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This American Life

This American Life
Gaza
Donald Trump
Hamas
Chicago
Israel
Family Dynamics
This American Life
Christmas
Israeli Hostages
War
Vegetarianism
Chen Almog-Goldstein
Parenting
Henry Dee
Immigration Policy
Trump Administration
Podcasting
ICE
Shark Attack
Artificial Intelligence

Each week we choose a theme. Then anything can happen. This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or po... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes514Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureArts

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Artwork for This American Life

Latest Episodes

We discover what we believe might be the original recipe for Coca-Cola…and share it with you! When this episode first aired in 2011, it made international headlines. This, and another story about telling copies from originals.

Visit thisamericanlif... more

YouTube

Sayre Quevedo’s invented a way to do a podcast that feels completely new. He’s been recording nearly all his conversations for years, and the result is something that captures a person’s life in a raw and complicated way that’s rarely heard. His new ... more

YouTube

Nikole Hannah-Jones made an argument 10 years ago in The New York Times Magazine that became famous. She wrote about choosing a public school for her daughter, Najya, in one of the most racially and economically segregated school systems in the count... more

YouTube

People braving the true final frontier — the gap between people born at slightly different times.

Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription.

(00:00:00) Prologue: Last fall, some NPR podcasts started getting my... more

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Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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The DailyThe New York Times

Recent Guests

Lex Cusack
Archivist and central figure in the JFK documents saga
Independent archivist/collector
Episode: 427: Original Recipe
John Resnickoff
Rare documents dealer
Resnickoff archive/Westport
Episode: 427: Original Recipe
Sayre Quevedo
Creator of the Reaching Out series
Futuro Studios
Episode: 899: Reaching Out
Nikole Hannah-Jones
Reporter and author discussed in NYT Magazine piece
The New York Times Magazine
Episode: 898: An Argument
Nadia Bowers
Woman whose sister died and who investigates what happened
Memoir writer; subject in this episode
Episode: 646: The Secret of My Death
Domingo Martinez
Author of The Boy Kings of Texas excerpt read on the show
Public radio / author
Episode: 449: Middle School
Henry Zhang
coder who connected two Claude chatbots for an experiment
University of Michigan (programmer)
Episode: 896: I Know What You Need
Kristen Roupenian
Author of Cat Person and Other Stories
Author
Episode: 896: I Know What You Need
Barbara Mendoza
Senior Chief, talking about Navy culture and ship life
U.S. Navy (Stennis crew)
Episode: 206: Somewhere in the Arabian Sea

Host

Ira Glass
Host of This American Life

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 121k ratings
  • An Argument

    Such a powerful story about honestly reviewing our best intentions. Thank you to the Jones family for bringing this story public despite the surprise, painful ending. Najya may have a bestseller in her future...

    Now to read the NYTimes story.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SpencerDawgMom
    United States13 days ago
  • Elitism rued

    I loved this show so much but now so little is available to the commoners and the whole message is one of elitism. Other great podcasts have found better ways to capitalize. I’m disappointed in you, Ira.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    missedflights
    United States14 days ago
  • LOVE TAL but please no AI ads

    I adore the show, listen religiously, but I am not into the AI sponsorship and ads!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    avg8715
    United States15 days ago
  • This international life

    Nicole Hannah jones’ story about her daughter’s horrible racist school made me unsub. I’m so tired of this liberal claptrap about how horrible it is to be black in America with zero sense of intellectual curiosity or interrogation. Just “white people bad black good.” Done! Have fun preaching to the choir.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    kittycorbu
    United States18 days ago
  • That wedding poem

    This comment is for the narrator. You were not the selfish one. So much projection.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KKMMex
    United States23 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, the show remains acclaimed for thoughtful storytelling and high-quality journalism.
Listeners appreciate depth and variety of topics, though some critique perceived political bias in certain episodes.
Guests and hosts are frequently praised for empathy and rigor in reporting.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

427: Original Recipe
Q: Was the secret Coca‑Cola formula found to be the true original?
The episode presents strong evidence that the old notebook and the Griffin clipping align with many of Coca‑Cola's historical ingredients, but it remains inconclusive whether this exact recipe matches the original manufacturing formula; the experts highlight that even with similarities, authenticity is complex and contested.
898: An Argument
Q: What was the hardest part about balancing Najya's needs with the broader goals of educational equity?
Nikole discusses the tension between doing what's right for her daughter and the larger impact on other students, acknowledging the emotional and ethical costs of advocating for system-wide change.
628: In the Shadow of the City
Q: Why does Mr. Chen do this work on the bridge?
Mr. Chen explains his empathy for the people on the bridge, their despair, and his belief that some situations can be helped through presence and conversation, not just force.
628: In the Shadow of the City
Q: What happened on the bridge when you intervened with the jumper?
The responder explains that he grabbed the man, restrained him with care, and the jumper was saved, though the moment left a lasting sense of unease about the fragility of life in such crisis.
628: In the Shadow of the City
Q: So give me a typical exchange between the two of you on the bridge.
The interviewer and translator describe Mr. Chen's guarded, distant responses, then slowly observe how his answers deepen when they drink with him at lunch and begin to open up about his motivation and the people he saves.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About This American Life

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Which podcasts are similar to This American Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with This American Life:

1. Radiolab
2. The Moth
3. Fresh Air
4. Heavyweight
5. The Daily

How many episodes of This American Life are there?

This American Life launched 20 years ago and published 514 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact This American Life?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on This American Life?

Recent guests on This American Life include:

1. Lex Cusack
2. John Resnickoff
3. Sayre Quevedo
4. Nikole Hannah-Jones
5. Nadia Bowers
6. Domingo Martinez
7. Henry Zhang
8. Kristen Roupenian

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