656. How Handel Got His Mojo Back
When he wrote Messiah (in 24 days), Handel was past his prime and nearly broke. One night in Dublin changed all that. (Part two of “Making Messiah.”) SOURCES:Charles King, political scientist at Georg...
12 Dec 202557min
655. “The Greatest Piece of Participatory Art Ever Created”
Why does an 18th-century Christian oratorio lend such comfort to our own turbulent times? Stephen Dubner sets out for Dublin to tell the story of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. (Part one of “Making...
5 Dec 202556min
Dying Is Easy. Retail Is Hard. (Update)
Macy’s wants to recapture its glorious past. The author of the Wimpy Kid books wants to rebuild his dilapidated hometown. We just want to listen in. (Part two of a two-part series, first published in ...
28 Nov 20251h 2min
Is Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Its Most Valuable Asset? (Update)
The iconic department store calls the parade its “gift to the nation.” With 30 million TV viewers, it’s also a big moneymaker — at least we think it is: when it comes to parade economics, Macy’s is fa...
27 Nov 202552min
654. Is the Public Ready for Private Equity?
A Trump executive order is giving retail investors more access to private markets. Is that a golden opportunity — or fool’s gold? SOURCES:Elisabeth de Fontenay, professor of law at Duke University.Ste...
21 Nov 20251h 3min
653. Does Horse Racing Have a Future?
Thoroughbred auction prices keep setting records. But tracks are closing, gambling revenues are falling, and the sport is increasingly reliant on subsidies. Is that the kind of long shot anybody wants...
14 Nov 20251h 1min
What Happens When You Turn 20
The world has changed a good bit since Freakonomics was first published. In this live anniversary episode, Stephen Dubner tells Geoff Bennett of PBS NewsHour everything he has learned since then. Happ...
12 Nov 20251h 2min
652. Inside the Horse-Industrial Complex
How does Kentucky keep itself atop the thoroughbred industry? Is a champion stallion really worth $200,000 per date? And how many hands can one jockey have? (Part two of a series, “The Horse Is Us.”) ...
7 Nov 20251h
