Gabfest Reads: How Tana French Uses Genre Tropes to Tell Great Human Stories

Emily Bazelon talks with authors Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy, about their new book, Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals. They discuss the evolution of animal treatment in America, moral duties to animals, and how to care about more animals than our pets.  Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the differences between moving around New York in 1991 and 2021; remembering 9/11 twenty years later; and more.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 12. September 2021 Notebooks to Garret Notebook 75, page 13. September 2021 Can you make a typo with handwriting? What’s a typo with handwriting called? Notebook 4. 1991 We have to unplug the light to run the vacuum, so we do a lot of our vacuuming in the dark. Notebook 75. September 11, 2021 Fritz want something? References: Smythson Notebooks in Blue 9/11 ceremonies, events and coverage on 20th anniversary - CBS News Richard Drew on Photographing the “Falling Man” of 9/11 - CBS News Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the latest New York Times presidential poll and the Maryland primary results; the presidential debates; and who’s talking inside and outside Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial courtroom.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Nate Cohn for The New York Times: Trump Leads in 5 Key States, as Young and Nonwhite Voters Express Discontent With Biden and Battleground Polling Shows Ticket-Splitting Pattern Aaron Navarro for CBS News: Biden to tout Microsoft expansion in Wisconsin Matt Bush for NPR: Maryland Democrats pick Angela Alsobrooks to take on Hogan for open U.S. Senate seat Betsy Klein, Michael Williams, and Kristen Holmes for CNN: Biden and Trump agree to 2 presidential debates, with first set for June 27 on CNN @JoeBiden on X Perry Stein for The Washington Post: Michael Cohen seemed to have delivered for prosecutors – if jurors believe him Ed Mazza for HuffPost: George Conway Goes There With Scathing Personal Challenge For ‘Wuss’ Trump Stephen Collinson for CNN: Why Johnson’s appearance at Manhattan courthouse stands out among Republicans backing up Trump Politico: ‘Embarrassing’: Romney calls out GOP who attended Trump trial   Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Netflix’s Duran Duran: There’s Something You Should Know; HBO’s The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart; Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing’s Joan Baez: I Am A Noise; Netflix’s The Greatest Night In Pop; HBO’s Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed; Netflix’s Wham!; and Think Film’s Festival Express John: The Daily Report with John Dickerson for CBS News  David: Brown Revisited: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and Warner Bros. Pictures’ They Shall Not Grow Old Listener chatter from Rob Jones in Seattle, Washington: SmarterEveryDay on YouTube: How to Surface a Submarine in the Arctic Ocean   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Emily talks with Azeen Ghorayshi of The New York Times about The Cass Review. See Azeen Ghorayshi for The New York Times: Hilary Cass Says U.S. Doctors Are ‘Out of Date’ on Youth Gender Medicine. See also Claire Rush for AP: Idaho’s ban on youth gender-affirming care has families desperately scrambling for solutions and Jonathan Chait for the Intelligencer: CPAC Speaker Urges Eradication of Trans Rights.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the Pomodoro Routine (among other productivity routines), why he especially needs a meditation pillow, and how a particular teacher captured his heart.      Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, pages 8 and 9. September 2021 OReinstating the Pomodoro Routine… Starting Marshall again… Write Brice… Send Laura the larger project list… Work on budget to get accounts in order Meditation pillow upstairs. Notebook 18. December 6, 2009 Instapaper Alpha Smart Richard Hugo on poetry Degrees of Gray In Philipsburg. Notebook 18, page 105. June 4, 2011 Visit to Mr. Mead. He was playing piano as we entered. [During our conversation, he asked]: do you find your work fulfilling? Do you have a close circle of friends? Questions about life and living it well… References: Getting Things Done - David Allen The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey  The Questions That Will Get Me Through the Pandemic - John Dickerson 43 Folders - Merlin Mann  The Hardest Job in the World - John Dickerson Essays of E.B. White “Merlin Mann” - Tina Essmaker for The Great Disconnect More about Ernest “Boots” Mead “Because Buying New Running Shoes is More Fun Than Actually Running” - Merlin Mann for 43 Folders Atomic Habits - James Clear The Creative Habit - Twyla Tharp Free Agent Nation - Daniel Pink “Sharon Salzberg On: Openness, Not Believing the Stories You Tell Yourself, and Why the Most Powerful Tools Often Seem Stupid at First” - Ten Percent Happier Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss Stormy Daniels’s testimony in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial; marijuana rescheduling; and the media’s role and responsibility in defending democracy.