PODCAST · society
The Story Talks Back
by David Stanton
Everything we touch, think about, or experience turns into a story. The power of stories in our lives is almost unfathomable; we must question, dissect, and celebrate them to understand ourselves. Join us for a continuing journey into stories as a way of thinking, remembering, and being.
Episodes
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Dani Shapiro: Discovering extraordinary wisdom in fiction, memoir, and everyday life
TSTB pays a return visit to the remarkable Dani Shapiro -- author of eleven books, as well as host and creator of the hit podcast Family Secrets. Her most recent novel, Signal Fires, was named a best book of 2022 by Time Magazine, Washington Post, Amazon, and others, and is a national bestseller....
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Preview: Dani Shapiro reveals the very different challenges of writing fiction versus memoir
Over 20-plus years, Dani Shapiro made a name for herself as a best-selling author of deeply revealing and unforgettable memoirs -- including "Slow Motion," "Hourglass," "Devotion," and "Inheritance." But in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Shapiro discovered a forgotten manuscript for an...
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Yaffa Lerea: Revealing the storytelling artistry of the film editor
In her early twenties, Yaffa Lerea found her calling, working at the heart of storytelling as a film and television editor. Starting her career at a post-production facility by day while taking a night course in film production at New York University, Lerea discovered her passion for editing.…
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Preview: Noted film editor Yaffa Lerea tells of her NYC apprenticeship in video as storytelling
In a career of over 30 years, Yaffa Lerea has truly honed her craft as a story shaper through film editing. From her work on early episodes of MTV's "The Real World" to her efforts on Ken Burns' seminal "Baseball" documentaries, Lerea has become a sought-after video storyteller in her own right....
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Timothy Ferris: Turning science into masterful stories — from Stephen Hawking to Voyager and beyond
TSTB shares its full interview with acclaimed science writer, editor, and film producer Timothy Ferris. In this wide-ranging discussion, Ferris reflects on his early career with Rolling Stone magazine, his transition to science writing, his friendship with Stephen Hawking -- including his role in...
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Preview: Award-winning science writer Timothy Ferris tells why he scrapped a year’s worth of prose
A founding writer and editor at Rolling Stone magazine, Timothy Ferris profiled rockers like Todd Rundgren and Sly Stone before finding his own groove in the world of science. Over the past 40 years, Ferris has written best sellers like "Coming of Age in the Milky Way" and "The Whole Shebang" and...
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Gered Mankowitz: Seeing rock icons through the storyteller’s lens
Born in London, Gered Mankowitz established his first photography studio in 1963, at age 17, as the British rock and blues movements were about to explode. He started working with the Rolling Stones soon after, touring the US with the then-fledgling band and producing several of their early album...
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Preview: Gered Mankowitz on collaborating with the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and others
In the 1960s and '70s, British photographer Gered Mankowitz worked with some of rock's greatest stars at the peak of their creative powers. In the mid-1960s, he served as the Rolling Stones' "official" photographer, and he took now-classic shots of Jimi Hendrix, Kate Bush, Free, Traffic, The...
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Garrett Hongo: Exploring the rich connections among poetry, memoir and storytelling
TSTB shares an insightful and candid discussion with Garrett Hongo -- celebrated poet, memoirist, and audio writer. Born in Volcano, Hawai’i, Hongo grew up in Kahuku and in Los Angeles. His poetry collections are Yellow Light, The River of Heaven – which received the Lamont Poetry Prize and was a...
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”It ain’t cool”: Garrett Hongo shares stories of everyday prejudice and condescension in academic life
A Pulitzer Prize finalist and former Guggenheim fellow, Garrett Hongo is one of the country's most respected writers of Asian descent, gifted at both verse and memoir. And, as an educator and scholar since the 1970s, he has witnessed both sides of the diversity movement and cultural awakening --...
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John Gardner: Remembering a passionate, controversial advocate for writers and fiction
In the 1970s, John Gardner was a star in the world of literary fiction, often mentioned in the same breath as Norman Mailer, John Updike, and Kurt Vonnegut. He won huge acclaim for his 1971 novel, Grendel, a post-modern retelling of the Beowulf legend. And in 1976, he won the National Book…
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Glenn Gould: Remembering a master storyteller of music and media
At the age of 22, Glenn Gould burst onto the global music scene – an instant star, thanks to his virtuoso recording of a then-obscure Bach work, “The Goldberg Variations.” And from the beginning, Gould was not just a musician, but a character who might have stepped from the pages of a novel –...
