Say More

Today, we're sharing a special episode from Endless Thread, a podcast from our friends at WBUR. Brooke Eby was 33 when she was diagnosed with ALS. Since then, she's gained a huge following for her honest and often hilarious videos about the realities of living with the disease. In this episode, Brooke speaks with Endless Thread hosts Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson about the long road to her diagnosis, how humor has helped her cope, and what she hopes to change for future ALS patients. Follow Endless Thread wherever you get your podcasts.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is making itself known in Massachusetts. Federal immigration officials say they've arrested nearly 1,500 people over the last month in what they're calling, “Operation Patriot.” ICE officers have taken people off the streets, on their way to school, and from courthouses. They've made it clear that the Commonwealth is a target. Today on Say More, Boston Globe Politics Reporter Samantha J. Gross and Globe Opinion Columnist Marcela Garcia join Shirley Leung for a look at what ICE's mounting presence in the area means for local immigrant communities… and what local leaders are doing about it.

With the moving of tassels and tossing of caps, the school year has come to a close at Harvard. And what a tumultuous year it has been. President Donald Trump has gone to war with the nation's most elite university. The White House has canceled a sweeping array of grants and contracts worth billions of dollars with no plans to let up. Then, in late May, Trump moved to prohibit international students from enrolling at Harvard. Harvard has filed lawsuit after lawsuit to stop Trump from destroying what makes the university great, but as we head into summer, the school is at a crossroads with much of its fate hanging in the courts. Globe Higher Education Reporter Hilary Burns joins “Say More” host Shirley Leung to discuss what's next for Harvard.

When we think about being young, we picture a time of exploration and discovering who we are. What we don't picture? Cancer. But there's a worrying trend in the cancer world with  young adults getting cancer at higher rates, and scientists don't know why. Kelly Spill was 28 years old when she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She was pregnant when she first noticed symptoms. Doctor after doctor told her not to worry. When she was finally diagnosed, her cancer was Stage 3. This week on “Say More,” Kelly's story of treatment and survival. Later a conversation with Dr. Andrea Cercek, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, who leads the first clinic in the world to specialize in young people with colorectal cancers.

For years, journalist Larry Ingrassia thought his family was tragically unlucky. His mother, two sisters, and brother all died of cancer. Later in life, he understood it was no coincidence: threaded throughout his family's DNA was a hereditary cancer gene, vastly increasing their risk of the deadly disease. In this episode, Shirley talks to Larry about the moment he discovered the cause, the difficult choice of getting himself tested, and how greater knowledge of family history can lead to monitoring that saves lives. Email us at saymore@globe.com.

Cancer doctor Barrett Rollins only discovered the extent of his wife's advanced cancer when she collapsed at work, revealing a football sized breast tumor. Barrett's wife Jane, also a world-class cancer researcher, confounded her entire community when it was revealed that she had hidden her own cancer diagnosis for years, only sharing the truth when it was too late. On this episode of The C-Word: Stories of Cancer, Shirley and Barrett discuss the complex psychology of cancer, why people struggle to face this disease, and the heartbreaking experience of watching a loved one suffer. Email us at saymore@globe.com.

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee became famous with his epic nonfiction book about cancer, “The Emperor of All Maladies.” The book shows that if there's one constant in cancer research, it's that it's always changing. On this episode of “The C-Word: Stories of Cancer,” Shirley talks to Dr. Mukherjee about how his time living and working in Boston changed him as a doctor. They discuss the hopeful progress we've made in curing cancer - and the challenges that persist. Email us at saymore@globe.com.

Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung is generally open about her personal life. But this is the first time she is talking publicly about her own experience with breast cancer. She was treated in Boston hospitals and underwent a mastectomy. Like so many others, she will spend the rest of her life getting tested to make sure she stays cancer-free. In this first episode of The C-Word: Stories of Cancer, Shirley talks about the things that surprised her about cancer, and the ways the disease changed her. Email us at saymore@globe.com.

If it's an important slice of American history, you can bet Ken Burns has made a documentary about it. The list is nearly endless. From baseball to jazz, Mark Twain to Ernest Hemingway, the Civil War to the Dust Bowl. Now, he's going back to the beginning. Burns's upcoming documentary series, out later this year, will explore the Revolutionary War with a focus on the lesser-known characters of the revolution. Burns tells the Globe's editorial page editor Jim Dao that this new film is the most important one he'll ever make. Email us at saymore@globe.com. To read Ken's essay about his forthcoming series in Boston Globe Ideas, click here. And to read the rest of Globe Opinion's coverage of the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War, click here.

