Archive - This American Life

Ira Glass's sister once met David Sedaris, and commented that he was much nicer than she thought he would be, given his writing. David replied, "I'm not nice, just two-faced." In this story, David shares the thoughts running through his head as he attempts to buy a cup of coffee.

27: The Cruelty of Children

June 21, 1996

Act One: I Like Guys

David Sedaris reads one of his funniest and most affecting stories from his book Naked before a live audience. As an adolescent boy, David feared he might be a homosexual.

351: Return to Childhood

Mar. 7, 2008

Act Three: Ariel Sharon, Shimon Peres, David Ben Gurion, And Me!

Host Ira Glass talks with contributor Adam Davidson about how Adam's teenage diaries are filled with his dream of someday becoming the prime minister of a country where he does not even reside.

190: Living the Dream

Aug. 3, 2001

Act Three: Airel Sharon, Shimon Peres, David Ben Gurion, And Me!

Host Ira Glass talks with contributor Adam Davidson about how Adam's teenage diaries are filled with his dream of someday becoming the prime minister of a country where he does not even reside.

386: Fine Print

July 24, 2009

Act Two: Occupancy May Be Revoked Without Notice

David Rakoff tells the story of a contract between a son and his visiting mother. David Rakoff is the author of several books including Don't Get Too Comfortable.

87: A Very Special Sedaris Christmas

Dec. 19, 1997

Act Two: Seasons Greetings To Our Friends And Family!

Julia Sweeney reads this story. She's a former Saturday Night Live cast member and star of the sad and comic memoir of life with cancer, God Said, "Ha!," which played on Broadway.

389: Frenemies

Sept. 11, 2009

Act Four: Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace

David Rakoff demonstrates—in rhyme—how to make a wedding toast for people you never wanted to see married in the first place. Rakoff is the author of several books, most recently Half Empty.

332: The Ten Commandments

May 4, 2007

Commandment Seven: You Shall Not Commit Adultery

In the book of Matthew, Jesus says that looking lustfully at a woman is like committing adultery in your heart. Contributor David Dickerson was raised as an evangelical Christian, and for many years tried not to have a single lustful thought.

305: The This American Life Holiday Spectacular

Dec. 23, 2005

Act One: Twas The Morning After

A Christmas poem from David Rakoff, about holidays in The Big City. Rakoff's the author of, most recently, Half Empty.

328: What I Learned from Television

Mar. 16, 2007

Act One: 29

This American Life contributor David Rakoff, who swore off TV in college, returns to it in dramatic fashion: He attempts to watch the same amount of television as the average American—29 hours in one week. David is author, most recently, of the book Don't Get Too Comfortable.

309: Cat and Mouse

Feb. 24, 2006

Act Three: Looking For Loveseats In All The Wrong Places

It's been well over a decade, so why can't Eric, who is in many other respects a measured and reasonable person, select a simple piece of furniture? David Segal attempts to explain why the man can't just buy himself a couch, already. David works at The New York Times.

118: What You Lookin’ At?

Dec. 18, 1998

Act Three: Climb Every Mountain

Writer David Rakoff travels to a place where everyone seems to be looking at him, a place where no one follows the customs people follow back home in New York City, a place called...New Hampshire.

436: The Psychopath Test

May 27, 2011

Act Three: The Results Are In

Ira and the radio show staff get their results on the psychopath test from Dr. David Bernstein, of Forensic Consultants, LLC., who administered the test to them.

354: Mistakes Were Made

Apr. 18, 2008

Prologue

Host Ira Glass talks about the way most political apologies go, and chats with a man named Derek Jones about similar sorts of apologies among preteen girls and King David, in the Old Testament.

Act Two: You’re Willing To Sacrifice Our Love

There's a famous William Carlos Williams poem called "This is Just to Say." It's about, among other things, causing a loved one inconvenience and offering a non-apologizing apology. It's only three lines long, you've probably read it...the one about eating the plums in the icebox.

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Act Four: Turn Around Bright Eyes