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701
April 17, 2020

Black Box

Desperate to know what happened to his family, a man obsessively decodes the only information about them he can get. That, and other stories of people looking into the void for answers.

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Courtesy Abdurahman Tohti

Note: The internet version of this episode contains un-beeped curse words. BEEPED VERSION.

Prologue

Prologue

Couples therapist Esther Perel talks to Ira about the very particular ways she’s seeing lockdown impact couples around the world.  Listen to season three of her podcast, “Where Should We Begin: Couples Under Lockdown.” (13 minutes)

By

Ira Glass
Act One

A Phone Flickers in the Dark

Abdurahman Tohti left his home country, China, behind 7 years ago to move to Turkey, safe from the Chinese regime that discriminates and arbitrarily detains Uyghurs, specifically, which Abdurahman is. Reporter Durrie Bouscaren talks to him about what happened to his wife and children and extended family in China, and the endless challenges he faces trying to be sure they are safe. (34 minutes)

By

Durrie Bouscaren
Act Two

State of Emergency

Producer Miki Meek talks to two emergency medical service workers in New York about the sheer number of 911 calls they are responding to, and how they are coping under the stress of being on constant high alert. (6 minutes)

By

Miki Meek

Song:

“When This Is Done” by Second Story

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Act Three: Granger in a Strange Land

Robert Granger was a patient in Pod 4 for several weeks.
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Act Three: The Epiphany Biz

Bill Lychak reports on what it's like to be a factory worker in the Epiphany Plant, bringing news of miracles to Christians in a magazine called Guideposts.

Staff Recommendations

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487
Feb. 15, 2013

Harper High School - Part One

We spent five months at a high school in Chicago where in the last year 29 current and recent students were shot.

488
Feb. 22, 2013

Harper High School - Part Two

Part two of our program on Harper High School in Chicago, where in the last year 29 current and recent students were shot.

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This American Life is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago and delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange.

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