To The Best Of Our Knowledge

It doesn't matter whether you grew up going to Coney Island, Six Flags, or Pacific Park -- to a kid, all amusement parks are magical. This hour we take a trip to the land of funnel cake, freak shows and fast rides.  How Amusement Parks Modernized America; Coney Island A Century Ago; Behind the Scenes of a Sideshow; The Most Unusual Roller Coaster in the World; Getting High At Disney World; Walt Disney and the Cultural Significance of the Theme Park.

Why do women have to put up with this? And how do they fight back? Abused Game Developers Can’t ‘Just Go Offline’ to Escape; When You’re Under Siege Online, How Can the Law Help?; Facing Fox News and Reddit Trolls, Journalist Lauren Duca Persisted; Writer’s Advice from Roxane Gay: Write Truth and Get Uncomfortable, Online Or Off; A Broad History of Sexism, As Witnessed By A Feminist Scholar.

We explore what makes a short story with Ben Marcus, Jesse Eisenberg and Diane Cook. Also, Margaret Atwood on her new novel. Addicted to Short Stories; Ben Marcus on Robert Coover's "Going for a Beer"; Jesse Eisenberg the Writer; From "This American Life" to These Surreal Short Stories; Margaret Atwood Blends Dystopia and Social Satire.

On Monday, August 21, a total solar eclipse will cross the United States for the first time in a hundred years. For millions of people in its path, it’ll be like opening a window directly onto the broader universe. Besides chasing eclipses, how else can we see what's out there, beyond our skies? For a full list of segments from this show, visit our beta version of our new website.

When was the last time you said something so mortifying that all you wanted to do was crawl under a rock and hide? We've all been through plenty of uncomfortable moments, but it seems like we rarely talk about them. From teenage angst to cringe comedy, this week we're setting aside the shame and reveling in all things awkward. Awkward Moments Read Out Loud; Our Awkward Age; Jesse Eisenberg Imagines An Awkward Introduction; The Upside of Awkwardness; Jennifer Jacquet Recommends 'Last Chance To See'; Rediscovering Alexander Von Humboldt, The Largely Forgotten Father Of Environmentalism.

Anyone who’s moved knows how difficult it can be to settle into a new place. Whether it’s another country or an apartment just down the block, it takes time and work to get comfortable. We’re living through a period of mass human migration, with people on the move all over the planet. This hour, we’re talking about home – how to take an unfamiliar place and make it yours.   A Violinist Flees Syria and Discovers a New Home in the US; How 'Home' Made Us Human; For Some Veterans, the Return Home is the Hardest Part of Their Tour; Bookmark: Jonathan Chait recommends “What Hath God Wrought” by Daniel Walker Howe; The Revolutionary War’s Impact on America.

How do you tell the story of your life? Do you focus on meaning, accomplishment and hope - or on failure and loss? Psychologists say telling a good life story can make you happier. But do we also create an inauthentic version of ourselves if we turn everything into a narrative? We explore the idea of life stories, and hear why poet Patti Smith chose to "write about nothing" when writing about her own life. How to Edit Your Life Story; The Terminal Bar; "I Am Not a Story"; Elena Ferrante and Elizabeth Hardwick; Patti Smith's Mind Train.

Privilege checking has become a mainstay of a certain kind of conversation about race or identity. One person reminds -- or accuses -- another of enjoying all kinds of unearned advantages, thanks to their skin color, gender, class or sexual orientation. Checking someone else’s privilege can be a form of hostility. Checking your own can be an act of humility. Either way, it can oftentimes be painful. But does anyone actually benefit from talking about privilege? This hour, the benefits and drawbacks of talking about privilege. A Primer On Exploring White Privilege; Let's Stop Talking About Privilege; Sensitivity Or Censorship: How Language Policing On College Campuses Is Shaping America's Future; The Case For Teaching Children About The Origins Of Diversity; What Organizations Get Wrong About Diversity; The Moral Argument For Human Cloning, Genetic Enhancement.

We explore our obsession with public shaming in this hour. Public Shaming on the Internet; Shame-Based Sentencing Instead of Jail Time; The Upside of Shame: Promoting Positive Change; Dangerous Idea: Universal Recess!; Sowing Your Wild Oats in Mid-Life.

Can science tell you how to "get happy?"  This hour,  the psychology and history behind the very idea of happiness. Plus some practical advice for how to live well. Want to be Happier? Turn Everyday Tasks Into a Game; A Little Less Feeling, A Lot More Action; A History of Happiness; How to Find Happiness in Everyday Life and Language; David Morris Recommends “Solo Faces” by James Salter; Rediscovering Henry David Thoreau.