The Sunday Read: ‘Spirited Away to Miyazaki Land’
19 March 2023 - 54 minsAs an American, Sam Anderson knows what it feels like to arrive at a theme park. “The totalizing consumerist embrace,” he writes. “The blunt-force, world-warping, escapist delight.” He has known theme parks with entrances like “international borders” and ticket prices like “mortgage payments.” Mr. Anderson has been to Disney World, which he describes as “an alternate reality that basically occupies its own tax zone.”
In November, when Ghibli Park finally opened, Mr. Anderson made sure to get himself there. The park is a tribute to the legendary Studio Ghibli, first started by the animator Hayao Miyazaki in 1985, out of desperation, when he and his co-founders, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuk...
The Crackdown on Student Protesters
Columbia University has become the epicenter of a growing showdown between student protesters, college administrators and Congress over the war in Gaza and the limits of free speech. Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics and government for The Times, walks us through the intense week at the university. And Isabella Ramírez, the editor in chief of Columbia’s undergraduate newspaper, explains what it has all looked like to a student on campus. Guest: Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics and government for The New York Times Isabella Ramírez, editor in chief of the Columbia Daily Spectator
38 mins
25 April Finished
Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
Lawmakers approved a giant new tranche of support for Ukraine late last night after a tortured passage through the U.S. Congress, where it was nearly derailed by right-wing resistance in the House. Marc Santora, a Times reporter in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, explains what effect the money could have, given Ukraine’s increasing desperation on the battlefield. Guest: Marc Santora, who covers Ukraine for The New York Times.
29 mins
24 April Finished
A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
The prosecution and the defense both opened their cases on Monday in the first criminal trial of Donald Trump. Jonah Bromwich, who watched from inside the courtroom, walks us through the arguments. Guest: Jonah E. Bromwich, a reporter for The New York Times covering criminal justice in New York.
29 mins
23 April Finished
The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
The outbreak of bird flu currently tearing through the nation’s poultry is the worst in U.S. history. Scientists say it is now spreading beyond farms into places and species it has never been before. Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The Times, explains. Guest: Emily Anthes, a science reporter for The New York Times.
22 mins
22 April Finished
Sunday Special: 'Modern Love'
The chef Samin Nosrat lives by the idea that food is love. Her Netflix series, “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” and the James Beard Award-winning cookbook that inspired it, were about using food to build community and forge connections. Since then, all of her creative projects and collaborations have focused on inspiring people to cook, and eat, with their friends and loved ones. After the recent loss of her father, Samin has gained an even deeper understanding of what it means to savor a meal — or even an hour — with loved ones. This week, she reads an essay about exactly that: “You May Want to Marry My Husband” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. It’s one of the most-read Modern Love essays ever.
30 mins
21 April Finished
The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
Debates over homeless encampments in the United States have intensified as their number has surged. To tackle the problem, some cities have enforced bans on public camping. As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments about whether such actions are legal, Abbie VanSickle, who covers the court for The Times, discusses the case and its far-reaching implications. Guest: Abbie VanSickle, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.
29 mins
19 April Finished