Radio Archive by Contributor

Sarah Vowell

Sarah's the author of several books and has a great, classic radio voice that sounds like no one else. Some of her most popular stories are in these episodes: 81, 104, 107, 118, 151.

  • You’re Willing To Sacrifice Our Love.

    354: Mistakes Were Made 04.18.2008

    There's a famous William Carlos Williams poem called "This is Just to Say". It's about, among ...Funny • Poetry

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  • The Homesick Explorer.

    329: Nice Work If You Can Get It 04.06.2007

    This American Life contributor Sarah Vowell tells the story of a mapmaker named Charles Preuss ...Funny • History

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  • Turkeys In Pilgrim Clothing.

    328: What I Learned from Television 03.16.2007

    Sarah Vowell examines what happens when TV takes on a subject it really has no business ...Funny • Live Performance • Music

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  • Christmas At Valley Forge.

    305: The This American Life Holiday Spectacular 12.23.2005

    A brand new Christmas carol gets its world premiere: A song about both Christmas and American ...Funny • History • Holidays

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  • French Kiss.

    291: Reunited (And It Feels So Good) 07.01.2005

    This American Life contributing editor Sarah Vowell tells the story of General Lafayette's ...History

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  • Prologue.

    277: Apology 11.05.2004

    Host Ira Glass talks about the surprising way apologies tend to play out in couples when one ...Mental Health

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  • The Journalism Of Deprivation.

    256: Living Without 01.09.2004

    Sarah Vowell introduces you to a magazine that—if you're lucky—you've never had to read. A ...Food/Drinks/Cooking • Writing

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  • A Love Story.

    247: What Is This Thing? 09.19.2003

    Sarah Vowell tells "The Greatest Love Story of the 20th Century," Johnny Cash and June Carter ...Music • Romance

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  • Prologue.

    244: MacGyver 08.15.2003

    Host Ira Glass reminds the audience about the old TV series MacGyver, about the guy who stops ...Science • Television

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  • Teacher Hit Me With A Ruler.

    239: Lost in America 06.06.2003

    Sarah Vowell tells the lost story behind a patriotic song, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." ...History • Live Performance • Music

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  • Fighting The Previous War.

    235: The Balloon Goes Up 03.21.2003

    Sarah Vowell tells the story about the first time the United States attacked a country that ...History • War

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  • Reruns At The Back Of The Bus.

    226: Reruns 12.06.2002

    Sarah Vowell identifies a phenomenon that's sort of a cultural rerun. It's an analogy that gets ...Race

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  • You Can Have Your Cave And Eat It Too.

    191: I Know What You Did This Summer 08.17.2001

    Sarah Vowell brings us the story of a national dispute involving Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, ...Environment • Travel

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  • Pilgrim's Progress.

    174: Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Milestones 12.29.2000

    Regular TAL contributor Sarah Vowell takes over the family Thanksgiving dinner by bringing ...Family • Funny • Holidays

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  • Dewey Decimal Beats Truman.

    167: Memo to the People of the Future 09.08.2000

    Sarah Vowell visits four Presidential libraries on a fact-finding tour for...President Clinton. ...Government • Literature • Politics

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  • Eliminate The Middleman.

    151: Primary 01.28.2000

    Here in America, here's how we interact with our political candidates: We dispatch middlemen to ...Education • Politics • Teenagers

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  • If This Sleigh Is A-rockin', Don't Come A-knockin'.

    148: The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Suit 12.24.1999

    Sarah Vowell explains why so many popular songs portray Santa as a ladies man. (8 minutes)Holidays • Music • Romance

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  • More Powerful Than A Locomotive.

    141: Invisible Worlds 10.01.1999

    One of the most powerful forces in a room can be the thing that is unspoken between people. Five ...Children • Family • Fathers

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  • Sleepless In Seattle.

    129: Advice 05.14.1999

    What if you asked people for advice and actually took all the advice that everyone gave you? As ...Childhood • Food/Drinks/Cooking • Funny

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  • History.