Today, we're sharing the first episode of the brand new podcast Spotlight: Snitch City, produced by The Boston Globe's award-winning Spotlight team. In this specific episode, you'll find yourself on the docks of New Bedford, Massachusetts, hearing whispers about a rogue police officer harassing fishermen and stealing drugs, all of which come to a head one late night aboard a scalloping boat. The officer forces his way on board, saying an informant told him there would be drugs on board, and demands some. But when another officer, Mark Raposo, shows up, he thinks his colleague is in the middle of a “drug rip.” Now Raposo is ready to blow the whistle on what he's seen. And it turns out that this officer's abuse of the informant system is just the tip of the iceberg in this historic port city. To listen to the rest of the series, follow Spotlight: Snitch City here: https://link.chtbl.com/tTLbVzKf?sid=SayMore

When it comes to the war on drugs, you could say the police are addicted to confidential informants. That's the conclusion of a new Boston Globe Spotlight investigation into the pervasive and shadowy world of this police practice that is widely used and barely regulated. The story starts in New Bedford Massachusetts, where use of informants has had dramatic consequences. This week on Say More, podcast host Jazmin Aguilera speaks to Spotlight reporters Dugan Arnett and Andrew Ryan about their investigation and their new podcast series “Snitch City”.  Email us at saymore@globe.com.  For links to the Snitch City investigation, click here.

