Stories of how people cope after brushes with death. Sometimes death comes as a disease. Sometimes it swims up and bites you. And sometimes it's a pen or pencil, sitting there, just waiting for you to ingest it.
Prologue
Ira talks to comedian Tig Notaro, who recently had a bunch of horrible things happen to her all in the course of 4 months. (3 minutes)
Too Soon?
In July, Tig was diagnosed with cancer. A week later she went on stage on Los Angeles and did a now-legendary set about her string of misfortunes. This is an excerpt of the full performance, which is available for download at Louis CK's web site. (13 minutes)
Just Keep Breathing
A Real Nail Biter
Jessica Benko tells the story of a woman named Cathy who was almost killed several times... by a thought that she just couldn't get rid of. (15 1/2 minutes)
The Sweet Year After
Tim Kreider almost died after he was stabbed in the throat. But that wasn't nearly as interesting as the year that followed. A version of this essay appears in Tim's most recent book, We Learn Nothing. (4 minutes)
Related
Act Two: Dance
Act One: American Goth
Act One: Mother Of Invention
Staff Recommendations
Pray
Can the secular world and the religious world understand each other?
I'm From the Private Sector and I'm Here to Help
Nancy Updike goes to Iraq to try to figure out what it's like to be a private citizen working in the middle of a war zone.