I’m popping into your inbox to say that this Tuesday is not just any other Tuesday.
Today, the Death, Sex & Money team and I are officially resuming regular production of our podcast at our new home at Slate. There’s a brand new episode in your podcast feed called A Sociopath’s Guide to Death, Sex & Money. I talk with writer Patric Gagne about her new memoir, Sociopath, and together we explore the utility of guilt and shame and what happens when your outward emotional responses don’t match people’s expectations.
Also in today’s episode, newsletter readers, you may hear some of your work friend stories that you sent in weeks ago after I asked for your stories about the moment you knew a a new work colleague was going to become more than a coworker.
A few more things I want to let you know about:
We worked with our friends at Hark Audio to make an episode of the Best of Death, Sex & Money. Using Hark’s app or at this link, you can listen to some of my favorite interview moments from the past ten years. If you haven’t used Hark before, it’s very cool — you can hear curated excerpts, and then, easily click through to hear full episodes. (I worked together on our list with the great Baiz Hoen. You may recognize her name from Death, Sex & Money’s credits. She was an intern with us last year. Thank you, Baiz!)
I also got to host Hark’s daily podcast today, which features an interesting moment from today’s new Death, Sex & Money episode, along with highlights from podcasts covering Iran and Israel, jury selection in Trump’s first criminal trial, Larry David on Smartless, and a how-to about Hollywood sound effects.
I’ve also (virtually) walked around the Slate office to collaborate with some of my colleagues. Slate’s features editor Shannon Palus interviewed me about the origins of Death, Sex & Money and my business courtship with Slate. And I joined Jenée Desmond Harris on the Dear Prudence podcast to lend some advice to letter writers with some juicy dilemmas! The episode is called “I Lost a Lot of Weight and Now I Enjoy Being a Mean Girl. Help!”
If you’re a Slate Plus member, you can hear Jenée and I talk more in a bonus conversation about my book, the built-in tensions within family dynamics, and when it’s appropriate to turn to the family group chat with a big announcement.
Speaking of Slate Plus, I’ve been on a tear this week lining up all my ad-free feeds of Slate podcasts. It really is super easy to do. If you’re a fan of Death, Sex & Money, please consider joining Slate Plus to support our work financially and let us thank you with ad-free listening — with more perks to come! (It’s very easy to join Slate Plus. Sign up here or hit “Try Free” on the Death, Sex & Money show page in Apple Podcasts.)
FINALLY — let me say thank you. If you’re a long-time listener to the show, thank you for riding with us as we made this big turn. And if you’re new to us, jump on into our archives of 400+ episodes to get to know us better.
I’m so pumped that I get to keep doing this with you!
Anna
Come out and see me in real life!
Stanford, CA on 4/19 and 4/26 - I’m doing some open workshops about interviewing with the Stanford Storytelling Project. Info here.
Washington, DC on 5/2 – I’m interviewing Natalie Foster about her new book The Guarantee: Inside the Fight For America’s Next Economy at Politics & Prose. Info here.
San Francisco on 5/23 – I’m interviewing Miranda July about her sexy new novel All Fours live on stage at City Arts & Lectures. Info and tickets here.
Great episode! I found myself really questioning so many things I thought I knew about motives, guilt, culpability, shame, remorse, etc. I never thought I'd find myself feeling a little envious of someone with sociopathy - in the sense that I wish I could dampen the emotions that accompany me so much of the time. And I was so glad you left your own slight bewilderment in as part of the interview. Hearing you say "huh" at times as you were processing what Patric had just told you was unexpected and really helpful in making my own bewilderment feel more sensible. So glad the show is back up and running.