Deep Reads: Cracks in the dream

Early Tuesday, wildfires started burning across Los Angeles County. The scale of the destruction is massive; entire neighborhoods are in flames, with longtime businesses, schools and houses of worship burnt to the ground.Today, guest host Rachel Siegel speaks with extreme weather and natural disaster reporter Brianna Sacks about what Los Angeles looks like as the wildfires rage, and the struggle to contain the flames. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Ariel Plotnick and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores with help from Lucy Perkins. It was mixed by Sam Bair.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

8 Jan 19min

The country’s top doctor is calling for cancer risk warning labels on alcohol. On “Post Reports,” why, and what that could mean for you.Read more:Last week, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an advisory that studies suggest alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer, contributing to 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 related deaths each year. For that reason, he says health warning labels on bottles of alcohol should be updated to include a cancer risk warning and that recommended limits for alcohol consumption should also be reassessed, given the increased risk of certain cancers. Today on “Post Reports,” public health reporter Fenit Nirappil breaks down the science behind the surgeon general’s advisory, what it would take to get warning labels amended and what it could all mean for you. Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Lucy Perkins with help from Monica Campbell and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

7 Jan 21min

On New Year’s Day in New Orleans, a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people, killing 14 and leaving many others injured. In the aftermath law enforcement found an Islamic State flag in the truck, and evidence that shows the man was inspired by the extremist group. This wasn’t the only Islamic State-inspired incident in recent months.Today on “Post Reports,” guest host Rachel Siegel speaks with national security reporter Joby Warrick about how people become radicalized by the Islamic State and what the New Orleans attack and the canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Austria tell us about the power of extremist propaganda. Warrick’s book “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS” was awarded a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon, with help from Ariel Plotnick and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Monica Campbell, with help from Reena Flores, and mixed by Sam Bair.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

6 Jan 28min

On Friday, Republicans once again selected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to be speaker of the House — but not before there was a little bit of drama.Earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump took to social media to link the New Year’s Day vehicular attack in New Orleans to weak border policies, even though the attacker was an American citizen born in Texas. In the hours following, the message became a popular Republican talking point. Reporters Marianna Sotomayor, Marianne LeVine and Leigh Ann Caldwell join host Aaron Blake to discuss how Johnson eked out a victory in the speaker fight, and why the New Orleans attack became so quickly politicized.Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Rachen Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. Subscribe to Aaron’s newsletter, The Campaign Moment, here. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

3 Jan 25min

Early in the morning on New Year’s Day, a man drove a truck into a crowd of people celebrating on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. In the hours since, law enforcement has discovered key details that point to a possible motive, including an Islamic State flag in the attacker’s car. Guest host Rachel Siegel and Justice Department reporter Perry Stein break down what we know about the terrorist attack in New Orleans.We also talk about the investigation into a possible attack in Las Vegas with some eerie similarities, though no known connection. Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Emma Talkoff and Elana Gordon. It was edited by Maggie Penman with help from Monica Campbell and Reena Flores. It was mixed by Sam Bair.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

2 Jan 12min

Happiness, it turns out, comes down to a science — even though what makes each of us happy can vary widely. Host Cristina Quinn talks to happiness scientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director at UC-Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, about exactly what makes us happy and how much our sense of joy is within our control. Drawing from the science of happiness, Emiliana explains that happiness isn’t about chasing fleeting positive emotions, but rather about fostering an overarching sense of contentment, belonging and resilience. She also lays out how much of happiness is influenced by genetics, external circumstances and the choices we make.This course reminds us that happiness isn’t out of reach — it’s something we can cultivate every day. Emiliana and her colleagues at the Greater Good Science Center have been collecting data on happiness through the Big Joy Project, a seven-day online study where participants are assigned a micro-act of joy every day. Learn more about the project here. For some extra happiness tips, read about trying new things for joy and embracing “joy snacks.”Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.To hear more, check out “Try This” wherever you listen to podcasts.

31 Dec 202413min

Carter, a peanut farmer, Navy veteran and Georgia governor, served just four years in the White House. But his time in office was only part of his legacy. Later in life, he would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pursuit of peace and human rights.Elahe Izadi speaks with national political correspondent Dan Balz about the life and legacy of the former president.Today’s show was produced by Ted Muldoon and Arjun Singh. It was edited by Maggie Penman, with help from Reena Flores. It was mixed by Ted Muldoon. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

30 Dec 202431min

It had been five years since Frankie Nole came out from behind prison doors. Now at age 72, Nole shakes his head. He had spent 49 years fighting to get out. He struggled to find work. Managers unfailingly loved his attitude. Then — as always — came the background check and email. “Unfortunately, we have decided to move forward with other candidates …”At a loss for a purpose, two years ago, he started picking up other prisoners on the day they were released. He put out the word to friends on the inside. He persuaded guards to put up notices in prisons across Pennsylvania. Anyone who didn’t have family or friends to get them — he’d be their ride.This story is part of our Deep Reads series, which showcases narrative journalism at The Washington Post. It was written by William Wan. Audio narration comes from our partners at Noa, an app offering curated audio articles.

28 Dec 202421min