Rob looks back at the movie ‘High Fidelity’ and observes the similarities between himself and one of the characters, who is also named Rob. Somewhere along the way, our Rob focuses in on Matthew Sweet, the Knack, Material Issue, and other artists singing power-pop songs about women they usually don’t get in the end. Finally, Rob gives attention to the Goo Goo Dolls and “Iris.” Later, Rob is joined by Niko Stratis to discuss the unavoidable nature of “Iris” while working retail jobs in the ’90s and much more.
Spain, like most countries, has a unitary national government but also has a series of subnational jurisdictions.
In most countries, these might be known as states or provinces; however, in Spain, they do things a little differently.
The political divisions in Spain aren’t arbitrary lines on a map. The divisions are usually based on unique histories, as well as cultural, linguistic, and geographic differences.
Learn more about the political and cultural geography of Spain and the various regions that comprise it on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Halfway through today's episode, author Kaveh Akbar tells NPR's Scott Simon that his life is a summation of "private joys amidst collective grief and private grief amidst collective joy." It's a contrast that contextualizes his emotionally dark yet deeply funny debut novel, Martyr!, about an Iranian-American poet grappling with addiction, loss, displacement and art. Akbar, who is also poetry editor at The Nation, explains why his protagonist is so obsessed with the concept of martyrdom, and how it relates to his own personal journey with sobriety. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
The titular protagonist of Elizabeth Gonzalez James' new novel, The Bullet Swallower, is rooted in a story she once heard about her great-grandfather: He was a Mexican outlaw, shot by Texas police and left for dead, who lived to tell the tale. Inspired by that family lore, James uses magical realism, spirituality and some very bad characters to paint a nuanced picture of life on the U.S. Mexico border. In today's episode, she tells NPR's Ari Shapiro why she's so committed to untangling Texas in her writing, and what she thinks her great-grandfather might think of the story she based on him.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Amanda Holmes reads William Barnes’s “The Hill-Shade.” Have a suggestion for a poem by a (dead) writer? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.
This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.
On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution was passed. It banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol.
The path to the 18th Amendment was something that was almost a century in the making, and once it was passed, it was widely ignored both illegally and through numerous legal loopholes.
Finally, after being in place for almost 14 years, it was repealed with overwhelming popular support using a constitutional method that has never been used before or since.
Learn more about prohibition, how it came about, and how it ended on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Crystal Harris was only 21 when she entered the Playboy mansion for the first time. Within a few days, the college student moved in. She later married Hugh Hefner, and stayed by his side until his death in 2017. In her new memoir, Only Say Good Things, Hefner looks back on the paradox of sexual freedom and strict rules she lived by at the mansion. She tells NPR's Michel Martin how her perspective on love, liberation and control has changed since she left.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to create a utopia? A place where all your wants and needs were taken care of and there was never any fear of harm?
Creating such a world for humans may be far off, but one man did try to create a utopia for rats. He created a world that had everything they would want and where all their needs are taken care of.
It didn’t turn out like anyone expected.
Learn more about Universe 25, and how a utopia turned into a dystopia, on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
In 1967, the very first Saturn V rocket was launched. It was the largest rocket ever built.
55 years later, it is still the largest rocket ever launched.
However, it might not hold that distinction for much longer. There is a new rocket in town and it might soon displace the Saturn V, and in the process, revolutionize space flight.
Learn more about Starship and how it might totally transform the entire space industry on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily