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Preview: Tim Page discusses pianist Glenn Gould as story and storyteller
Marking the 90th birthday of the late, great Canadian pianist and media artist Glenn Gould, we offer this preview of our forthcoming interview with Tim Page -- a journalist and radio host who became Glenn's close friend. Shortly before Gould's death at age 50, Page traveled north to take part in…
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Preview: A tribute to novelist, critic, and teacher John Gardner -- 40 years later
On September 14, 1982, the celebrated novelist and critic John Gardner died in a still-mysterious motorcycle crash on a remote Pennsylvania road. In the 11 years leading up to that moment, Gardner had seen his fame skyrocket — with the publication of his masterful short novel "Grendel" — and then...
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Dean Sluyter: Finding dharma stories in Western classics -- from Dickinson to Dr. Seuss
In this first interview of our third year, TSTB pays a return visit to the person who kicked things off for us in 2020 -- award-winning author Dean Sluyter. A grateful student of Eastern and Western sages in several traditions, Sluyter has completed numerous pilgrimages and retreats in India,...
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Preview: Dean Sluyter reveals what MAD Magazine taught him about enlightenment -- and dharma stories
In our first interview of TSTB's third year, we return to the writer who got us started -- the wonderfully engaging author, meditation teacher, and dharma storyteller Dean Sluyter. In his latest book, "The Dharma Bum's Guide to Western Literature," Sluyter draws on over four decades of teaching…
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Dr. Bertrand Cramer: Unearthing the extraordinary everyday stories of parents and children
In this session, TSTB talks to legendary psychiatrist Dr. Bertrand Cramer. Born in 1934 in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr. Cramer moved to New York City at age 26 and graduated from the New York Psychoanalytic Institute. A pioneer in child and infant psychiatry, Dr. Cramer has maintained a private...
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Preview: Dr. Bertrand Cramer on Freud, psychoanalysis, and how childhood stories shape us as adults
Now 88 years old, Dr. Bertrand Cramer is one of the world's most respected child and adolescent psychiatrists. With his book "The Scripts Parents Write and the Roles Children Play," Dr. Cramer delivered breakthrough insights on the power of family stories to influence childhood development. He…
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Toby Amies: Documentary director celebrates the power of human stories
TSTB talks to artist filmmaker Toby Amies. Based on the South Coast of England, Amies makes long and short films about the creative process in what he calls “a vain attempt to compensate for his inability to come to terms with time and its passage.” He is the director of the award-winning 2012...
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Preview: Filmmaker Toby Amies describes his ”moment by moment” approach to documentary storytelling
Toby Amies' "In the Court of the Crimson King" is already being celebrated as a classic among rock music documentaries -- and it hasn't even been officially released. Amies spent months following legendary guitarist Robert Fripp and his latest incarnation of the extraordinary music collective…
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Dr. Judith Ruskay Rabinor: Celebrating the special beauty and challenges of mother-daughter stories
TSTB interviews Dr. Judith Ruskay Rabinor --- clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and writing coach. She is supervisor at The Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia and a consultant to The Renfrew Center Foundation. Dr. Rabinor is the author of "The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace...
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Preview: Dr. Judith Rabinor talks about mothers, stories, and coming to terms with ambivalence
Dr. Judith Rabinor is the author, most recently, of the powerful memoir "The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace with My Mother." As a psychotherapist practicing in New York City, Dr. Rabinor has made mother/daughter relationships one of her specialties -- but she still faced big challenges in...
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Bianca Stone: From poetry to myth to comics -- sharing stories and experiences with readers
TSTB interviews Bianca Stone -- gifted poet, visual artist, creator of 'poetry comics, and educator. Her brand-new verse collection, What Is Otherwise Infinite, has been featured on NPR and in The New York Times and has been called "extraordinary" by The Washington Post. Stone is also the author…
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Preview: Bianca Stone explores the crucial interactions between storytellers and their audiences
Bianca Stone is a gifted poet, visual artist, and creator of 'poetry comics who affirms and celebrates life even as she acknowledges its dark, desperate moments. Her brand-new verse collection, What Is Otherwise Infinite, has been featured on NPR and hailed as "extraordinary" by The Washington...
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Jack Rabid: The ”godfather” of punk rock journalists shares his own story
TSTB interviews the legendary Jack Rabid -- music writer and critic extraordinaire. Hailed as the “godfather of punk rock journalism,” Rabid is the founder, editor, and publisher of New York music magazine The Big Takeover, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2020. His writing has appeared…
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Preview: Jack Rabid shares stories of his passion for music outside the mainstream
At the age of 18 -- while still in high school -- Jack Rabid founded "The Big Takeover," a magazine devoted to the alternative music that had become his obsession. Over 40 years later, TBT (as its known by fans) has become a powerful force on the rock/punk landscape, and Rabid has become a legend...
