As the co-host of NPR’s flagship news program All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro is a go-to source for tens of millions of Americans for essential deep-dives into some of the most critical stories unfolding across the globe. At NPR for more than two decades now, Shapiro has made it his mission to serve as an informational and emotional conduit—or even a translator of sorts—between the subject and the listener. On this week’s episode of Time Sensitive, he talks about his new memoir, The Best Strangers in the World: Stories From a Life Spent Listening; why he considers hosting All Things Considered like inheriting an heirloom; embracing one’s identity as a journalistic asset; and the parallels between reading fiction, cooking, and reporting the news.

Special thanks to our Season 7 sponsor, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

Show notes:

[01:14] Ari Shapiro

[03:48] “The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening”

[04:09] Mary Louise Kelly

[04:10] NPR’s All Things Considered

[07:23] Susan Stamberg

[08:51] Noah Adams

[09:44] Audie Cornish

[17:27] “A Second, Chance Interview With Subject of Controversial First Lady Remarks”

[20:46] “Ari Shapiro On Covering the Pulse Shooting”

[22:07] Billy Manes

Kellie Nalbandian Recaps Survivor 48 Ep 4