Being a working parent can be a rewarding joy, but it's also an endless challenge. This week, Say More is happy to share its first LIVE show, recorded from the Boston Globe's inaugural Working Mothers Summit in Boston. In the episode, Shirley talks to Mayor Michelle Wu about her decision to parent in public, even bringing baby Mira on stage. Then, Shirley sits down with state Attorney General Andrea Campbell about her office's efforts to reign in social media - for the health and safety of kids. Email us at saymore@globe.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Canadian Journalist Stephen Marche says he's experiencing the most powerful moment of Canadian politics in his lifetime. The trigger has been Donald Trump's presidency and his antagonistic stance towards Canada, one of the US's closest historic allies and trading partners. On this episode of Say More, Shirley talks to Marche about the ways Canadians are reacting to Trump's aggression, their fear and heartbreak, and what the future holds for Canada in a new political world order. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Massachusetts has one of the oldest and most successful publicly run lottery systems in the country. It shouldn't surprise you that per adult, MA residents spend more on the lottery than any other state, by a wide margin. But if you dig into the numbers, the problems with the lottery system start to become visible - tickets are more likely to be bought by low-income people, and the revenue that's generated is not distributed fairly. On Say More this week, Shirley is joined by Ian Coss, host of the new 8-part GBH podcast Scratch and Win, to talk about the history, present, and future of the Mass Lottery. Also on the show is Esmy Jimenez, a Boston Globe reporter who covers the racial wealth gap. She has a recent investigation on who spends the most on the Mass Lottery and where the money goes. Email us at Saymore@globe.com. To see Esmy's investigative reporting on the Mass Lottery, click here: Mass. residents are the biggest lottery players in the US. But the wealth isn't shared equitably.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former New York Times Beijing bureau chief Jane Perlez will pay $1 million to whoever knows what President Trump will do when it comes to China. Ok, not really, but Jane says Trump's plans are hugely important, and anyone's guess. Jane is now a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School, and is the host of the podcast, Face-Off: The U.S. vs China. This week on Say More, Jane talks to The Boston Globe's editorial page editor Jim Dao about why China is so important to the U.S., and what she thinks might happen between the two super powers. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was called to Washington this week to answer questions about Boston's so-called "sanctuary city” status. At a Congressional hearing, she, and 3 other blue-city mayors, were grilled by Republicans who say that Boston's lack of collaboration with federal immigration officials puts residents in danger. Wu refuted this point, and defended her policies. On Say More this week, host Shirley Leung talks to Globe national political reporter Jim Puzzanghera about the politics of the hearing and Wu's performance. Shirley also talks to Globe Opinion columnist Marcela Garcia about how the city's immigrants are dealing with the political machinations in Washington. Email us at saymore@globe.com. Read Jim Puzzanghera's coverage here: “‘Give ‘em hell Michelle': Mayor Wu stayed calm and combative during her first congressional hearing on immigration”Read Shirley's column on Wu's performance here: “Don't mess with Boston. In the lion's den of Congress, Michelle Wu was formidable and fearless.” Sign up for Marcela Garcia's newsletter here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first days of the COVID pandemic feel like a movie looking back: we watched in horror as the virus ravaged China, Italy, and Iran - and wondered if we would be next. Now, five years later, we know what happened: the economy suffered from a prolonged shutdown, more than one million Americans died, and political polarization reached an all-time high. One person leading us through the chaos was physician Ashish Jha, the Dean of the Brown School of Public Health. He was a regular contributor to TV and radio news throughout the pandemic, and later worked for the Biden White House on COVID policy. This week on Say More, Ashish offers a mea culpa, saying health experts failed the public during the pandemic. He says they need to learn from their mistakes, because the next pandemic is around the corner. Email us at saymore@globe.com. To read Ahish Jha's latest article in the Boston Globe, click here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The story of Sandra Birchmore may never have made headlines if it wasn't for Laura Crimaldi, a Boston Globe reporter who spent years following the trail of Birchmore's life and tragic death. While Birchmore's death was originally ruled as a suicide, follow up investigations showed she was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a married Stoughton police officer, starting when she was a minor. This new line of investigation uncovered years of mistreatment by multiple officers and had Sandra's loved ones asking why nothing was done to protect Sandra while she was alive. Guest host Jazmin Aguilera speaks to Globe reporters Laura Crimaldi and Yvonne Abraham about what it took to unravel this story. Email us at saymore@globe.com. Read Laura and Yvonne's stories here: Chapter 1: Sandra Birchmore put her trust in the police. They broke it. Chapter 2: Investigators assumed Sandra Birchmore took her own life. What did they miss?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michelle Wu is the first Boston Mayor to have a baby while in elected office, and while it was unprecedented, it wasn't much of a news story. Pregnancy is increasingly normalized for powerful women, which is a sign of progress. But Wu's decision to forgo maternity leave brings up important questions about the politics of motherhood: Can a champion of paid family leave justify not taking it herself? Is having a baby an asset or a liability on the campaign trail? Three working mothers – Globe columnists Shirley Leung and Joan Vennochi, and Say More producer Anna Kusmer – unpack the debate. Listen to “Say More” episodes at globe.com/saymore and wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please follow us and leave us a review. You can email us at Saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Surveys show that more and more Americans put down the bottle this January to try out drinking less. For some people, the goal was sobriety, and for others, moderation. Researchers are finding that alcohol consumption is going down in general across the population after spiking during the pandemic. Helping the cause are some stark recommendations from top health officials saying alcohol can cause cancer. Shirley takes a trip to a non-alcoholic bottle shop in Boston to try some mocktails, and later talks to Dr. Scott Hadland, who is a substance use specialist at Mass General for Children. