A Mishmash of Things to Read and Listen to When You are on the Edge

Today’s post includes some of the best podcast episodes I’ve listened to and top articles I’ve read in the last week:

Sal Khan on How I Built This: This podcast interview of Sal Khan, who started Khan Academy after remotely tutoring his cousins (voluntarily), is a winner. The episode is appealing both because Khan seems like a sweet man – self-deprecating and funny – and because he has committed to keeping Khan Academy a non-profit, even though he could be making millions or billions otherwise. He came from a disadvantaged childhood and excelled despite his circumstances. You will feel better about humanity after listening to this interview.

“My Three Fathers” in the October 5 issue of the New Yorker: This is a beautiful personal account by author Ann Patchett, who wrote the Pen/Faulkner Award winning book Bel Canto. (I recommend the book also.) Patchett does a beautiful job rendering the personality quirks and even psychopathology of each of her mother’s husbands and how their idiosyncrasies in turn affected Patchett’s own life and writing career.

“Switzerland” in the New Yorker – I hesitate to recommend this piece because this short story by Nicole Kraus is not a pick-me-up, and times are obviously tough nowadays. But, as usual, Kraus grabs the reader and won’t let go. After reading the short story, see this accompanying interview of Kraus in which she addresses questions about the piece.