When Book Bans Came to Small Town New Jersey
7 December 2022 - 44 mins explicitThis episode contains strong language.
In the contentious debate over who controls what happens in America’s schools, a new battleground has emerged: library books.
This is the story of what happened when parents in one town in New Jersey tried to remove a handful of books that they said were explicit and sexually inappropriate — and the battle that ensued.
Guest: Alexandra Alter, a reporter covering publishing and the literary world for The New York Times.
Background reading:
As highly visible and politicized book bans have exploded across the United States, librarians — accustomed to being seen as dedicated public servants in their communities — have found themselves on the front l...
Series Episodes
Call My A.I. Agent
Muse, Meta’s A.I. agent, helped a Times reporter with dental insurance, dinner reservations and more. It also required his trust.
27 mins
6 October Finished
Midterm Surprise: Democrats Are Surging in Red America
Our chief political analyst breaks down the latest polling before next month’s elections.
27 mins
5 October Finished
The Restaurant Industry Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed?
If you dine out regularly, you might have noticed some changes in restaurants over the past few years. Perhaps you’ve found yourself ordering at a counter, scanning a QR code to see the menu, or eating … a lot more soft serve. These changes aren’t just trends. Brett Anderson, a New York Times food reporter, says they are restaurant owners’ desperate attempts to stay afloat in an industry in crisis. According to a report from the National Restaurant Association, 42 percent of restaurant owners said they weren’t profitable in 2025. Many of them were at serious risk of closing. In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” Brett talks with our host Michael Barbaro about the economic realities that are forcing businesses to rethink the entire concept of a restaurant, including a radical experiment at one Minneapolis diner that stopped charging for food entirely.
37 mins
4 October Finished
Chris Rock Has Been Thinking About Forgiveness
The comedian and filmmaker on what real friendship looks like, what keeps him up at night and his new movie, "Misty Green."
1 hour 2 mins
3 October Finished
The Firestorm Over a Rape Allegation at Cornell
The New York Times has reviewed a trove of documents related to the case. Our reporter explains what we know.
31 mins
2 October Finished
Why Washington Is Trying to Rein In College Sports
Money has exploded in college sports, and Congress is trying to do something about it.
29 mins
1 October Finished