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer Jenny Boylan is perplexed about why trans people “finding their peace” has resulted in such outrage from much of the American public. She moves forward in the only way she knows how: by continuing to write and tell stories about the humanity of the trans experience. Jenny transitioned 25 years ago and in that time she has seen the culture change dramatically when it comes to treatment of trans people. In some ways it's gotten better, and in some ways it's gotten worse. Jenny talks to editorial page editor Jim Dao about this scary moment in American politics and her new book, “Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us.” Email us at saymore@globe.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It happened. Trump was sworn in as 47th president of the United States, as only the second person in history to serve non-consecutive terms. Trump laid out a detailed list of priorities during his speech, but it's still unclear what he will actually do, and what the Trump 2.0 coalition will look like. Will he stick to his populist roots? Or continue cozying up to billionaires? Will we see a new resistance to Trump from the left? Or a great resignation? For this week's episode of the Say More podcast, editorial page editor Jim Dao sits down with Globe Opinion columnist Joan Vennochi and Globe political reporter James Pindell to discuss what Trump 2.0 might have in store. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You wrote in, and we read everything. Say More's THE COMMENT SECTION is a monthly exploration of the many forms of reader engagement found within the pages of Boston Globe Opinion. This week, we talked to columnist Marcela García about her pet stories. Recently, Marcela covered a fraught court case about pet euthanasia, and hundreds of readers wrote in about their own experiences. We also checked in with Globe Letters editor Matthew Bernstein to hear some of his favorite letters of the month. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In modern US politics, no one's star has risen and fallen more times than Joe Biden's. His life has been defined by the worst personal tragedy and the greatest professional success. After decades in politics, Biden leaves office with arguably his biggest failure, the loss of the presidency to Donald Trump. Will this final failure define the Biden presidency? Or will we think about him differently with time? This week on Say More editorial page editor Jim Dao talks to Biden biographer Frank Foer about Biden's career and legacy. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The last 12 months were tumultuous on Harvard's campus: pro-Palestinian encampments took over the quad, students were suspended, and a university president lost her job. If those things weren't enough, the story coincided with conservative activism happening throughout the country working against diversity programs - with a particular eye on Harvard. Could the events of the last year foreshadow the future of DEI on campus and beyond? This week on Say More, Shirley talks to Ilya Marritz, the reporter behind the Boston Globe's new podcast series "The Harvard Plan." Email us at saymore@globe.com. To listen to the first installment of The Harvard Plan, click here.To subscribe to The Globe podcast from The Boston Globe newsroom, click here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author Amy Tan doesn't just watch birds, she “feels the life within them.” Amy's new book, “The Backyard Bird Chronicles” takes us into her daily journal, drawing and musing on the lives of birds in her backyard in California. Shirley Leung talks to Amy about her breakthrough novel, “The Joy Luck Club,” the agony of fiction writing, and whether she considers herself an Asian-American writer or just a writer. Throughout her career, Amy has written extensively about mother-daughter relationships, which partly stems from her own experience. Amy says her late mother is present in every one of her works, even this one. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The murder of a healthcare CEO has led to an overdue conversation about health insurance in the US. The reaction to the news is revealing a visceral anger about the unfairness and dysfunction of how we pay for healthcare. What makes our system so frustrating for people? And what are the solutions? On Say More this week, host Shirley Leung turns to Casey Ross, an investigative reporter with Stat News and Dr. Vikas Saini, a cardiologist who runs the Lown Institute here in Massachusetts. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Usually it's easy to tell a con artist's motivations. Some do it for money, power or access. Some, however, do it for reasons hard to understand. The Boston Globe recently exposed an incomprehensible con: a 33-year old-woman who posed as a destitute teenage high school student. Her name is Shelby Hewitt. She enrolled in public high school under different names and created the identities of two social workers to legitimize a fake harrowing backstory. But last year it all came crashing down, leaving more questions than answers. Boston Globe reporter Patricia Wen talked to dozens of people who knew Shelby and were affected by her crimes. In this episode, Say More guest host Jazmin Aguilera sits down with Patricia to talk about what this story reveals about Boston institutions and systemic failure. Email us at saymore@globe.com. To read Patricia Wen's original reporting, follow these links: The secret lives of Shelby Hewitt, 32-year-old high school imposter‘I lied to you about something big': Confessions of Shelby Hewitt, high school imposterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If there is one thing to know about writer and entrepreneur Josh Foer: he wants to learn EVERYTHING. Tying his projects together is an endless curiosity about our world. On this episode of Say More, editorial page editor Jim Dao journeys to Somerville to visit one of Josh's projects: Lehrhaus, the world's first Jewish tavern and house of learning. They discuss modern Jewish life and one of Josh's other ventures, the Atlas Obscura project and his latest book about the weirdest wildlife on the planet. Email us at saymore@globe.com. Josh's new book is called Atlas Obscura Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Say More, we share a podcast episode from our friends at Boston's NPR station WBUR. Find new episodes of The Common here, hosted by Darryl C. MurphyLast spring, the City of Boston welcomed its inaugural Director of Nightlife Economy, Corean Reynolds. You might have heard some people refer to her as the “night czar,” though that's not her official title. Now that she's been in her position for a year, we wanted to catch up with her about some of the initiatives her office is working on, as well as challenges to improving nightlife in the city.You'll also hear producer Frannie Monahan hit the streets to ask Bostonians about their thoughts on the city's nightlife scene, and their suggestions for improving it for everyone.