be special. But where did this craze for personal branding come from? Why are we so obsessed with ourselves? To understand this cult of the self, we need to go back to 19th century spiritual movements and the rise of the huckster — and also t…

1
Beyond Death 51:45

2M ago51:45

51:45

Most of us have no idea what will happen when we die. But some do—people who actually started the process of dying and then came back with remarkable stories—like meeting dead relatives. Science is not only extending the lives of patients who’ve been declared clinically dead; it’s also beginning to tell us what happens in near-death experiences. Or…

1
Docupoetry 52:12

2M ago52:12

52:12

Rooted in reality, written with a keen observer’s eye, and shaped with a sense of song, documentary poetry tells the truth in an artist’s voice. For generations, through wars, crisis, and political upheaval, documentary poets have helped make sense of some of our most difficult moments – by expressing what might otherwise be impossible to say. So w…

1
Off The Map 52:10

2M ago52:10

52:10

Maps, whether drawn by hand or by satellite, reflect the time they were drawn for. How will the next generation of cartographers deal with challenges like a world being reshaped by climate change? Original Air Date: December 09, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Why are islands in the South Pacific disappearing? — Cartography in the age of Google Maps …

1
What Sparks Creativity? 52:07

2M ago52:07

52:07

Human creativity — whether it’s solving a tough problem or writing a novel — is one of our defining traits. It’s also deeply mysterious. Where does that creative spark come from? Original Air Date: February 09, 2019 Interviews In This Hour: A Neuroscientist and a Novelist Put Creativity Under a Microscope — Is This The Price of Genius? — Alma Mahle…

1
Listening to Whales 52:03

2M ago52:03

52:03

What can we learn from whales – and whales from us? Technology like AI is fueling new scientific breakthroughs in whale communication that can help us better understand the natural world. And, there’s an international effort to give whales a voice by granting them personhood. Special thanks to Ocean Alliance and whale.org for some of the whale reco…

1
Going for Broke: Can Work Be Love? 51:54

3M ago51:54

51:54

How we live is indelibly intertwined with the care and empathy we give to each other. What if we put care into helping Americans find homes and build dwellings, into keeping their bodies and minds sound, and finding meaningful and well-paid work? In this three part series, "To The Best Of Our Knowledge" and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project b…

1
Going for Broke: Making Up Our Minds 51:54

3M ago51:54

51:54

How we live is indelibly intertwined with the care and empathy we give to each other. What if we put care into helping Americans find homes and build dwellings, into keeping their bodies and minds sound, and finding meaningful and well-paid work? In this three part series, "To The Best Of Our Knowledge" and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project b…

1
Going for Broke: Change of Address 52:04

3M ago52:04

52:04

How we live is indelibly intertwined with the care and empathy we give to each other. What if we put care into helping Americans find homes and build dwellings, into keeping their bodies and minds sound, and finding meaningful and well-paid work? In this three part series, "To The Best Of Our Knowledge" and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project b…

1
Love in the Time of Extinction 52:08

3M ago52:08

52:08

It can be hard to enjoy the natural world these days without anxiety. You notice a butterfly on a flower and wonder why you don’t see more. How’s the monarch population doing this year? And shouldn’t there be more bees? The challenge is to live in this time of climate change – but still find joy and refuge in it. Original Air Date: July 27, 2024 In…

1
Deep Time: The Cosmos and Us 52:00

4M ago52:00

52:00

Our lives are so rushed, so busy. Always on the clock. Counting the hours, minutes, seconds. Have you ever stopped to wonder: what are you counting? What is this thing, that’s all around us, invisible, inescapable, always running out? What is time? Original Air Date: November 18, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Time, loss and the Big Bang — Finding s…

1
What is tribal sovereignty? 52:07

4M ago52:07

52:07

Most Americans take their sovereignty for granted - the nation’s right to make its own laws and govern its own people. The same rights we recognize in other sovereign nations, with one glaring exception — the Native nations and tribes who were here first. For Native Americans, sovereignty is not some abstract idea. It’s an ongoing, daily struggle. …

