Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with cancer at 22. She made her illness the subject of a New York Times column and a memoir, "Between Two Kingdoms". She and Steve talk about what it means to live with a potentially fatal illness, how to talk to people who've gone through a tragedy, and ways to encourage medical donations.
Oct 24
45. Leidy Klotz on Why the Best Solutions Involve Less — Not More
When we try to improve things, our first thought is often: What can we add to make this better? But Leidy, a professor of engineering, says we tend to overlook the fact that a better solution might be to take something away. He and Steve talk about examples from Leidy’s book Subt ... Show More
40m 10s
Oct 17
44. Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away
An expert on urban economics and co-author of the new book Survival of the City, Ed says cities have faced far worse than Covid. Steve talks with the Harvard professor about why the slums of Mumbai function so well, high-quality housing in China sits empty, and declining cities h ... Show More
45m 32s
Mar 2024
Suleika Jaouad
New York Times bestselling author and journalist Suleika Jaouad began writing her Emmy Award-winning column, “Life, Interrupted,” from her hospital room, chronicling her experiences as a young adult with cancer. She joins to discuss her remarkable life, career, and bestselling me ... Show More
1h 23m
Aug 2024
Best of Design Matters: Suleika Jaouad
New York Times bestselling author and journalist Suleika Jaouad began writing her Emmy Award-winning column, “Life, Interrupted,” from her hospital room, chronicling her experiences as a young adult with cancer. She joins to discuss her remarkable life, career, and bestselling me ... Show More
1h 23m
Jan 2024
Survival Is A Creative Act: Suleika Jaouad’s American Symphony of Contrast—Cancer, Art, Music, & Life
What do you do when the power goes out? You improvise and turn it into a creative act. At the age of 22, confronted with a leukemia diagnosis amid the tumult beyond her control, Suleika Jaouad made a profound decision to embrace the art of journaling. Deliberately opting to disti ... Show More
1h 55m
Sep 2025
(#10) Elise’s Top Ten: What almost dying taught me about living | Suleika Jaouad
"The hardest part of my cancer experience began once the cancer was gone," says author Suleika Jaouad. In this fierce, funny, wisdom-packed talk, she challenges us to think beyond the divide between "sick" and "well," asking: How do you begin again and find meaning after life is ... Show More
19m 40s
Jun 2023
How to Embrace Uncertainty with Suleika Jaoaud
When Suleika Jaouad received a devastating leukemia diagnosis at the age of 22, her life took a very unexpected turn into adulthood. Viewing her long hospital stay from the lens of a journalist, Suleika began a daily diary, ultimately fashioning her own reflective world. Through ... Show More
1h 8m