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Josh Gerstein for Politico: Stormy spoke. Trump fumed. Jurors were captivated – but also cringed. Ivana Saric for Axios: Status of Trump’s criminal cases Li Zhou for Vox: Marijuana could be classified as a lower-risk drug. Here’s what that means. Sam Tabachnik for The Denver Post: Black market marijuana grows are popping up faster than law enforcement can take them down. But is legalization the cause? John Ingold for The Colorado Sun: What have we learned about the arguments for and against legalized marijuana in the past 10 years? Nathaniel Meyersohn for CNN: The dark side of the sports betting boom C-SPAN: President Biden Remarks at White House Correspondents’ Dinner Ben Smith for Semafor: Joe Kahn: ‘The newsroom is not a safe space’ Dan Pfeiffer for Message Box: Why Biden Won’t Do a New York Times Interview and A Response to the Editor of the New York Times Matthew Yglesias and Brian Beutler for the Politix Podcast: The Times, They Aren’t A Changin’ Charles Homans for The New York Times Magazine: Donald Trump Has Never Sounded Like This Eli Stokols for Politico: The Petty Feud Between the NYT and the White House Here are this week’s chatters:  Emily: Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice by David S. Tatel  John: Gina Kolata for The New York Times: Locks of Beethoven’s Hair Offer New Clues to the Mystery of His Deafness David: Randy Yohe for West Virginia Public Broadcasting: W.Va. Gubernatorial Campaign Attack Ads Vilify Transgender Children and Kyndall Cunningham for Vox: The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud, explained Listener chatter from Justin and Katie in Columbus, Ohio: Keziah Weir for Vanity Fair: The Vatican’s Secret Role in the Science of IVF.      For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Emily Lawler, Detroit Free Press. See Emily Lawler for the Detroit Free Press: Voters’ voices in Saginaw County; John Wisely: Legal troubles don’t dampen Trump enthusiasm as he visits Michigan; and Paul Egan: As Trump visits, Michigan bellwether Saginaw County is feeling its political juice. See also Arpan Lobo: Michigan lawmaker says ‘illegal invaders’ landed at DTW. They were NCAA basketball teams.   In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses an onboarding memo for his assistant Laura, and recounts his early days living and working in New York City.    Notebook Entries: Notebook 75 Onboard memo for Laura Notebook 3, page 44. May 1991 June 17 start job. Good stuff Notebook 3, page 46. May 1991 Tips on buying renting in NYC Ask about broker 20s and 30s East side. Murry Hill Live on no major avenue Interest bearing account for security deposit Medeco locks Notebook 4, page 15 Scared standing on 34th and Broadway $6 cab fare Notebook 4, page 42 Getting lost in the village References: The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes by Clifton Fadiman  Medeco Locks “Here is New York” by E.B. White “Silly Job Interview” - Monty Python  John Cleese on Creativity in Management Herbie Hancock: Miles Davis’ Essential Lesson On Mistakes   Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at [email protected]   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the increasing and increasingly violent campus protests of Israel’s war in Gaza, Emily’s article on How ‘History and Tradition’ Rulings Are Changing American Law, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s chances of a vice presidential nomination after killing her dog and writing about it.   Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: April Rubin, Kavya Beheraj, Tory Lysik, and Will Chase for Axios: Mapped: Where pro – Palestinian student protesters have been arrested Sharon Otterman and Santul Nerkar for The New York Times: As Protests Grow, Universities Choose Different Ways to End Unrest Mary Harris for Slate’s What Next podcast: Columbia Cracks Down The University of Chicago: Report on the University’s Role in Political and Social Action Jonathan Chait for New York’s Intelligencer: Why the Right Loves the Anti-Israel Encampments Abigail Hauslohner for The Washington Post: House passes antisemitism bill over complaints from First Amendment advocates Alexander Bolton for The Hill: Democrats split over campus protest crackdown Emily Bazelon for The New York Times: How ‘History and Tradition’ Rulings Are Changing American Law Regulations on YouTube Calvinball on Wikipedia The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law: A Conversation with Justice Amy Coney Barrett Ian Millhiser for Vox: The Supreme Court appears poised to rein in its worst decision on guns Ulysses S. Grant Revealed: President Ulysses S. Grant On The U.S. Constitution Martin Pengelly for The Guardian: Trump VP contender Kristi Noem writes of killing dog – and goat – in new book PBS American Experience: Nixon’s Checkers Speech Marc A. Caputo for The Bulwark: Trump: ‘Marco has this residency problem.’ Here are this week’s chatters: Emily: Gal Beckerman for The Atlantic: A Prominent Free-Speech Group Is Fighting for Its Life John: Sonja Anderson for Smithsonian Magazine: This Newly Deciphered Papyrus Scroll Reveals the Location of Plato’s Grave David: Kenny Holston for The New York Times: Inside a Navy Submarine Navigating the Arctic Listener chatter from Christina in Philadelphia: Marina Bolotnikova for Vox: Mega drive-throughs explain everything wrong with American cities; Wikipedia: Third place; Jake Blumgart for The Philadelphia Inquirer: Starbucks plans a new Center City location with no restrooms or seating; and Marin Cogan for Vox: The deadliest road in America.      