    128: Four Corners 04.30.1999

    Sarah Vowell has a theory that you can tell the entire history of the United States by standing ...History

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  • Again.

    125: Apocalypse 04.02.1999

    How believing in the end of the world can be the best thing that ever happens to you. Writer ...Childhood • Religion

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  • American Goth.

    118: What You Lookin' At? 12.18.1998

    There are the people who take two hours to get dressed every day, who dress primarily to be ...Childhood • Funny • Live Performance

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  • Actions Speak Louder.

    114: Last Words 10.23.1998

    Sarah Vowell tells the story of Page Smith and Eloise Pickard Smith. They were married for over ...Death • Marriage

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  • Act One.

    107: Trail of Tears 07.03.1998

    Sarah Vowell and her twin sister Amy re-trace the Trail of Tears. They visit the town in Georgia ...Childhood • Family • History

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  • Act Two.

    107: Trail of Tears 07.03.1998

    Sarah Vowell's story continues. She and Amy visit the home of President Andrew Jackson, the ...Family • History • Presidents

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  • Toccata and Fugue In Me, a Minor.

    104: Music Lessons 06.05.1998

    As a teenager, Sarah Vowell was not casual about music lessons — music became her life. She was ...Childhood • Funny • Live Performance

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  • Dr. Jeckyl And Mr. Wacky.

    97: Death to Wacky 03.20.1998

    Sarah Vowell with Jim Nayder, host of Magnificent Obsession and The Annoying Music Show, who ...Drugs • Jobs/Employment • Music

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  • Roadrunner.

    94: How To 02.27.1998

    Ira teaches Sarah Vowell how to drive with some advice from Tom and Ray Maggliozi, the hosts of ...Automobiles • Funny

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  • When The Telephone Is Your Medium.

    90: Telephone 01.16.1998

    Sure you can try to get your pop songs onto records, or on the radio, or onto MTV. But what ...Business • Music • Telephone

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  • What Makes Grammy Run?

    86: How to Take Money from Strangers 12.12.1997

    Sarah Vowell, on selling the secrets of art dealer Graham Arader. (14 minutes)Art • Business • Jobs/Employment

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  • Nra Vs Nea.

    81: Guns 10.24.1997

    Sarah Vowell goes home to Montana to try and understand her gunsmith dad a little better. (11 ...Childhood • Family • Fathers

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  • The Freshman.

    76: Mob 09.19.1997

    Writer Sarah Vowell explains why she watched The Godfather every day while she was in college. ...Film/Film Making • Travel

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  • Golden Rule.

    70: Other People's Mail 07.25.1997

    Sarah Vowell puts her foot down. She says that contrary to all the wide-eyed voyeurs we've heard ...Art

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  • Noise.

    67: Your Dream, My Nightmare 06.27.1997

    Writer Sarah Vowell goes to Rock-n-Roll Fantasy Camp in Miami Beach. (16 minutes)Music • Travel

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  • The World's Most Perfect Pneumatic Vacuum.

    65: Who's Canadian? 05.30.1997

    Canadians not getting any respect in two locales: A town called Little Canada, Minnesota; and in ...History • Radio

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  • Country Mouse, City Mouse.

    58: Small Towns 04.04.1997

    Sarah Vowell and her family. (14 minutes)Family • Parents • siblings

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  • Nom De Plume, Nom De Guerre.

    56: Name Change 03.07.1997

    How a guy named Tom became Camden Joy — and what he gained and what he lost. With Sarah Vowell. ...Jobs/Employment • Journalism • Music

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  • One Sinatra Fan ... Versus All Of Network TV.

    54: Sinatra 02.21.1997

    Before Sinatra died, Sarah Vowell appeared on this radio program and made a prediction about how ...Death • Journalism • Music

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  • Doing A Personal Act For Money.

    45: Media Fringe 12.06.1996

    Sarah Vowell on the joy of making mix tapes of your favorite songs to send to loved ones. She ...Jobs/Employment • Music • Romance

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