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Until recently, Connie Chung didn't realize what her TV career meant to millions of Asian Americans who saw her on the nightly news. While they watched her breaking barriers, she was focused on being the best possible journalist she could be: camping out for high-profile interviews and delivering scoops. Now, Connie is coming to terms with her legacy. She talks to Shirley about her new memoir “Connie.” She opens up about the mistreatment she faced in the news business, including by CBS co-anchor Dan Rather, and she talks about her miraculous path to motherhood. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After a big election, it's easy to point to all the things the winners did right and the losers did wrong. But where does the Democratic Party go from here? Globe writers James Pindell and Adrian Walker say there's hope for Democrats in the future, but they need to find a way to reconnect with their voters. Shirley asks why more Black voters were drawn to Trump, whether a woman can ever be elected president in America, and what national trends might mean for the political landscape in Massachusetts. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether you like it or not, America made a clear choice in the 2024 presidential election. Donald Trump won decisively, and Kamala Harris fell short. What exactly happened? On Say More, Shirley Leung talks to Globe Opinion writers Joan Vennochi and Carine Hajjar about national results. They also discuss how New England is shifting right like the rest of the country. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you ask Celtics lead owner Wyc Grousbeck why he wanted to buy a sports team, he has a hard time explaining why. Isn't it just obvious? If you love your hometown team and you love to compete, what could be better? When he and his family engineered the purchase of the Celtics in 2002, Wyc vowed to “win Banner 17 or I will die trying.” The Celtics recently raised Banner 18, and he and his family are ready to sell the team. Shirley talks to Wyc about how to build a championship team and his legacy as the owner of the storied franchise. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you ask Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy the best story he's ever covered, the answer is easy: the 2004 Red Sox. After 86 years of losing, the team finally won the World Series - with a dramatic comeback over their rivals the New York Yankees. Dan was there for every game, and even played a role in reversing the curse when he wrote a scathing column that fired up the team. On the 20th anniversary of the historic win, Shirley talks to Dan about what makes Boston such a great sports town, and asks whether the city's fans have changed since 2004. Are we spoiled? Email us at saymore@globe.com. The principal owner of the Red Sox, John Henry, is also the owner of The Boston Globe, and his wife, Linda, is the CEO.Next, listen to THE CURSE BREAKERS, a play-by-play retelling of the 2004 Red Sox victory, from the Globe newsroom. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Campus newspapers are not just a way to train a next generation of reporters and editors; they also provide great real time reporting about what's going on in the hearts and minds of young people. The most controversial story on campus this past year has been protests against the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East. On Say More, Shirley talks to three student journalists from Northeastern, Emerson, and Harvard about covering the protests and the free speech crisis unfolding on campus. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MBTA General Manager Phil Eng says our train system in Boston is the “best in the world.” That might seem laughable, but he makes the case that the city's transit system might not be the fastest or biggest, but what it lacks in modern amenities, it makes up for in “character.” This week on Say More, Phil talks to Shirley about his childhood working at his parents' Chinese laundromat, where he learned the value of knowing your customers, something he brings to the job today. He also discusses why the T is so hard to fix, how his approach is different from previous leaders, and why he doesn't want $24 billion right now. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've all heard of the girldad, but what about the boymom? Parenting boys has always been a challenge, but in the age of #metoo, incels and the manosphere, navigating boyhood feels especially hard. Shirley has two sons and worries about raising them right. This week on Say More, she talks to fellow boymom, Ruth Whippman, who just wrote the book, “Boymom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity.” Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You wrote in, and we read everything. Say More's THE COMMENT SECTION will be a monthly exploration of the many forms of reader engagement found within the pages of Boston Globe Opinion. The spectrum begins with the lively, often passionate, and usually anonymous online comments on viral essays, and ends with the thoughtful signed letters to the editor, printed daily in the paper. Today's guests are author and journalist Karen Stabiner, whose essay on dating after 50 drew hundreds of comments online, and Globe Letters editor Matthew Bernstein. