Elif Shafak is the most widely read woman writer in Turkey. Critics have called her "one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Turkish and world literature." Her books, which have been translated into more than thirty languages, include The Bastard of Istanbul
by Elif Shafak
A writer's self-imposed isolation draws her closer to her neighbors.
by Edgar Oliver
Three literary pilgrims search for a beloved author.
Warren Macdonald is the author of A Test of Will: One Man's Extraordinary Story of Survival and the first double above knee amputee to climb Africa's tallest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro.
A hiker details his journey home through a trial by stone.
by Jenny Allen
A woman decides whether she's a wig person or a scarf person while undergoing chemotherapy.
Jennifer Sodini now works as an analyst for a medical consulting company. She says she spends the rest of her time DJ-ing, playing pinball, and telling stories. She is currently the producer and host of the Chicago storytelling/live music show called The First Time.
Jennifer Sodini weighs the dangers of sprinting past a stranger or her neighbor in her skivvies.
Julie Kraut is a writer living in New York. She is the co-author of Hot Mess and author of Slept Away, both young adult novels.
by Julie Kraut
A friendship made overseas must withstand the toils of international travel.
Dr. George Lombardi is a lifelong New Yorker, where he's in private practice.
A young doctor is whisked halfway across the globe to care for an ailing international religious icon. This story was produced in collaboration with the World Science Festival.
Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee is a staff oncologist at Columbia University Medical Center, and won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for his book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.
An oncologist struggles with the way death is handled in his country. This story was produced in collaboration with the World Science Festival.
Lisa Jackson was the first African American Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, serving from 2008 to 2013.
by Lisa Jackson
The administrator of the EPA tells how the disaster in New Orleans shaped her as a civil servant. This story was produced in collaboration with the World Science Festival.
by Shewit Zerai
A teenager rebels after her brother is disowned.
Anthony Giglio is a wine and spirits expert, a writer, an educator, and a raconteur. He has a weekly column at details.com in the food and drink section.
A white collar son makes peace with his blue collar father.