1
Luminous: Can psychedelics be decolonized? 52:28

4M ago52:28

52:28

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype about how psychedelics might revolutionize the treatment of mental illness. But there are also lots of ethical concerns. And probably none are so troubling as the charges of exploitation and cultural appropriation. The fact is, the knowledge about many psychedelics — like magic mushrooms and ayahuasca — comes …

1
Against Capitalism 52:03

4M ago52:03

52:03

Radical politics and radical movements are on the rise everywhere. Against racial violence, and climate change; against gender inequality, corporate greed, low wages, oil pipelines, opioids. Maybe at heart they all have a common cause. Maybe they're all — in one way or another — a rebellion against capitalism. Original Air Date: February 11, 2023 I…

1
The Spirit of Jim Thorpe 51:57

4M ago51:57

51:57

Jim Thorpe was one of the greatest athletes the world has ever known — a legend in the NFL, MLB, NCAA, and in the Olympics. Today he is being celebrated by a new generation of Native Americans. Rapper Tall Paul’s album is called, “The Story of Jim Thorpe." Tall Paul is an Anishinaabe and Oneida Hip-Hop artist enrolled on the Leech Lake reservation …

1
In Journalism We Trust 51:51

5M ago51:51

51:51

Americans used to believe that news anchors were basically reporting the truth. But in recent years, trust in journalism has largely evaporated. And that’s not an accident as the news media have been weaponized. So what can journalists do to regain the public trust? Original Air Date: June 15, 2024 Interviews In This Hour: Journalist Ezra Klein on …

1
The Hidden Geometry of Everything 51:55

5M ago51:55

51:55

The human brain is naturally mathematical. But there’s one particular kind of math people have surprisingly strong feelings about — geometry. It's the secret sauce of mathematics — different from everything else, and applicable to everything from gerrymandering to human evolution to romance novels. Original Air Date: May 28, 2022 Interviews In This…

1
Avian Obsessions 51:53

5M ago51:53

51:53

It’s summer, and you might be pulling out your binoculars, filling your bird feeders, and looking up as you hear a melodious song. But for many birdwatchers, it's not just a simple pastime. Identifying bird calls, tracking rare breeds through marshes and waters, and watching our feathered friends as they watch you has turned into true love of birds…

1
Tasting the Past 51:44

5M ago51:44

51:44

Maybe it’s your grandmother’s cinnamon cookies, the garlicky tomato sauce your spouse cooked when you were first dating, or the chicken noodle soup you made every week when your kids were little. The sights, smells and tastes of certain foods can instantly remind us of a person or transport us back to a certain time in our lives. In this episode, w…

1
Being Body Conscious 52:04

6M ago52:04

52:04

When you look at your body in the mirror, do you love what you see? Do you pick out the things you don’t like? Maybe you’ve heard of body positivity. But what if we just felt neutral about our bodies? In this episode, we talk about our bodies — how we move through the world in these fleshy vessels, how it feels to exist in our bodies in a world tha…

1
For The Love Of Moms 51:54

6M ago51:54

51:54

We celebrate Mother's Day with a collection of stories from our archives, by and about moms. Stories about care and about courage — about the work of mothering. Original Air Date: May 13, 2023 Guests: Stephanie Land, Eula Biss, Jacqueline Horner Plumez, Amanda Henry, Ayelet WaldmanBy Wisconsin Public Radio

1
Reframing the Portrait 51:41

6M ago51:41

51:41

Before family photos, or school pictures or Instagram, there were hand-drawn and painted portraits. Throughout the ages, portrait artists have captured expressions and personalities on canvas or paper, and those who view the picture interpret this “likeness” in their own way. We talk with a philosopher, a musician and a novelist about the role of p…

1
Giving Up 52:06

6M ago52:06

52:06

We get the message before we’re out of training pants – when the going gets tough, look on the bright side, make lemonade out of lemons and just do it. We’re gonna consider the exact opposite – the wisdom of giving up and letting go. Because sometimes, the strongest and most courageous thing you can do is walk away. Original Air Date: April 27, 202…

