For decades, the Ashley House in Sheffield, Massachusetts preserved and promoted the story of Col. John Ashley, a wealthy businessman who opened his home to those fighting against British rule on the eve of America’s war for independence. But in this episode we hear a new narrative, about an enslaved woman and true patriot who tested the rhetoric of the revo ... Show More
Yesterday
Weekend Road Trip: The Jokes Phone
A pay phone in Washington, D.C tells you jokes and affirmations. This episode is part of our Weekend Road Trip Series, where we bring you stories of the strange, incredible, and wondrous places right here in the United States, that you can see from the road. This series was produ ... Show More
16m 50s
Jun 4
AO Mailbag: Five Friends, Three Nights, One Bathroom
Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Johanna and Amanda answer questions about books where the setting is transportive, travel in the Middle East right now, and how to handle sharing an Airbnb with five friends but only one bathroom. If you have a question for our next mailbag epi ... Show More
20m 20s
Dec 2024
CLASSIC: Marm Mandelbaum, the Queen of Thieves
How did a young, struggling German immigrant build one of the country's most successful criminal empires? In this classic live episode, the guys join with Holly Frey, cohost of the award-winning podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class, to explore the life, times and reign of Am ... Show More
1 h
May 2024
American Castaways: Treachery & Survival in the Falklands
<p>Today we dive into the little-known true story of American castaways abandoned on the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812 ― a tale of treachery, shipwreck, isolation and a desperate struggle for survival.</p><br><p>In this fascinating episode, best-selling author Eric Jay ... Show More
32m 49s
Sep 2024
Ches McCartney: The Goatman of Appalachia
On this episode of Our American Stories, JD Phillips tells the story of Ches McCartney, the man who traversed the United States in a ramshackle wagon drawn by a herd of Goats. His mission was to travel the country, spread the word of God, and have a few adventures (and misadventu ... Show More
10m 49s
Oct 2024
Jamestown | Land of Milk and Honey | 1
<p>In December 1606, three ships carrying 104 settlers left England and set sail for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Six months later, they arrived on a narrow peninsula in the James River and founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in mainland North America.</p><p>F ... Show More
38m 41s
Jun 2012
Jeanette Winterson - Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is Jeanette Winterson's searing yet ultimately uplifting coming-out, coming-of-age tale, in which a young girl learns to rebel against her fanatical, cult-like upbringing, and set out on her own path in life. To mark thirty years since its publicati ... Show More
53m 30s