October 4, 2021

Duke Professor Kate Bowler’s relationship with God was put to the test when she was diagnosed with stage four cancer at the age of 35. Now the bestselling author is out with a new memoir, "No Cure for Being Human," in which she confronts what she calls the absurdity of the self-help industry and encourages us to find comfort instead in our limitations. She speaks with Michel Martin about all this.

The Pandora Papers have uncovered a Who’s Who of billionaires, celebrities and public officials engaged in illegal and unethical activities that run contrary to their public pronouncements. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists led the multinational investigation and its director joins the show to reveal what they found, how they pulled it off and why it matters.

A former product manager at Facebook has gone publicwith the accusation that the company uses its platforms to spread hate and misinformation. Frances Haugen has released tens of thousands of pages of corporate documents to back up her claims, and laid out her case on 60 Minutes this weekend. Haugen is due to testify before the Senate. Sheela Frenkel joins the show to discuss.

The release of a new Jonathan Franzen novel has come to be something of an event in the literary world. His new book "Crossroads," set in 1971, tells the story of the Hildebrandt family as it struggles with morality, faith, and family bonds. The novel has received enthusiastic reviews. Franzen joins the show from California to discuss his approach to the art of fiction writing.