1
Deep Time: How Earth Keeps Time 52:09

7M ago52:09

52:09

Are you ready to think in centuries instead of seconds? Eons instead of hours? It’s time to make thousand-year plans and appreciate how Earth keeps time. Original Air Date: August 19, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Shifting your mind to 'geologic' time — Discovering the wonders of ancient cave art — Making art inspired by the ancestors Guests: Marci…

1
Luminous: Your Brain on Shrooms 52:38

7M ago52:38

52:38

Can neuroscience explain what happens to the brain on psychedelics? And even if we map the brain while it’s tripping, does that tell us why these experiences can be so transformative? We’ll talk with some of the pioneers in psychedelic research — from Amanda Feilding’s boundary-busting work to Robin Carhart-Harris’ theory of the "entropic brain." A…

1
Total Eclipse and Other Wonders 52:10

7M ago52:10

52:10

From our narrow vantage point on Earth, how can we see what's out there, beyond our skies? We look to how scientists and scholars have studied eclipses, dark matter, deep-space transmissions from intelligent life and more, all in the hopes of painting a clearer picture of a vast and invisible universe. Original Air Date: August 19, 2017 Interviews …

1
Does AI dream? 51:59

7M ago51:59

51:59

AI can do amazing things – write your term papers, sequence your genes, maybe replace your therapist. But even super-intelligence has limits. So, does AI really have a mind — or a soul? We'll explore the frontiers of artificial intelligence — from robots painting masterpieces to software engineers trying to create god-like machines. Original Air Da…

1
Let's Celebrate Crying 51:53

8M ago51:53

51:53

We all feel better after a good cry. In fact, humans are the only animals who cry emotional tears. But what about people who don't cry? And have you ever wondered why a sad song or movie makes you cry? Original Air Date: August 05, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Hip-hop artist Dxtr Spits on teaching men to cry — The evolution and neuroscience of tea…

1
Taking Pop Seriously 51:54

8M ago51:54

51:54

Pop music is a gazillion-dollar industry that churns out hits and creates celebrities. It seems like the definition of ephemeral – today’s chart topper is gone tomorrow. But pop music is a powerful vehicle for bringing people together, and fans - from K-pop to the #FreeBritney movement — have something to teach us about community and hope. Original…

1
One Nation Under God? 52:06

8M ago52:06

52:06

In 2020, Donald Trump won 84 percent of the white evangelical vote.). Lately, he’s been leaning even more deeply into the rhetoric of Christian nationalists. Who are they, and what’s their role in the evangelical church? We talk with some Southern Baptists today, whose views may surprise you. Original Air Date: March 09, 2024 Interviews In This Hou…

1
Decolonizing the Mind 51:52

8M ago51:52

51:52

Colonization in Africa was much more than a land grab. It was a project to replace — and even erase — local cultures. To label them inferior. Music, arts, literature and of course language. In other words, it permeated everything. So how do you undo that? How do you unlearn what you’ve been forced to learn? In this hour, produced in partnership wit…

1
In Your Dreams 52:01

8M ago52:01

52:01

What’s the last dream you remember having? Some of us dream every night. But we’re in too much of a hurry to remember our dreams or think about them the next day. Others of us are dream-deprived. What if we embrace our dreams — and our night selves — as a way to understand ourselves better, to connect to each other, even to lead a better life? Orig…

1
Luminous: What Can Psychedelics Teach Us About Dying? 52:04

9M ago52:04

52:04

In the first episode of "Luminous," our series about the philosophy and the future of psychedelics, how can psilocybin ease our fears about dying? And how can psychedelics change the way we approach the end of life? Original Air Date: April 08, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: How a pioneering psychedelic researcher 'leaned in' to his terminal cancer …

