When Steve Lickteig turned 18, he learned that his mother and father, who he thought were his adoptive parents, are in fact his biological grandparents. With the advent of affordable DNA testing and companies like 23andMe, more and more people are having revelations like Mr. Lickteig’s. For some, these revelations can be a welcome and exciting discovery proc ... Show More
Feb 21
Repost: Should I Stay Or Go?
This episode was originally released on September 9, 2016. In this favorite episode from the archives, The Sugars bring you another "Rapid Fire" episode, where they give brief answers to a handful of letters that are all centered around a theme. The theme for this episode is "sta ... Show More
34m 9s
Jan 31
Throwback: How Do I Find The Courage To Be My Own Guide?
This episode was originally released September 23rd, 2016. The Sugars often discuss letters dealing with very specific problems or struggles. In this encore episode, they take on a broader, more existential question: how to follow your heart. The Sugars discuss with the GRAMMY-wi ... Show More
26m 41s
Jan 17
Rewind: Pet Dilemmas with Julia Barton
This episode was originally published on August 26th, 2017. In this episode, adventures in animal ownership! The Sugars, along with Julie Barton — author of the memoir Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself — answer letters about pet dilemmas and the ways these creatures a ... Show More
46m 21s
Nov 2025
Encore: Ep. 6 - Kristine's DNA Bombshell
Hey, Fellow Travelers. This week, we explore what happens when a DNA test reveals a shocking surprise. Kristine was adopted and had always hoped to find her biological parents—and in her early twenties, she did. But there was a secret that she—and her biological father—didn't kno ... Show More
46m 48s
Oct 2023
Rick Astley: Generational trauma, gut instincts, and village halls
<p>There’s beauty in letting go and not having your life mapped out for you. That’s something musician Rick Astley has learnt in the years after calling it quits on his successful music career when he was just 27.</p><p> </p><p>In this chat with Fearne, Rick gives some brill ... Show More
48m 57s
May 2022
EP286: When Dr. Suess Has Real Life Application, Jason Wolfe Paid His Own Child Support to Save His Father and Under My Thumb, Lessons in Parenting
On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Rusiniak shares a story about a devastating flash flood that severely damaged his Church and then the surprising response from the community. Jason Wolfe's father left his family at the age of 6 and here he is to tell the story of ... Show More
38m 16s
Mar 2022
When You Think You Know Your Parents
<p>Ariel Sabar was visiting his parents in his childhood home in California, when he awoke one morning to high-pitched giggles coming from his parents’ room. He opened the door to a Norman Rockwell-type image: his father, 70, riding his stationary bike in his pajamas; and his 6-y ... Show More
20m 36s
Jun 2021
Father's Day Special: The Good, The Bad, and The Unexpected
On this episode of the Our American Stories podcast, we bring you stories about outstanding fathers and fathers who don't make the grade. Leslie Leyland Fields tells us about the heart-breaking relationship between her and her father. And it's not what you'd expect; Taylor Brown ... Show More
39m 32s