For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk with Professor Deborah Tuerkheimer about the Harvey Weinstein case in New York. See Hurubie Meko and Maia Coleman for The New York Times: Prosecutors Say They Plan to Retry Harvey Weinstein as Soon as the Fall and Maria Cramer: Here are five takeaways from the overturned conviction. See also Deborah Tuerkheimer for CNN: Reversal in Harvey Weinstein case isn’t the demise of sex crimes prosecution and Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers by Deborah Tuerkheimer.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.    Notebook Entries:   Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021 1016   Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990 -       Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury -       Girls skipping -       The Haunch of Venison -       Chris     References: Georgia O’Keeffe Museum A Little History of the World by E.H Gombrich Artist Jeff Koons “The Art of Divination: D.H. Lawrence on the Power of Pure Attention” by Maria Popova for The Marginalian “Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall Labels” for Political Gabfest  One Woman Show by Christine Coulson “Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music” for CBS News A Journey Around My Room by Xavier De Maistre “Just think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind” by Timothy Wilson, et.al for Science “Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves” by Emily Anthes for the New York Times One Man’s Meat by E.B. White   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at [email protected]    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen.   Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss the testimony of prosecution witness David Pecker in Donald Trump’s criminal trial, student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, and the Supreme Court argument on presidential immunity.    Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:  Matthew Haag for The New York Times: David Pecker, Ex-National Enquirer Publisher, Details How He Aided Trump Richard L. Hasen in the Los Angeles Times: Opinion: Why it’s hard to muster even a ‘meh’ over Trump’s New York criminal trial J. David Goodman, David Montgomery, Jonathan Wolfe, and Jenna Russell for The New York Times: Campus Protests Over Gaza Intensify Amid Pushback by Universities and Police Spectator Editorial Board for the Columbia Spectator: Is Columbia in crisis? Minouche Shafik in The Wall Street Journal: Columbia University President: What I Plan to Tell Congress Tomorrow David Schizer in CNN: Opinion: To combat antisemitism, start by following the law Michael C. Dorf for Verdict: Federal Antidiscrimination Law Does Not Require Campus Crackdowns J Oliver Conroy for The Guardian: ‘Media firestorm’: Israel protest at professor’s home sparks heated free-speech debate C-SPAN: Supreme Court Hears Case on Former President Trump’s Immunity Claim Ann Marimow for The Washington Post: Supreme Court seems poised to allow Trump trial, but not immediately Ian Millhiser for Vox: Donald Trump already won the only Supreme Court fight that mattered Here are this week’s chatters: John: Stephen Clark for Ars Technica: Recoding Voyager 1—NASA’s interstellar explorer is finally making sense again Emily: Abbie VanSickle for The Washington Post: Supreme Court Appeals Sharply Divided in Emergency Abortion Case and Angela Palermo for The Spokesman-Review: Idaho has lost 22% of its practicing obstetricians in the last 15 months, report say David: Exploring a Secret Fort on airbnb; City Cast: Work with us.; and Eve O. Schaub for The Washington Post: Don’t waste your time recycling plastic Listener chatter from Michael Starr in New York City: Patrick Page in All The Devils Are Here; Richard the Third by Paul Murray Kendall; and Nancy Shute for NPR: No Hunch Here: Richard III Suffered From Scoliosis Instead   For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, David, John, and Emily talk about a question before the Supreme Court: can a city regulate homelessness? See Amy Howe for SCOTUSblog: Court divided over constitutionality of criminal penalties for homelessness; Esteban L. Hernandez and Meira Gebel for Axios: Supreme Court weighs case that could affect Denver’s approach to homelessness and Alayna Alvarez: Denver’s urban camping ban brings 10 years of turmoil; and Eli Saslow and Todd Heisler for The New York Times: A Sandwich Shop, a Tent City and an American Crisis.    In the latest Gabfest Reads, John talks with David E. Sanger about his new book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West.   Email your chatters, questions, and comments to [email protected]. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Research by Julie Huygen   Hosts Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s essay, John dives deep into the loss of his beloved dog, George, the essayist’s dilemma, the comfort of quiet mornings, and more.   Notebook Entries: Notebook 75, page 5. September 5, 2021 I go to the morning alone.   Notebook 75, page 6. September 6, 2021 Phantom nails on the stairs     References: “Every Dog Is a Rescue Dog” by John Dickerson for The Atlantic “Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds” by Miho Nagasawa et.al for Science Haikus by Jennifer Gurney “Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?” by Arthur C. Brooks for The Atlantic “The Family Dog Is in Sync With Your Kids” by Gretchen Reynolds for The New York Times   Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Email us at [email protected]    Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/navelgazingplus to get access wherever you listen. Host John Dickerson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices