Best Amil Podcasts (2024)

1
Summer Bonus Episode: Claire Zulkey 1:04:44

2h ago1:04:44

1:04:44

It’s summer, which means Sarah’s rocking a 3-cone-per-day ice cream lifestyle, and Miranda is guzzling $1 slushies by the pool. And work is …. still kind of happening. The brilliant, hilarious of the Evil Witches newsletter (which you need to subscribe to, if you don’t already) joins us to talk about the various joys and perils of summertime parent…

1
Ep. 94: The joy of children’s books with ‘Girls on Wheels’ author Srividhya Venkat 1:05:32

3d ago1:05:32

1:05:32

Another one for you book lovers out there! Many of us were introduced to the wonder of picture books only once we began reading them to our kids. My latest guest Srividhya Venkat fell in love with children’s books and never looked back (at her former career in accounting)! Srividhya began a second act in early childhood education, and then a third …

1
Mini-Edit 4: A celebration of all our blended identities with "In This Family" creators Shelly Anand and Meenal Patel 42:21

8d ago42:21

42:21

Looking for a new picture book to read with kids in your life? This brand new one really made me think about all the tiny and large ways children develop their sense of belonging in a family and their sense of self in the world at large. The rich detail of what family members pass down to new arrivals is beautifully captured in this lovely book wri…

1
Episode 25: The Millennial Midlife Crisis with Amil Niazi 1:02:55

24d ago1:02:55

1:02:55

Canadian writer and The Cut columnist Niazi joins us to discuss what happens when an entire generation follows their dreams, whether our economic instability is real or imagined, and having children (even a third!) while fighting against upgrade culture. Also, we stan Better Things, and, what if it is all going to be okay? Links: * MOFITA summer bo…

1
Ep. 93: Widening the lens: a look at Corky Lee's Asian America with historian Mae Ngai 50:34

26d ago50:34

50:34

Why does American history still exclude so many? My latest guest Mae Ngai is Lung Professor of Asian American Studies and History at Columbia University and has written award-winning books on immigration and the Chinese diaspora sharing stories of immigrants during the Gold Rush and other pivotal historical events. Before becoming a historian, Mae …

1
Episode 24: Boys Are Not Like Dogs with Ruth Whippman 1:01:00

30d ago1:01:00

1:01:00

Sarah and Miranda are joined by , author of Boymom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity to talk about how boys need more but get less, the boys who are dying to talk about their feelings, and the radical power of a board book about a boy and his bags. Plus, do we say “no” to toxic-masculinity media or just say “yes” to better t…

1
MOVIE CLUB: Mamma Mia (Or Is It DADDA Mia?) With Garrett Bucks 1:01:45

1M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

A juicy, earnestly silly over-think of Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again (Sarah’s preferred Mamma Mia) in which Sarah’s friend joins us with a spicy-hot take on the three (three!) dads of Mamma Mia. When Bucks is not thinking about the rich, layered texts that are Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again, he keeps busy doing Dad Stuff,…

1
Ep. 92: Author and educator Nina Sharma on black and brown love and allyship 1:06:03

1M ago1:06:03

1:06:03

Wondering where to start with learning more about black and brown solidarity? Or how to write about a difficult experience? Reading author and educator Nina Sharma’s wonderful debut “The Way You Make Me Feel: Love in Black and Brown” is a great first step. So grateful to Nina for her honest and elegant writing and for this amazing chat! Nina shares…

1
Episode 23: We Can't Have Nice Things 30:17

1M ago30:17

30:17

Sarah flew to Iceland, only to be immediately taken down by a stomach flu. Meanwhile, back at home a Covid-like virus knocked Miranda’s family out for 14 days. So we called an emergency recording session of Mother Of It All just to vent about it all together. Why can’t parents have nice things, like occasional vacations or a week or two without abs…

1
Episode 22: Screen Time with Phil Maciak 1:22:59

2M ago1:22:59

1:22:59

Sarah and Miranda host their first dad, cultural critic , and dig into screen time, shame, nostalgia, hugs, and multi-level marketing for second-graders. Links: * Phil’s book, Avidly Reads Screen Time * Phil on Instagram * Phil’s review of Season 2 of the Bear in The New Republic * The NOLA Pelicans’ King Cake Baby mascot * The Anxious Generation b…

1
Episode 21: The Mothers of the Mother of it All 1:10:02

3M ago1:10:02

1:10:02

Sarah and Miranda are joined by their moms, Bev and Linda, to talk about modern motherhood, what has and hasn’t changed in a generation, “Folly Fridays,” and whether mothers ever truly get their flowers. Links: * Terry Brazelton * Lydia Kiesling’s Golden State Get full access to The Mother Of It All at motherofitall.substack.com/subscribe…

1
Episode 20: 'Matrescence' Is Not A Dirty Word with Lucy Jones 1:12:04

2M ago1:12:04

1:12:04

Sarah and Miranda talk to Lucy Jones, author of the book Matrescence, out May 7th, about how becoming a mother is truly a biopsychosocial evolution, how motherhood in nature is more often about chaos and violence than dyads and instincts, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and our favorite Bluey episodes. Links: * Order Lucy’s book, Matrescence * Alexandra Sac…

1
Mini-Edit 3: Children's author Veera Hiranandani is back with 'Amil and the After', a sequel to her award-winning book 'The Night Diary' 31:53

3M ago31:53

31:53

What happens to families AFTER they’ve survived a traumatic historical event? Veera Hiranandani set out to explore this question in her sequel to the beloved Newbery-honor winning middle-grade novel ‘The Night Diary’. ‘Amil and the After’ now finds Nisha and Amil navigating a new life in Mumbai following their family’s migration from Sindh during t…

1
Episode 19: Who's The Beef?! Sarah & Miranda Talk Vasectomies, Turning 40 & The 3rd Kid Question 54:24

3M ago54:24

54:24

A little one-on-one time with Sarah and Miranda! A fun chit-chatty check-in about vasectomies, the third kid question, the weird pressure of turning 40, why Sarah "doesn't get" Hawaii, mole moms, hopping on the 'crone train, and calendar reminders gone wild. Plus, a big announcement! How To Catch A Mole by Marc Hamer Poser by Claire DedererKrtek Th…

1
Episode 18: Dr Becky and The Parenting-Optimization Era, with Kathryn Jezer-Morton 45:37

4M ago45:37

45:37

Columnist and sociologist Kathryn Jezer-Morton returns to give the inside scoop on her recent profile of Dr. Becky. Sarah, Miranda and KJM dive deep into what’s great (and maybe no so great) about the advice Dr. Becky doles out, and Kathryn explains what ultimately surprised her most about spending time with Dr. Becky and the “Good Inside” parent c…

1
Episode 17 : Rebecca Kronman on Parenting and Psychedelics 1:07:45

4M ago1:07:45

1:07:45

Sarah and Miranda are joined by Rebecca Kronman, a licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of Plant Parenthood, a community that explores the intersection of psychedelics and the family. She talks about the importance of set and setting, the false dichotomy between healing and joy, and about how psychedelics help some parents heal intergener…

1
Ep. 91: Bringing the flavors of the Canary Islands to our tables with Simran Khiantani of SimranCooks 49:15

4M ago49:15

49:15

Ever wondered whether you should take that step to turning your hobby into a business? New York based Simran Khiantani (also goes by Namrata) shares her journey from Bombay to New York via the Canary Islands! Inspired by her MIL’s amazing sauces and her friends’ insistence that she start selling them, Simran recently launched her condiment brand af…

1
MOVIE CLUB: Tully & The Power of Postpartum Ghost Stories with Janet Manley 51:13

4M ago51:13

51:13

LitHub contributing editor Janet Manley joins us to talk about the postpartum comedy with a horror twist that started it all, 2018’s Tully. We discuss how the conversation around the postpartum period has changed in six years, what the New York Times got wrong about this film, and what we would go back and offer our postpartum selves. Links: Janet’…

1
Episode 16: Gaza, American Motherhood & Activism with Lydia Kiesling 1:02:46

4M ago1:02:46

1:02:46

With author and essayist Lydia Kiesling, we talk about the conflict in Gaza, which has taken the lives of tens of thousands of our fellow mothers and their children. We explore the ways that motherhood has the potential to awaken activism, about feeling frozen, helpless or overwhelmed, as well as how we can take our tender hearts and protective ins…

1
Episode 15: Marriage & the Divorce Discourse with Emily Gould 1:07:30

4M ago1:07:30

1:07:30

Author and New York Magazine writer Emily Gould joins Sarah and Miranda to discuss her controversial personal essay, The Lure of Divorce, published in The Cut last month. We tackle the current divorce discourse, the work it takes to support our own mental health, what it’s like to write so intimately and so publicly at the same time, and whether it…

1
Mini-Edit 2: A trip to Portugal with photographer and storyteller Christine Chitnis 49:55

4M ago49:55

49:55

Exploring her husband’s Goan and Portuguese heritage led writer Christine Chitnis to create a beautiful celebration of the visual culture of Portugal: “Patterns of Portugal”. Having successfully completed a similar project in 2020 with “Patterns of India”, Christine was inspired to share her view of the beauty of this small nation at the edge of Eu…

1
Episode 14: Mothering, Race & Identity with Priya Joi 1:03:27

5M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Sarah and Miranda are joined by Priya Joi, a Barcelona-based science journalist and the author of the memoir M(other)land: What I’ve Learned About Parenthood, Race, and Identity. Joi was born in the UK, spent part of her childhood in India, and is raising her own daughter in Barcelona. In this episode we explore how motherhood made questions of rac…

1
Ep. 90: The rich history of South Asia and MIT with Ranu Boppana and Sana Aiyar 1:26:50

5M ago1:26:50

1:26:50

“You know, as Asian Americans, we often don't know our history. I myself have lived in the US more than 50 years, and yet a lot of people still think that you’ve recently come from India. This is not just about MIT, it's actually an important part of the history of South Asians in America.” - Ranu Boppana A physician and former President of the Mas…

1
MOVIE CLUB: Baby Boom with Jo Piazza 52:43

5M ago52:43

52:43

We’re giving our listener’s a little treat – a free February Movie Club episode! Author and podcaster Jo Piazza comes on the pod to break down the beloved 1987 working-mom classic, Baby Boom. We talk overt vs. covert misogyny, why it’s time to retire the phrase “having it all,” and of course, the brilliance of style acumen of Diane Keaton. Subscrib…

1
Episode 13: How Social Media Storytelling Has Changed Our Understanding Of Motherhood, Childhood & What Makes A Good Life with Kathryn Jezer-Morton 1:08:47

5M ago1:08:47

1:08:47

Sociologist and writer Kathryn Jezer-Mortonjoins Sarah and Miranda to talk about the intersection of motherhood and what she calls “technological storytelling,” or, the way we construct our identities in the age of social media. We talk about her recent piece on the “core memories” trend as a microcosm of our desire to control our kids’ perception …

1
Episode 12: Grief, Writing & A Mother's Oceanic Love with Tamarin Norwood 58:18

6M ago58:18

58:18

Precise, poetic and deeply moving, Tamarin Norwood's much-anticipated book, The Song of the Whole Wide World: On Grief, Motherhood and Poetry, chronicles her experience of having a son, Gabriel, who lived just 72 minutes. In this episode, she joins Miranda and Sarah to share and reflect on passages from her gorgeous book, talk about the ultimate "t…

1
Patreon Movie Club Sneak Peek 3:08

6M ago3:08

3:08

Every month for our Patreon members we release a special Movie Club episode where we take on movies through the lense of motherhood, and motherhood through the lense of movies. This month, we discuss the Oscar nominations with Tracy Clark Flory. Join our Patreon for as little as $5 a month to hear the full episode! --- Send in a voice message: http…

1
Ep. 89: On the craft of children's literature with author and teacher Sheela Chari 51:12

6M ago51:12

51:12

Ever wondered how an author takes a flash of inspiration and weaves a story from it? My guest Sheela Chari shares how she came to write her many wonderful children’s books, including the moment in college (as an economics major) that changed her life. Sheela now teaches writing at the Vermont College of Fine Arts while creating new stories of her o…

1
Episode 11: The Wisdom of Disabled Parenting with Jessica Slice 1:07:51

6M ago1:07:51

1:07:51

Author and speaker Jessica Slice talks to Sarah about how disability culture has taught her to reject perfectionism, how internalized ableism makes parenting harder for all of us, and the beauty of building a family where everyone accepts and expresses their needs. Links: Jessica’s website and Substack newsletter Disability Visibility, edited by Al…

1
Episode 10: A Better Birth with Rebekah Wheeler 1:02:50

6M ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Midwife, birth trauma healer, and beloved big sister Rebekah Wheeler breaks down what we get wrong about birth trauma, why there is no wrong way to give birth, and what we can do to truly support people through the birth process. Also, Sarah confronts her about never letting her borrow her Oasis t-shirt in middle school, and Miranda gets some free …

1
Ep. 88: How a rare disease diagnosis birthed a non-profit with The Sumaira Foundation’s Sumaira Ahmed 1:00:38

6M ago1:00:38

1:00:38

Sumaira Ahmed is a force! Upon being diagnosed with a rare neuroimmune condition (Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder/ NMOSD, whose symptoms can include vision loss, paralysis, and weakness), Sumaira couldn’t find the community she needed, so she went right ahead and launched a foundation (two months later!) to create that support for herself an…

1
Episode 9: Resisting Covert Grind Culture: Evie Ebert On Resolution Season 1:05:47

6M ago1:05:47

1:05:47

In which Miranda & Sarah define the many reasons they love Evie Ebert’s motherhood writing, and Evie responds to all the flattery by giving an exceptionally satisfying answer to our “where are your kids right now” question. Then we dig into resolution culture, wondering out loud if maybe (MAYBE) we’re done treating resolution season as the super bo…

1
Episode 8: Motherhood Is Sobering: Drinking, The Holidays & Mothering, with Angela Garbes 56:56

7M ago56:56

56:56

Miranda and Sarah welcome Angela Garbes, author of Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change and Like A Mother, to the show this week to talk about drinking, sobriety, and the fuzzy, fine lines that we trace around substance use in motherhood. Though it feels like sober curiosity — or full on sobriety — is on-trend, a recent CDC study indicated t…

1
Episode 7: The Mother Culture Origin Story 59:42

7M ago59:42

59:42

It’s the Mother Culture Origin Story! Sarah and Miranda (that’s us) divulge a little more about who we are, what we’re doing here, how we found each other, and why motherhood continues to earn its place as the focal point of our most obsessive curiosities. We talk pregnancy, anxieties, traps, tenderness, and how we think about what happened to us w…

1
Movie Club: Home Alone with Nancy Reddy 1:02:14

7M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

The lovely writer Nancy Reddy joins Miranda and Sarah to talk (and cry a little bit) about the infamous John Hughes Christmas movie extraordinaire, Home Alone. We get into the weeds of Kate McAllister’s power-mom parenting choices, realizing that this bananas plot line actually feels pretty relatable, WTF a “hyper mom” might be, and the gray areas …

1
Ep. 87: Understanding and celebrating neurodivergence with Chandana Singh, founder of 'Advocacy for Dyslexia' 46:35

7M ago46:35

46:35

My guest Chandana Singh is a lawyer, founder of ‘Advocacy for Dyslexia’, and of The Office of Learning Support at India’s leading liberal arts university Ashoka University. Join me in this chat as Chandana dives into what makes life challenging as a neurodiovergent learner and what we can do as parents, friends, and community members to both suppor…

1
45. A Systems View of Life, with Fritjof Capra 38:39

8M ago38:39

38:39

My guest this week is Fritjof Capra, living systems theorist and bestselling author of The Systems View of Life. He discusses how: Systems thinking represents a shift from a mechanistic to an organic or network worldview Complexity theory brought a breakthrough in our understanding of living systems Living systems are self-organising networks with …

1
Episode 6: Are The Holidays Fun? It’s The MC Holiday Special with Guest Sara Petersen! 55:00

8M ago55:00

55:00

Switch on the twinkle lights, it’s the Mother Culture Holiday Episode! In which Sara P. (author of Momfluenced and the beloved substack, In Pursuit Of Clean Countertops) shares hot tips for Santa training your kids, Sarah W. finds out about Elf On A Shelf’s Jewish cousin. Then, Miranda tries to make everyone talk about big questions — like who and …

1
Episode 5: Are We Watering Down Feminism with Katherine Moos? 1:09:56

8M ago1:09:56

1:09:56

What do we really mean when we say capitalist patriarchy, gender politics, or even, feminism? Sarah and Miranda bring on a badass professor of feminist economics to school us on all this, plus the good, bad, and ugly of how this shows up in modern motherhood discourse. Katherine Moos is a professor of feminist political economy at UMASS Amherst. Sh…

1
Ep. 86: The joy of reinventing and pivoting with landscape designer Shoma Haque 1:07:04

8M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

Ever wonder what makes people take that leap and pivot into a second or even a third act? My Boston-based guest moved from a successful career in consulting to non-profit leadership, and now to landscape design! So inspiring to hear how this dynamic and passionate Bangladeshi-American has jumped into new fields and established her own business. I’m…

1
Episode 4: The Woman in Me in Us (The Britney Episode) with Amanda Montei 59:53

8M ago59:53

59:53

Miranda and Sarah are joined by Amanda Montei, the author of the recently published Touched Out: Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent and Control, to talk about the Britney Spears memoir and what it means for moms. Links: Amanda Montei in her Substack Newsletter Mad Women Jessica Grose in the New York Times Amanda Hess in the New York Times Lyz in Men Yel…

1
Episode 3: Would More Freedom Make Our Kids Happier? 1:18:49

8M ago1:18:49

1:18:49

A recent paper in the journal Pediatrics suggested that parents hover more than they think they do, and that the increases in kids’ anxiety and depression might be related to that lack of independence. Miranda and Sarah explore the implications of this way of thinking about our kids’ well-being, the possibility that they themselves ‘helicopter’ mor…

1
Episode 2: When Teachers Strike 1:12:00

8M ago1:12:00

1:12:00

The Portland teachers are going on strike and Miranda is in her feelings about it. Luckily, Sarah invited educator and mother Andria Kemp-Sellers on to talk about the possibilities of growing closer in conflict, the resilience of young children, and the joys of civic engagement. Sarah’s newsletter about the Oakland Teacher’s Strike Why US Teachers …

1
Episode 1: Can We Reject The Crushing Time Pressure Of Motherhood? 1:07:59

8M ago1:07:59

1:07:59

Miranda and Sarah discuss Oliver Burkeman's book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, and their own struggles with attention, loss, and letting go. Links: Olver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks Allison P Davis on friends with kids Why I Don’t Feel Guilty for Not Playing with My Kids Sarah’s parenting column, Good Enough Parent Alison Go…

1
44. Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution, with Sarah Langford 39:57

8M ago39:57

39:57

My guest this week is Sarah Langford, author of Rooted: Stories of Life, Land and a Farming Revolution. She discusses how: The UK’s policy of “public money for public good” is helping farmers to reclaim their role as stewards of the land We can learn lessons for transforming the food sector from farmers struggling with the transition to regenerativ…

1
The Trailer 2:38

9M ago2:38

2:38

We are Miranda Rake and Sarah Wheeler, two friends, mothers and professional writers on the parenting beat. Mother Culture is our place to go deep into the culture of modern motherhood and have the conversations that truly challenge, feed and excite us. Expect warmth, humor and over-considered takes on hot topics, fresh takes on old ones, expert gu…

1
43. The Purpose of Capital and the Nature of Value, with Jed Emerson 34:44

9M ago34:44

34:44

My guest this week is Jed Emerson, Chief Impact Officer, AlTi Tiedemann Global and author of The Purpose of Capital. He discusses how: Impact investing, social return on investment, venture philanthropy, and blended value are related, reinforcing concepts and practices ESG investing is not a new idea or practice, going back at least to the Mennonit…

1
Mini-Edit 1: What makes a work of art museum-worthy? With curator Laura Weinstein of the MFA Boston 40:05

9M ago40:05

40:05

Ever wonder how museums go shopping for art? What does a curator see when they look at a picture? What makes something special enough to spend a fortune on? Join me in this first mini-sode featuring Laura Weinstein, Ananda Coomaraswamy Curator of South Asian and Islamic Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, as she gives us a ‘behind the scenes’ l…

1
Ep. 85: On rethinking success and creating a new life in the Azores with entrepreneur and coach Rimi Chakraborty 1:15:31

9M ago1:15:31

1:15:31

Ready to re-evaluate what success looks like for YOU? To move toward a values-based career and life? My latest guest Rimi Chakraborty helps leaders create just that for themselves and their employees. Rimi shares how she took lessons from her MBA, her yoga studies, and her start-up jobs to overcome a difficult childhood and create new entrepreneuri…

1
42. Women Creating Social Impact for a Better World, with Robbin Jorgensen 33:29

10M ago33:29

33:29

My guest this week is Robbin Jorgensen, Founder and CEO of Women Igniting Change. She discusses how: “Listening tours” in Rwanda reveal inspiring women with resilience, innovation and creativity We need to work with men and change societal norms to create the opportunities for women Changing behaviours in companies is a systemic change that takes t…

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