Cheryl Strayed talks with the poet Joy Harjo about beauty, prophecies and listening to your spiritual council. Joy tells the story of being named the 23rd poet laureate of the United States, and opens up about leaving home to attend a Bureau of Indian Education boarding school in ...Show more
'Whatever We Have, We Have to Work With It.'
Cheryl calls Alice Walker, the poet and novelist, at her home in Mendocino, California. They talk about ancestors, solitude and the time it takes to heal.Cheryl asks Alice about remembering her dreams, and the two discuss suffering and resilience — via the late boxing world-champ ...Show more
‘This Terrible Thing Is Happening, but the World Goes On.’
Cheryl calls Judy Blume, the beloved young-adult novelist, at her home in the Florida Keys. The two talk about raising teens, losing religion and decades of writing it all down. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via y ...Show more
‘You Don’t Take Dictation. You Find the Truth.’
Note: This episode contains descriptions of suicide and sexual violence. Cheryl phones Amy Tan at her home overlooking Sausalito Bay in California. The two compare notes on family, grief and the long arc of resilience. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts ...Show more
'Roll Up Your Sleeves, Girls’
Today, Cheryl calls up one of the most prolific writers of our generation, the environmentalist and octogenarian Margaret Atwood. Margaret shares how she’s spending her time in isolation, including sewing masks and fending off squirrels. Cheryl asks Margaret whether she’s afraid ...Show more