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Richard Kostelanetz: The ”Earl of Wordship” shares stories of artistic experimentation and discovery
TSTB shares a wide-ranging interview with Richard Kostelanetz, a powerful presence in New York's avant-garde literary and art scenes for several generations. Born in New York City in 1940, Kostelanetz has published more than fifty books of criticism, cultural history, and creative work, in…
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Preview: Richard Kostelanetz on his lifetime of discovery -- as writer, editor, and publisher
Since the 1960s, Richard Kostelanetz has been a distinctive voice for experimentation in poetry, fiction, and criticism. The author or editor of over 100 books, Kostelanetz has been an integral part of the New York City avant-garde scene for several generations, working in a seemingly…
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Julie Lythcott-Haims: Stories of Black biracial life in white America
TSTB interviews the extraordinary Julie Lythcott-Haims -- author of the best-selling "How to Raise an Adult"; "Real American" -- a powerful poetic memoir of Black biracial life in white American spaces; and "Your Turn," a wise perspective on being an adult in today's complex world. Lythcott-Haims...
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Preview: Julie Lythcott-Haims talks about being ”problematic” in white-centric America
Born to a white English mother and African-American father, Julie Lythcott-Haims came to the US as a child and quickly discovered the powerful, enigmatic force of American racism. She beautifully -- and forcefully -- records this and other indelible life experiences in her celebrated memoir…
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Michael Horton: Secrets of Hollywood storytellers -- in front of the camera and behind the scenes
In this candid and wide-ranging interview, a veteran actor reveals the secrets of great Hollywood storytelling -- in front of the camera and behind. In a career spanning four decades, Michael Horton acted in dozens of TV-land’s most celebrated series, including “Murder, She Wrote,” “M*A*S*H,”...
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Preview: Michael Horton on Hollywood‘s ”hidden” storytellers
As an actor, Michael Horton appeared in dozens of TV shows and movies across a career that spanned four decades -- from "M*A*S*H" to "Hill Street Blues" to "Star Trek: Voyager." But in recent years he has devoted himself to helping Hollywood's behind-the-scenes professionals, facilitating a...
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Laura Uplinger: Revealing stories of the womb and beyond
Is it possible that the most important months of your life -- the stories that have been shaping you ever since -- took place before you were born? Laura Uplinger is an educator and scholar focusing on our prenatal and peri-natal lives -- before and just after we were born. In this new interview,...
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Dani Shapiro: Unearthing stories of identity, faith, self-deception, and secrets
TSTB interviews Dani Shapiro -- the author of Inheritance, which became an instant New York Times best seller in January 2019. In this touching and insightful dialogue, Shapiro talks to a friend of 40+years -- TSTB host David Stanton -- about the extraordinary ways her own story has been…
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Preview: Dani Shapiro reveals the power of stories to shape -- and undermine -- our sense of self
In her nationwide best seller Inheritance, Dani Shapiro tells how her most fundamental sense of self -- the story of her own life -- was upended. Secrets held for decades unraveled in a matter of hours, and she learned that her feeling of being an outsider in her orthodox Jewish family was rooted...
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Special edition: A centenary celebration of pianist and educator Jane Stanton
A pianist, visual artist, and educator, Jane Stanton (1921 - 2008) was the mother of TSTB creator and host David Stanton. In this program honoring what would have been her 100th birthday (August 2, 2021), Jane is remembered by three of her former students and colleagues -- talking about her…
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Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor: Revealing the brain's innate connection to stories and storytelling
When Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor -- a Harvard trained brain scientist -- suffered a massive stroke in 1996, the experience set her on a journey of discovery that would touch people of all kinds and in all parts of the world. Her 2008 TED Talk was the first to go viral (it's now been seen by over 26...
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Preview: Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor on the power of audiences in storytelling
In her breakthrough 2008 TED Talk -- the first viral video in that now-storied series -- Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor took her audience on a remarkable journey. With passion and a powerful engagement, she told the story of her severe brain hemorrhage -- an incredible tale recounted in her New York Times...
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Gary Husband: Two instruments, one storytelling voice
TSTB interviews Gary Husband, a unique "dual virtuoso" at home in many musical styles and settings. With an equal mastery of both keyboard and drums, Gary Husband has collaborated with a who’s-who of celebrated musicians in modern jazz and progressive rock. He has toured and recorded with John...
