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It's hard being isolated from jobs, friends and family. So Sam is changing up this week's show with guests who have ideas on how to cope with the quarantine. Superstar chef Samin Nosrat of Netflix's "Salt Fat Acid Heat" and Tucker Shaw of "America's Test Kitchen" talk about cooking for neighbors, helping laid-off restaurant workers, and making better meals out of the stuff you've got at hand. Come...

Twelve years ago this week, presidential candidate Barack Obama gave what became a historic speech about race. He spoke in response to video that surfaced of his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, heatedly criticizing America's foreign policy and treatment of African-Americans. In his speech, Obama urged racial harmony and understanding. Sam is joined by political commentators, activists and aca...

The coronavirus may force you to stay at home for the next few weeks, but here's how to successfully wait out a pandemic. Bob Mondello , film critic for NPR, tells Sam what movies to catch up on while self-quarantined, with some tips for film-watching etiquette. And with more people working from home, Barrie Hardymon , senior editor at Weekend Edition , recommends shows, movies and games both pare...

Daniel Mallory Ortberg is the writer behind Slate's Dear Prudence advice column. But now in his new book, Something That May Shock and Discredit You , Ortberg writes about something closer to home: his journey of transition from Mallory to Daniel. He talks to Sam about his relationship with religion, the power of self-knowledge and being able to fully own who you are. Email the show at samsanders@...

It's an all-NPR show! Sam talks with two fellow correspondents about big stories in the news this week. Stacey Vanek Smith , co-host of NPR's The Indicator from Planet Money , tells Sam about the "coronabump" — consumer goods and services that are seeing a spike in business because of the virus outbreak. And NPR's Quil Lawrence talks about the negotiated withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan af...

Pamela Adlon is the writer, star, director and co-creator of Better Things on FX. The television comedy-drama follows Adlon's character, Sam, as a divorced actress, raising three kids in Los Angeles. In real life, Adlon is a divorced actress, raising three kids in Los Angeles. Sam talks to Adlon about her career, seeing your parents as real-life people, and the awful, crazy, beautiful experience o...

The fast-moving coronavirus has turned up in more than 40 countries, and now it's affecting the global economy. Sam talks to two reporters from Marketplace about the financial impact of the virus. Marielle Segarra details how consumers might feel its consequences, while Reema Khrais , host of the podcast This Is Uncomfortable , explains how the US government is trying to respond. Then, Sam talks t...

Nick Kroll is the co-creator of the raunchy animated Netflix hit Big Mouth. The show (and Kroll) are known for over the top, strange, yet totally relatable c omedy. Now, Kroll is out with a new film in which he plays a romantic lead for the first time. Olympic Dreams was filmed at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. He tells Sam about making the movie and how it has a lot in common with Big Mouth ....

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has been rising in the polls. He's spent more than $450 million on ads, but faced a big challenge Wednesday in his first presidential debate. This week, Sam talks to two journalists who have covered Bloomberg for years. Rosie Gray , a reporter for Buzzfeed News , says that his lackluster debate performance shows that there is a limit to the power of money on the campa...

R. Eric Thomas writes a column that is part news, part culture and part celebrity shade for Elle.com . But in his new book, "Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America," Thomas takes a look at his own life. He talks to Sam about his love of words, growing up as a gay black teenager and finding love in an unexpected place. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for inform...

The nation's first caucus and primary are in the rear-view mirror, and states around the country are second-guessing their election systems after the app used in the Iowa Caucus failed. Miles Parks , a reporter on NPR's Washington Desk, talks about how the state of Nevada is learning lessons from Iowa, including keeping the process slow so that results are certain. Libby Denkmann , senior politics...

Listen up music composition nerds and music lovers! In this episode Sam is joined by Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding , co-hosts of the podcast Switched On Pop . They break down what makes a song: why certain pop songs become ear worms and what their form and structure mean for the future of music. Answers to those questions and more that will leave you singing along. Sloan and Harding's recent book...

The Oscars are Sunday and once again this year's nominees reflect an Academy that's still older, whiter, and more male. All five directing nominees are men, and 19 of 20 nominees for acting are white. Adam B. Vary , Senior Entertainment Writer for Variety , tells Sam the best-reviewed film of the year is "Parasite," from South Korea, which is up for Best Picture. But none of its cast were singled...

