Business of Death

#60 - 18 April 1997

Usually we talk about death as a tragedy, a mystery, a hard-to-comprehend fact of life. But in addition to all that, for all sorts of people it's also ... a job.

Fire

#59 - 11 April 1997

Stories about people who are not afraid of fire, though perhaps they should be.

Small Towns

#58 - 4 April 1997

Stories of small town life: the claustrophobia and freedom people feel in small towns, the yearning people feel in small towns. And three teenagers in one of the harshest urban environments explain how the public housing projects are like a small town.

Delivery

#57 - 14 March 1997

Stories about the delivery business and the people in it. UPS men, bike messengers, FedEx dispatchers. NOTE: This episode originally included a story by reporter Stephen Glass, which we have removed because of questions about its truthfulness. This story is included in the transcript only for reference.

Name Change

#56 - 7 March 1997

Stories of people changing their name — some to create a new identity, some to con people. Name changes are particularly American stories: they're the dream of starting over with a clean slate. They're Ellis Island and 12-step programs, the move westward and self help, Marilyn Monroe and Malcolm X and the Artist Formerly Known as Prince, all rolled up in one.

Three Women and the Sex Industry

#55 - 28 February 1997

A few months ago, radio producer Sandy Tolan was supposed to do a documentary about strippers with an aspiring writer — and stripper — named Susan. A few days before they were to begin working together, Susan disappeared, presumed dead.

Sinatra

#54 - 21 February 1997

Stories, tributes, and attempts to understand the Chairman of the Board.

Valentine's Day '97

#53 - 7 February 1997

For Valentine's Day, stories about our parents falling in love. And troubles with their love. From Hilton Als, Scott Carrier, Julie Showalter, a magazine column called Men My Mother Dated and others. The idea for this show was inspired by Delmore Schwartz's classic 1937 work of American fiction about his parents' courtship: In Dreams Begin Responsibilities and Other Stories.

Edge of Sanity

#52 - 31 January 1997

Stories about the border between mental health and mental illness.

Animals Die, People Ponder

#51 - 24 January 1997

Stories of people who handle dead animals. Don't worry — it's not as gross as it sounds. In fact, not disgusting at all. A story by George Saunders about an animal control man who falls in unrequited love. A woman who studies illuminated manuscripts, whose pages look like paper but are in fact animals. And other stories.