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“A black pit opened underneath me… a void that was infinitely black.” This is what author Sebastian Junger saw while near death on an operating table in a Massachusetts hospital. Junger survived, but his brush with death would alter his life - and his attitude about the existence of an afterlife. Junger is best known for writing the book “The Perfect Storm” - which later was made into a blockbuster Hollywood movie. He has always focused on themes of death and danger in his books - but this latest book “In my Time of Dying” is his most personal yet. He sits down with The Globe's editorial page editor Jim Dao to talk about his experience. Email us at saymore@globe.com. To read Globe Opinion's special issue on aging, click here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Growing up in East Boston, Robert Lewis Jr. and Sal LaMattina have been best friends since they were in the first grade. They both received an education of a lifetime when, in 1974, a federal court order forced the city to bus kids to different schools in the name of racial integration. Forced busing resulted in a racist backlash that tore their East Boston neighborhood apart. They remember it like it was yesterday: stabbings at school, a firebomb in the kitchen, and a community fractured. Lewis Jr. is now the CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, and LaMattina served as a Boston city councilor for a decade in the 2000s. They discuss their memories on this 50th anniversary of busing - and their hopes for the next 50 years of public education in Boston. Email us at saymore@globe.com.FOR PHOTOS OF SAL AND JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND NOW - Check out our instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/globeopinion/For the Boston Globe's newsroom audio documentary about busing, visit their show page: https://www.bostonglobe.com/multimedia/audio/podcast/globe-podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Would you let your kid play in traffic? Co-Founder and CEO of Boston's Concussion Legacy Foundation Chris Nowinski has some tough questions for parents who sign their kids up for tackle football while their brains are still in vulnerable stages of development. Chris is a neuroscientist who played football at Harvard and wrestled in the WWE. He's had uncountable concussions and the terrible symptoms that go along with repeated hits to the head. Shirley has a dilemma about whether or not to let her 11-year-old son play tackle football and Chris gives his honest advice. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Glenn Loury is not your average economist, and his memoir is full of shocking details. You might enjoy the parts about policy and markets, and pay even closer attention to the parts about sex workers and an enduring addiction to crack cocaine. While he was working during the day in places like Harvard and Boston University, he was spending nights on the streets, getting into trouble. Shirley joins Glenn at his home in Providence, RI, to talk about his new book, “Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative.” Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Murky rules for health care coverage are not new, but now, companies are increasingly turning to AI to help make complex decisions about medical decisions — leading to some devastating mistakes. STAT News reporters Casey Ross and Bob Herman were recently named finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for exposing how the large insurer UnitedHealth Group used AI to deny care. On Say More, they talk to Globe Ideas editor Brian Bergstein about the dangers of AI in health care. Email us at saymore@globe.com. Click here to see Casey and Bob's reporting. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nate Silver is famous for using statistics to predict elections. He's a self-professed “numbers guy” and likes to use math to make complicated decisions. Nate's new book ‘On the Edge' is about people who take big calculated risks, for better or for worse. Nate says he and his fellow risk takers are members of a community called “The River.” On this episode of Say More, Nate takes Shirley on a guided tour. They also talk about politics and why polls are sometimes misused. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trump picked Vance. Harris picked Walz. Boston Globe Opinion has thoughts. Shirley sits down with Joan Vennochi and Carine Hajjar from Globe Opinion to discuss the VP picks, campaign strategies, and women voters. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Men and boys are less likely to excel in high school or go to college. They are more likely to get hooked on drugs or die of suicide. More broadly, boys and men are at a crossroads. While the #MeToo movement has provided a needed global reckoning for women and girls, it left boys with a long list of “don'ts” without enough “dos.” This week on Say More, author and scholar Richard Reeves talks to Shirley Leung about how this cultural vacuum leaves boys vulnerable to reactionary figures, such as Andrew Tate and other ‘manfluencers.' He gives Shirley advice on how to prepare her sons for the world. Reeves is president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of the book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It.” Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If things had gone differently, right now Boston would be swarmed with athletes and spectators from around the world for the 2024 Summer Olympics. A coordinated grassroots campaign in 2015 shut down a bid to host the games. It turns out - Boston isn't alone. Movements in cities around the world have since blocked local efforts to host the games. This week on Say More, Shirley talks to political scientist Jules Boykoff about the politics of the Olympics - especially the “no” campaigns. Jules watched all the drama play out in Boston, and still thinks about what happened. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Boston has two major NPR stations, and in recent months they've both slashed jobs and canceled shows. Public media is in a recession. Fewer people are listening to the radio and ad revenue is insufficient. Attacks from the right accuse the network of having a liberal bias. Can these beloved media institutions survive? Shirley discusses the future of NPR with Boston Globe media reporter Aidan Ryan and NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Karen Read case initially caught the attention of a local group of diehards. But now it's hard to go anywhere in Massachusetts these days without finding strong opinions about a woman accused of murdering a Boston police officer. After a grueling eight-week trial, and a deadlocked jury, the judge declared a mistrial. This week, Shirley is joined again by Boston Globe reporter Sean Cotter, and Globe Opinion columnist Joan Vennochi to discuss the case and what comes next. They talk about the mistrial, similarities to the OJ trial, and what's up with Chloe the German shepherd. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One solution to burnout is simple: say NO to more stuff. Our plates are too full. It turns out, many people struggle with saying NO - especially women - especially at work. This phenomenon helped to birth the “No Club” - five women digging into the science of why we can't just say no to stuff and what to do about it. In a special bonus episode of our BEATING BURNOUT series, Shirley talks to two members of the No Club about what they have learned about work and life. Email us at saymore@globe.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.