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Preview: "Dual" virtuoso Gary Husband on improvising, composing, and "power of 3's" in musical storytelling
We are thrilled to share this excerpt of our forthcoming interview with Gary Husband, the virtuoso British drummer and keyboardist who has collaborated with a who's-who of fusion jazz and progressive rock -- from Jeff Beck and Jack Bruce to John McLaughlin and Allan Holdsworth. Here Husband...
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TC Boyle: The storyteller as raconteur extraordinaire
TSTB interviews T. Coraghessan Boyle -- the author of twenty-eight books of fiction, including Descent of Man, Water Music, World’s End (which won the PEN/Faulkner Prize), The Road to Wellville, Drop City, The Women, TC Boyle Stories, and Outside Looking In. His work has been translated into more...
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Preview: TC Boyle tells how stories help us cope with a "preposterous universe"
T. Coraghessan Boyle -- the author of 28 remarkable and completely distinctive books of fiction -- has a powerful perspective on the need for #stories. In this excerpt from our forthcoming interview with Boyle, he tells how stories have helped him come to terms with life's absurdity -- and turn…
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Bob Minkin: A lensman captures stories of rock transcendence
An interview with Bob Minkin, whose photographs have documented four decades of rock music. His special focus has been on Blues musicians, the Punk scene of the late 1970s, and “Jamband” music typified by the Grateful Dead. He has photographed thousands of concerts, and his work has appeared in...
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Preview: Bob Minkin on photography, storytelling, and his adventures with the Grateful Dead
Bob Minkin has become one of rock music's most respected photgraphers -- documenting thousands of concerts with indelible images seen around the world. His most powerful connection is to the Grateful Dead, the legendary "jam" band he has photographed -- in all of its manifestations -- since the...
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Ananda Lima: A gifted storyteller shares her vision -- merging genres, languages, and cultures
A revealing interview with Brazilian-born poet and fiction writer Ananda Lima. Her poetry collection Mother/land (Black Lawrence Press, 2021) won the 2020 Hudson Prize. She is also the author of the chapbooks: Translation (Paper Nautilus, 2019, winner of the Vella Chapbook Prize), Amblyopia (Bull...
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Preview: Ananda Lima -- surreal storyteller meets realist poet
Brazilian-born author Ananda Lima has already established remarkable -- and remarkably different -- styles in her fiction and poetry. New story collections like "Tropicalia" rest on sometimes-surreal premises, such as a hospital orderly who becomes addicted to snacking on tiny humans. But Lima's...
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Joel Gardner: Seeing a novelist's own story through his son's eyes
Joel Gardner is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer who lives in Vermont. His documentary, "Sunlight Man," tells the story of his late father, the novelist John Gardner, and their complex relationship. Joel lost his father at age 22, after a tumultuous decade in which the elder Gardner shot to...
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Ruth Lisa Schechter: Celebrating an extraordinary poet & mentor
In an all-new panel discussion, TSTB celebrates the life and work of Ruth Lisa Schechter -- poet, activist, editor, healer, and mentor. Raised in the Bronx during the Great Depression, Schechter discovered a passion for poetry and studied with the legendary Louise Bogan. Schechter admired the...
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Preview: Maria Gillan tells about her life-changing first visit with poet Ruth Lisa Schechter
Today, Maria Mazziotti Gillan is a world-renowned poet, editor, and visual artist; but when she met the late poet Ruth Lisa Schechter, she was a "typical Italian housewife" who was just beginning her journey as a writer. In this excerpt from our forthcoming TSTB tribute to Schechter -- a panel...
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Bayo Akomolafe: Reclaiming a post-colonial universe of African storytelling
In this moving interview, philosopher and advocate Bayo Akomolafe reflects on the stories of his Yoruba culture, his Westernized Nigerian childhood, and his present-day "decolonizing journey." Raised in a Christian family, he gave up a promising academic career to pursue a life outside “the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Everything we touch, think about, or experience turns into a story. The power of stories in our lives is almost unfathomable; we must question, dissect, and celebrate them to understand ourselves. Join us for a continuing journey into stories as a way of thinking, remembering, and being.
HOSTED BY
David Stanton
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Story Talks Back have?
The Story Talks Back currently has 71 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Story Talks Back about?
Everything we touch, think about, or experience turns into a story. The power of stories in our lives is almost unfathomable; we must question, dissect, and celebrate them to understand ourselves. Join us for a continuing journey into stories as a way of thinking, remembering, and being.
How often does The Story Talks Back release new episodes?
The Story Talks Back has 71 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Story Talks Back?
You can listen to The Story Talks Back on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Story Talks Back?
The Story Talks Back is created and hosted by David Stanton.
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