Last Best Stories

Episodes

1. 13

   Episode 13: Death Cafes + Time Trippers

   After Nancy Reece Jones’ mom died, she realized she needed to talk more about death, about how to have a good one, about how to be kind to others who also need to talk. Maybe all of us should say what we want to say about the inevitable over tea and cookies. Turns out there’s a movement for that...

   Jan 15, 2018

   21m
2. 12

   Episode 12: Singers + Runners (The Beer Episode)

   What makes a person screw up enough courage to try open mic night at a brewery, where people are there mostly to drink beer and not hear you sing? You might be surprised and even impressed with what expert pint-pourer and audio producer Colin May watched evolve on the small stage of one Missoula...

   Aug 31, 2017

   24m
3. 11

   Episode 11: Owning Pray

   The sign to Pray, Barbara Walker in the old post office and Madge Walker, one of its former, glorious postmasters. Barbara Walker owns a town in Paradise Valley, Montana, just north of the only year-round entrance to Yellowstone National Park. For years, she’s been its mayor, its rent-collector,...

   Jun 8, 2017

   16m
4. 10

   Episode 10: Bears + Advice

   In the backcountry of Glacier National Park, two seasoned trail-crew workers watched a couple of cute, fuzzy cubs cross their path. “And then you think, uh oh, where’s mom at?” Jon Bentzel and Micah Nelson tell producer Charlie Ebbers what happened when they found mom, or rather this is what...

   May 23, 2017

   18m
5. 9

   Episode 9: Sticks + Stones (The Winter Sports Episode)

   As it turns out, there’s a difference between Canadians and Americans and its name is hockey. Down here, we don’t worship at the temple of Don Cherry. Anna Cole, a real-life Canadian, finds out why and other things, including whether or not her dad thought she was any good when she played for the...

   Jan 19, 2017

   14m
6. 8

   Episode 8: The Plane Crash

   When the pilot of a plane saw a fireball explode on Emigrant Peak, about 15 miles north of Yellowstone National Park, the dispatcher called out for another plane that was supposed to be on that flight path. Fido 15! Fido 15! But Fido 15 never responded. It’s been more than five decades since an…

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   Jul 17, 2016

   24m
7. 7

   Episode 7: Death + Bike Polo

   When Erwin Byrnes died, it was not exactly sad. That’s because his wife of 63 years and his family were ready when he picked the day and time to open the valve of his feeding tube and ingest the right dose of prescribed medicine to drift off. Montana’s Death With Dignity laws are pretty unique....

   Jul 5, 2016

   13m
8. 6

   Episode 6: Madmen, Poets + Singers

   David Poole woke up in the snow in Colorado, his lower half numb, and has been working since then to get back to his life outdoors near home: Townsend, Montana. It’s the long story of the episode by independent producer Danielle Thomson. Plus: Tyler Knott Gregson, world-famous typewriter poet,...

   Jun 28, 2016

   21m
9. 5

   Episode 5: Garage Pop + Germs

   Ruth Eddy produced both of the stories featured in Episode 5. “I made you a mixtape!” Even though Hana Zimorino started dating the guy Mikki Lunda had been living with for three years, Hana thought, really? They needed to start a band together. So Hana wooed Mikki and it worked and Needlecraft...

   Jun 28, 2016

   15m
10. 4

    Episode 4: Conversion + Combat

    Jacob and Ben Cronin are brothers with parents who think God can show the path to the good life, which turns out to be the one straight people are on. Their stories about coming out show it’s a touch more complicated than that. Also: War stories. Real war stories from two Marines, one who went to...

    Jun 28, 2016

    16m