Animals

#49 - 10 January 1997

Stories about the animalness of animals, the irreducible ways in which they are not human.

Justice

#48 - 3 January 1997

Kitty Felde shows a side of the Yugoslav War Crimes Trials that hasn't been discussed anywhere: a portrait of Americans at the International Tribunal. And other stories.

Christmas and Commerce

#47 - 20 December 1996

Stories about the intersection of Christmas and retail, including David Sedaris's story "Santaland Diaries," which was first broadcast on NPR's Morning Edition many years ago in a much shorter version.

Sissies

#46 - 13 December 1996

Though being gay no longer has much of a stigma in some parts of the country, being a sissy still does — even among gay men. In this show we have a number of surprising and unusual stories of sissies, their families, and why people still get so upset about them.

Media Fringe

#45 - 6 December 1996

Four stories about people struggling at the fringes of our nation's media/music/infotainment industry.

Poultry Slam 1996

#44 - 29 November 1996

In the midst of the five biggest poultry-consumption weeks of the year—the five weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when Americans consume one-fourth of all the turkey they eat in a year—This American Life presents stories about turkeys, chickens, ducks, and fowl of all kinds.

Faustian Bargains

#43 - 22 November 1996

Inspired by a spate of new Chicago stage adaptations of the Faust story, This American Life brings you stories of people who made a deal with the devil.

Get Over It!

#42 - 15 November 1996

Three stories of people trying to forget the past and move on.

Politics

#41 - 8 November 1996

More stories of the election you can't hear anywhere else.

Lessons

#40 - 1 November 1996

Stories from acclaimed storyteller Spalding Gray and others.