Binah

U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo reads and performs her poetry, which she describes as “carriers of dreams, knowledge and wisdom,” telling an American story of tradition and loss, reckoning and myth-making. She is a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation and the first Native American poet to hold the position of U.S. Poet Laureate.

Abby Stein talks about leaving behind the Hasidic world and a rabbinical degree when she came out as a woman and activist of trans experience.

New York Times columnist and author of the acclaimed memoir and Hulu television series Shrill, Lindy West gives us all the kindling we need to burn our restrictive and outdated social norms to the ground. Her new book is The Witches Are Coming.

Dr. Shelly Garone talks about what happens to the human body nearing death and whether there are things we can know in terms of meeting our loved ones’ needs and preventing their suffering.

Oncologist Azra Raza ruminates on the lost war on cancer, and why has so little progress been made in diagnosing and treating cancer over the past few decades.

Los Angeles street rat turned world-famous rock star Flea, the bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, tells his origin story. His new memoir is Acid for the Children.

Poet Saeed Jones tells his coming-of-age story as a larger examination of race and queerness, and power and vulnerability. His new memoir is How We Fight for Our Lives.

Poets Adrienne Rich and Alicia Ostriker reflect on themes of Jewish identity, social justice, and radical feminism.

BJ Miller, Shoshana Berger and Lucy Kalanithi provide step-by- step instructions on managing the end of life, and answer questions about death that we’re all afraid to ask.

Journalist Anand Giridharadas argues that many elite philanthropic initiatives serve only to maintain the very power structures they claim they want to fix. His book is Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World.

New York Times Op-Ed columnist Gail Collins explores how attitudes toward older women have shifted in America over the centuries. Hear why women can, and should, expect the best of their golden years.

Science journalist Carl Zimmer argues that heredity isn’t just about genes that pass from parent to child, but also about other things that matter as much—or more—to our lives.

Novelist Richard Powers and author and environmentalist Bill McKibben examine the essential conflict taking place on our planet between humans and nonhumans.

Over 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million by 2060. San Francisco attorneys Trisha Friedeberg and Rowena Navia discuss the legal issues to consider related to Alzheimer’s, including how to put plans in place and how to access legal resources near you.

Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of the acclaimed, animated television series BoJack Horseman, shares his fabulously offbeat collection of short stories about love. His new book is Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory.

On today’s encore edition of Binah, Lizzie Post, great-great granddaughter of Emily Post and Co-President of the Emily Post Institute, explores the wide world of legalized weed and navigates the social etiquette surrounding pot today.

Get inspired for the Jewish New Year as we celebrate the tableau of flavors that Israeli and Jewish food in the diaspora have to offer with Einat Admony, Leah Koenig and Adeena Sussman. They will discuss the complex nuances of Jewish food and culture, with roots in Persia, Yemen, Libya, the Balkans, the Levant and all the regions that contribute to the evolving food scene in Israel and the diaspora.

Modern rock anti-hero Ben Folds imparts hard-earned wisdom about art and life, after a multi-decade career in music, and performs new and fan favorite songs. His new memoir is A Dream About Lightning Bugs.

StoryCorps founder Dave Isay shares unforgettable stories of people pursuing the work they were born to do, channeling their passion, courage and commitment to transform a vocation into a calling.

Writer and essayist Adam Gopnik shows how liberalism is one of the great moral adventures in human history and why our lives may depend on its continuation.

Common Sense Media’s Michael Robb and Jill Murphy examine the pattern of media use among young American children, and offer recommendations and tips for parents based on their findings.

Former US Poet Laureate from 2008 to 2010 Kay Ryan colors her writing with sly humor and dramatic imagination, while making poetry accessible to a broad audience.

Chefs and owners of State Bird Provisions and The Progress, Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski discuss the intersections of cinema, culture and gastronomy.

Dr. Ira Bowen, Senior Neurosurgical Resident at Riverside University Health System in Southern California, covers the latest research on mild trauma of the brain, and what can be done to heal from these injuries.

Chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter Lidia Bastianich discusses her life as a refugee who has lived the American dream, and preserving Italian culture and heritage through food traditions.

Poet, essayist, literary critic, translator, and former US Poet Laureate from 1997 to 2000 Robert Pinsky speaks on death, mourning, and life after loss.

On this edition of Binah, we feature two writers of imaginative and inspiring books for young readers. San Francisco-raised, bestselling graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier, whose latest book is Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story, is joined in conversation by NPR’s Guy Raz. Also, actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director B.J. Novak, who is best known for his work on the hit television show The Office, reads from The Book With No Pictures.