Roy Wood Jr. has been a comedian since he was 19. He's a correspondent for ' The Daily Show with Trevor Noah' and has two Comedy Central specials under his belt. Wood talks to Sam about his career, how to be funny in a changing political climate, and a project he's working on that was inspired by a run-in with the law. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

It's been a busy week in news. Australia's capital Canberra is menaced by wildfires and has declared a state of emergency. And the fast spread of the coronavirus has also led to racist comments and press coverage about Asian food and Asian-American eating habits. Sam talks about these stories with panelists Julie Cart, a reporter for CalMatters and Andrew Ti , host of the podcast Yo, Is This Racis...

Randee St. Nicholas met Prince for the first time in 1991, when she was hired to do their first shoot together. From there she captured some of his highest moments doing sold out shows across the world, to his most vulnerable, in hotel rooms late at night. Randee recalls her memorable relationship with Prince that spanned years and led to countless memories. She's published her photos of the iconi...

As President Trump's impeachment trial starts in the Senate, we look to some ongoing stories to recap the week in news. An NPR investigation finds a government agency reported deeply disturbing housing and health conditions in ICE facilities holding people seeking asylum. And the Supreme Court opens up a pathway for civil lawsuits over lead-poisoned water in Flint, Michigan. Plus, a conversation a...

NPR Code Switch correspondent Karen Grigsby Bates steps in for Sam. She is joined by best-selling author Jennifer Weiner, who has written popular books like Good In Bed, In Her Shoes , and Little Earthquakes over the past two decades. Weiner talks about her latest novel, Mrs. Everything, the importance of having plus-size characters in books and speaking out against sexism. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

Guest host Elise Hu steps in again for Sam this week, this time from member station KQED in San Francisco. She's joined by Nitasha Tiku, tech culture reporter at the Washington Post, and Farhad Manjoo, an opinion columnist at The New York Times who focuses on technology and culture. They talk about news from Google and Apple, surveillance, and the role big tech's products play in geopolitics. Plus...

One of Broadway's hottest tickets last year was a play with no big-name actors by a 30-year-old black queer writer. Jeremy O. Harris talks to Sam about poking the bear that is Broadway, and whether he thinks he'll be embraced there long-term. Email the show at samsanders@npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your p...

Elise Hu steps in for Sam this week, from member station WBEZ in Chicago. She's joined by NPR's Peter Sagal, host of ' Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! ', and Greta Johnsen of WBEZ's ' Nerdette ' podcast. They discuss Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood producer now on trial in New York for sex crimes. Plus, an Iranian-American writer shares her perspective on decades of disputes between Iran and the U.S. A...

You may know Jad Abumrad as the host of WNYC's 'Radiolab.' He tells Sam why he created another podcast, Dolly Parton's America , examining the life and work of music legend Dolly Parton. Jad himself grew up in Nashville, where his physician father, a Lebanese immigrant, struck up an unlikely friendship with the singer. Jad uses this podcast to ask what divides us, and how we can transcend those di...

Wondering how to get a solid start on your New Year's resolution? Whether you're hoping to get your finances in better shape or change your diet, the experts at NPR's 'Life Kit' have some advice that can help. NPR correspondent Chris Arnold and NPR senior editor and correspondent Maria Godoy join Sam Sanders as they dig into how to make those New Year's resolutions stick and how to have a relaxing...

'Silicon Valley ' and 'Crazy Rich Asians ' star Jimmy O. Yang spoke to Sam in 2018 about his book 'How To American: An Immigrant's Guide To Disappointing Your Parents.' Email the show at samsanders@npr.org. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

On this special episode, Sam Sanders revisits his 2019 conversations with two writers whose books he loved: Candice Carty-Williams, author of 'Queenie,' and Angie Thomas, author of the books, 'On The Come Up' and 'The Hate U Give.' Candice Carty-Williams' 'Queenie' has been called "the black 'Bridget Jones' Diary" and centers around a 25-year-old woman going through the awkwardness of breakups, lo...