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Chicago Humanities Tapes

Chicago Humanities Tapes

Written by: Chicago Humanities
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 Being human is hard. Luckily we've got the biggest names and brightest minds of today's society to help us out. Join us as we sneak you into can't-miss special events and once in a lifetime conversations direct from the live Chicago Humanities experience. You'll hear fresh interviews along with previously unreleased audio from our 30+ year archive on entertainment, politics, literature, and technology. New episodes drop every other Tuesday. Listen on your favorite podcast platform. Want to be the first to know about upcoming events so you can see your favorite speaker live and in person? Head to chicagohumanities.org to join our email list.627355 Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ron Chernow on the Humorous Life of Mark Twain

    Ron Chernow on the Humorous Life of Mark Twain
    Nov 25 2025

    Acclaimed author Ron Chernow, of Hamilton fame, is one of the most renowned voices in history and politics. Recipient of the 2015 National Humanities Medal, Chernow has dedicated his life to telling the stories of some of the most notable figures in history. Chernow joins The Interview Show host Mark Bazer to discuss his newest work, Mark Twain, a nuanced portrait of "the father of American literature." Drawing on thousands of letters and hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, Chernow captures the exuberant genius whose career reflected the country's westward expansion, industrialization and foreign wars, and became the white author of his generation who grappled most fully with the legacy of slavery. Hear from Chernow as he sheds light on the life of Mark Twain — from his start as a brash journalist to his days as the most notable political pundit in the U.S.

    [Podcast Credits]

    Live event programmed by Mark Bazer

    Live event produced by Jesse Swanson

    Live event stage managed by Rebecca Dose

    Live event produced and mixed by Dan Glomski

    Production assistance by Aaron Stephenson / Micquela Washington

    Podcast edited and mixed by Katherine Kermgard

    Voiceover by Anthony Fleming III

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Ed Helms on the World's Biggest SNAFUs

    Ed Helms on the World's Biggest SNAFUs
    Sep 25 2025

    Actor, comedian, writer, and producer Ed Helms joins us in conversation with podcast host and producer Greta Johnsen to discuss his new book SNAFU, which brings you an absurdly entertaining look at history's greatest screwups. Helms steps in as unofficial history teacher diving into each decade's craziest SNAFUs like planting nukes on the moon to training felines as CIA spies to weaponizing the weather.

    SHOW NOTES:

    Read the podcast transcript

    CW: Mature language and subject matter

    Photo: Ed Helms (right) and Greta Johnsen (left) on stage at First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in May 2025.

    Live event programmed by Michael Green
    Live event produced by Jesse Swanson
    Live event stage managed by Kait Samuels
    Live event produced and mixed by Dan Glomski
    Production assistance by Carl Herzog / Hope Mignini
    Podcast edited and mixed by Katherine Kermgard
    Voiceover by Anthony Fleming III

    Subscribe

    Donate now to support programs like this.

    Explore upcoming events.


    Instagram • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Ocean Vuong Uses the Sentence as a Tool to Understand Deep Mystery

    Ocean Vuong Uses the Sentence as a Tool to Understand Deep Mystery
    Jun 17 2025
    Beloved novelist, poet, and educator Ocean Vuong joins his friend and colleague Adrian Matejka, editor of Poetry magazine, for a hilarious, heartbreaking, and affirming conversation about the power of the sentence. SHOW NOTES: Read the podcast transcript. CW: Discussion of drug addiction PHOTO: Ocean Vuong and Adrian Matejka on stage at the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture at the Chicago Humanities Spring Festival in May 2025. Read: Ocean Vuong, The Emperor of Gladness Ocean Vuong, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous Poetry Magazine Explore: Ben Lerner Yusef Komunyakaa Sharon Olds Djuna Barnes, Knightwood Lyn Hejinian Bernadette Mayer Bhanu Kapil Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's, Dictée Lady Murasaki, The Tale of Genji Phillis Wheatley Jupiter Hammon Harriet Jacobs Annie Dillard César Vallejo André Breton, Manifestoes of Surrealism Aimé Césaire, Notebook of a Return to My Native Land Federico García Lorca Gabriel García Márquez Édouard Glissant Frantz Fanon Claude McKay John Keats Walt Whitman Emily Dickinson Kevin Young Jeff Van Gundy Live event programmed by Michael Green Live event produced by Jesse Swanson Live event stage managed by Danny Fender Live event produced and mixed by Nick Broste Production assistance by River Williams and Logan Venezia Podcast edited and mixed by Alisa Rosenthal Podcast story editing by Alexandra Quinn Subscribe Help shape the future of the podcast! Let us know what you think by taking the short survey. Donate now to support programs like this. Explore upcoming events. Instagram • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn B3EYK2S9BZSDLJ60
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    1 hr and 15 mins
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