Guest host Cynthia Nixon presents two stories about unusual family members. In Alix Ohlin’s “The Cruise,” a heartsick divorcee travels with her unconventional aunt. Laura Benanti reads.  An elderly dog is “A Permanent Member of the Family,” and a bone of contention, in this Russell Banks story performed by Zach Grenier.

Runs in the Family

Listen to an excerpt of Alex Segura's SECRET IDENTITY, read by Aida Reluzco.

It’s 1975 and the comic book industry is struggling, but Carmen Valdez doesn’t care. She’s an assistant at Triumph Comics, which doesn’t have the creative zeal of Marvel nor the buttoned-up efficiency of DC, but it doesn’t matter. Carmen is tantalizingly close to fulfilling her dream of writing a superhero book.

That dream is nearly a reality when one of the Triumph writers enlists her help to create a new character, which they call “The Lethal Lynx,” Triumph's first female hero. But her colleague is acting strangely and asking to keep her involvement a secret. And then he’s found dead, with all of their scripts turned into the publisher without her name. Carmen is desperate to piece together what happened to him, to hang on to her piece of the Lynx, which turns out to be a runaway hit. But that’s complicated by a surprise visitor from her home in Miami, a tenacious cop who is piecing everything together too quickly for Carmen, and the tangled web of secrets and resentments among the passionate eccentrics who write comics for a living.

Alex Segura uses his expertise as a comics creator as well as his unabashed love of noir fiction to create a truly one-of-a-kind novel--hard-edged and bright-eyed, gritty and dangerous, and utterly absorbing.

Buy the audiobook

Secret Identity by Alex Segura, audiobook excerpt

<a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/05/12/the-crypto-infrastructure-cracks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stablecoins</a> are essential to the financial plumbing of the cryptocurrency world. They’re pegged to a real-world asset, usually the dollar. But when that peg breaks, things can turn ugly in a hurry. Much of India is suffering through a particularly blistering and costly <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/05/13/the-increasing-frequency-of-fatal-wet-bulb-temperatures" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">heatwave</a>. And Indonesians’ love of songbirds is threatening wild bird populations within and beyond Indonesia itself. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> &#10;&nbsp; <hr>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Luna landing: Crypto chaos

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three stories about profound and unexpected connections between people—territory she herself covers a lot as a writer. Old enemies meet in Lauren Groff’s “Once,” performed by Cynthia Nixon. Old friends come together and wonder what might have been in Rachel Khong’s “Slow and Steady,” performed by Hettienne Park. And an artistic collaboration takes a bizarre turn in Elizabeth Crane’s “Something Shiny,” performed by Kate Walsh.

It Takes Two

Qui appelle t-on quand on a un souci dans une petite commune rurale de 200 habitants ? Le maire. Et quand le maire est occupé sur son tracteur, on lui laisse un message. Pour dire ses doutes, ses questions, ses angoisses et parfois ses joies. Le soir, Laurent et son épouse Laure, présidente du comité des fêtes, écoutent et commentent ces messages comme des archives vivantes de la vie du village. Un chien qui chasse le gibier, une panne de l'éclairage public, un nouvel arrivant qui demande à ce qu'on lui transporte ses tonnes de livres... Toutes ces petites choses qui font la vie, et qui rendent celles de Laure et Laurent fatigante, palpitante mais surtout essentielle. Vous vous posez des questions sur la vraie vie des maires d’une petite commune rurale ? La réponse après le bip.

Romain Cavallin et Matthieu Cauchy sont photographes. Ils travaillent régulièrement en duo et beaucoup en milieu rural. Le répondeur du maire est leur premier podcast.

Un documentaire de Romain Cavallin & Matthieu Cauchy - Enregistrements : 2021 - Prises de son et montage : Romain Cavallin et Matthieu Cauchy - Mix : Charlie Marcelet - Production : ARTE Radio

Le répondeur du maire

Arabic Nokia Ringtone

Arabic Nokia Ringtone (Lo-Fi remix)

Bloodshot

Wonky Dub

Yashkef

Yashkef (feat. Sagiv Cohen)

Not all ghosts are scary! Some just want to be loved... some just want to write poems...

1:10 - Twenty Years a Dream
20:33 - A Fox Spirit Takes Off the Mask
25:32 - The Fire That Burst Into Flames Far From Where It was Set
29:08 - Yellow Leaf

The History of China

#242 - Strange Tales VII: The Lighter Side of the Other Side

An <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/10/08/ukraine-braces-for-retaliation-after-an-attack-on-the-bridge-from-crimea-to-russia?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">attack</a> on the Kerch bridge—a pet project of President Vladimir Putin that links Russia with annexed Crimea—has prompted a swift and brutal response. We ask what is likely to happen next. We examine the <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2022/10/06/how-pop-culture-went-multipolar?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">multipolar</a> nature of popular culture: fears of a globalised monoculture of cool have proved misplaced. And why <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/09/22/indias-capital-has-run-out-of-booze?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">buying booze in Delhi</a> has again become so unpleasant.&nbsp;For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Crimea and punishment: Russia’s reprisals

Listen to Allyse Sedivy teach how to create a names list for you to build your doTERRA Business

Daily Mentor Call 2 - Create A Names List

Spellbinding short stories by established and emerging writers take on a new life when they are performed by stars of the stage and screen. Listen free on your computer or mobile device. Symphony Space, the home of Selected Shorts, was founded almost 40 years ago in the belief that the arts bring people together, transcend barriers, and celebrate both our similarities and our differences. That belief remains our guiding principle and is more important now than ever. Your generosity during the Covid19 crisis will help us continue to provide great programs free of charge. Thank you for your support.

It Takes Two

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