1
To All The Dogs We've Loved 51:54

9M ago51:54

51:54

The bond we share with dogs runs deep. The satisfaction of gentle head scratches or a round of playing fetch is simple and pure, but in other ways, the connection we have is truly unknowable. How do dogs make our lives better? How do they think? And how do we give them the lives they deserve? Original Air Date: February 05, 2022 Interviews In This …

1
Listen to this: The What, Why and How of Intellectual Humility 33:06

9M ago33:06

33:06

Today we're bringing you a conversation from "Kelly Corrigan Wonders." As a podcaster, Kelly is a kindred spirit – curious, genuine, caring — and this conversation is from a series about one of TTBOOK’s own core values – intellectual humility. It’s about the magic that happens when we stop trying to be right all the time. In this episode, Kelly tal…

1
Cult of the Self 51:48

9M ago51:48

51:48

In the world of internet influencers and YouTube stars, it’s not enough to be ordinary anymore. You need to be special. But where did this craze for personal branding come from? Why are we so obsessed with ourselves? To understand this cult of the self, we need to go back to 19th century spiritual movements and the rise of the huckster — and also t…

1
Losing Yourself in Fantasy 52:04

10M ago52:04

52:04

We all need a good fantasy world to retreat to sometimes – whether it's Hogwarts or Middle Earth, Westeros or Wakanda. But magical thinking can be dangerous too. And escapism isn't always innocent. So where do you draw the line between fantasy and reality? Original Air Date: September 17, 2022 Interviews In This Hour: Why not escape into fantasy? A…

1
Year of Return 52:05

10M ago52:05

52:05

2019 was an important year throughout the African diaspora — the 400th year since enslaved Africans first arrived in the United States. In Ghana — once the center of the European slave trade — 2019 was declared "the year of return" and the start of a campaign to encourage descendants of enslaved Africans to re-connect with the land of their ancesto…

1
Docupoetry 52:16

10M ago52:16

52:16

Rooted in reality, written with a keen observer’s eye, and shaped with a sense of song, documentary poetry tells the truth in an artist’s voice. For generations, through wars, crisis, and political upheaval, documentary poets have helped make sense of some of our most difficult moments – by expressing what might otherwise be impossible to say. So w…

1
Deep Time: The Tyranny of Time 52:05

10M ago52:05

52:05

When you’re on the clock, you’re always running out of time – because in our culture, time is money. The relentless countdown is making us and the planet sick. But clock time isn’t the only kind. There are older, deeper rhythms of time that sustain life. What would it be like to live more in tune with nature’s clocks? **Deep Time is a series all ab…

1
Out of the Anxiety Box 52:09

11M ago52:09

52:09

You're not even out of bed and you're already worrying. So let's talk about it: How anxious we are, how we got that way, and what to do about it. Original Air Date: March 25, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Patricia Pearson on A History of Anxiety — To Waste Time Is To Deepen Life — Treating Anxiety With Horror Films — Natalie Merchant on 'Leave Your…

1
Cultivating Wonder 52:01

11M ago52:01

52:01

Do you ever feel like there’s something missing in your life? You don’t know exactly what it is. And there’s never enough time to really think about it. You might get a glimpse of it if you slow down, or look deeply at something (or someone), or remember some childhood joy. What if that thing you’re missing is a sense of wonder? Original Air Date: …

1
Luminous: Is it the drug or is it the trip? 52:23

11M ago52:23

52:23

For all the talk about how psychedelics might transform psychiatric care, there's still a fascinating question at the heart of psychedelic science. Is it the mind-blowing experience that fundamentally changes a person’s outlook on life? Or is it the powerful molecules that rewire the brain? Check out the full series: ttbook.org/luminous Original Ai…

1
Off The Map 52:09

11M ago52:09

52:09

Maps, whether drawn by hand or by satellite, reflect the time they were drawn for. How will the next generation of cartographers deal with challenges like a world being reshaped by climate change? Original Air Date: December 09, 2023 Interviews In This Hour: Why are islands in the South Pacific disappearing? — Cartography in the age of Google Maps …

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