Podcast Episodes

What makes something invasive? A new book explores that, and environmental loss

If you’ve been near a boat landing in Minnesota this summer, you’ve probably seen dire warnings about zebra mussels. The Department of Natural Resour…

2 months ago

Paul Yoon's novel 'Etna' is told from a dog's point of view, thanks to Oscar

There’s a before and an after to Paul Yoon’s writing life, and at the center is Oscar — a floppy, gentle, food-loving, 70-pound yellow Lab.

Yoon didn’…

2 months, 1 week ago

In search of true wilderness with Cal Flyn

Minnesotans have long debated the meaning of “Up North.” Is it everything north of Duluth, or north of Mille Lacs? Are pine trees and lakes a prerequ…

2 months, 2 weeks ago

Naturalist Robert Macfarlane on the wonder — and warning — of birds

Every fall, thousands of bird lovers stand far above Lake Superior, on Duluth’s Hawk Ridge, and watch as thousands of raptors soar overhead on their …

2 months, 3 weeks ago

Our road trip series concludes with 'The Last American Road Trip'

When Sarah Kendzior packed up her family for a road trip across America, she made sure her kids kept their eyes wide open. She wanted them to see thi…

2 months, 4 weeks ago

Lauren Hough road trips across America and finds a 'Monster of a Land'

Lauren Hough has worn many hats. She’s been an Air Force airman, a bartender, a bouncer, a construction laborer, a driver, a barista and a cable guy.…

3 months ago

Why Americans are reading less — and how to pull out of the reading slump

When was the last time you read a book or magazine, or listened to an audiobook?

Overall, Americans are reading less. A study last year from the Univ…

3 months, 1 week ago

Big Books and Bold Ideas hits the road. First stop: 'The Road to Tender Hearts'

Road trips are often marked by spontaneity. They offer side quests, junk food, hotel pools and a chance to see the country with fresh eyes.

But no roa…

3 months, 1 week ago

The extraordinary American history behind the very first baseball All-Star Game

The United States was feeling bleak in 1933.

People were still staggering from the economic fallout of the Great Depression. Drought and extreme heat…

3 months, 2 weeks ago

Aired grievances: Robert Parkinson on forefathers' frustrations in 'Tyrants and Rogues'

When asked about the Declaration of Independence, most Americans quote memorable phrases from the preamble. “We hold these truths to be self-evident,…

3 months, 3 weeks ago