Episodes

  • Marilyn Monroe

    Marilyn Monroe
    Feb 3 2024
    This is an irreverent yet poignant 10,000-word glimpse into the remarkable journey of Marilyn Monroe, from her childhood as Norma Jeane languishing in the foster system to her meteoric rise and untimely death as Hollywood's most legendary blonde bombshell. With empathy and wit, the piece traces the magic, tragedy, scandals, and enduring mystique behind both the woman and myth of Marilyn Monroe - one of fame's most incandescent yet cautionary tales.
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    6 mins
  • Henry Kissinger

    Henry Kissinger
    Feb 3 2024
    Henry Kissinger was an influential but polarizing U.S. statesman who served as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford in the 1970s. He played a major role shaping foreign policy, including détente with the Soviet Union and opening relations with China.However, Kissinger also significantly escalated U.S. military involvement in Vietnam and oversaw secret bombing campaigns in Cambodia which killed thousands of civilians. Critics accuse him of war crimes and backing repressive regimes in Latin America, Africa and Asia.Kissinger was lauded by supporters as a brilliant realist strategist, but vilified by human rights advocates for his reliance on cold power calculations over moral concerns. After leaving office, he founded a lucrative international consulting firm Kissinger Associates that kept him actively engaged with global leaders.Now in his 100s, Kissinger's outsized diplomatic career left a divisive legacy with his policies and actions praised by some but reviled by others as war crimes for which he avoided accountability. He remained an influential voice in geopolitics until his death, with his role in key historical events of the 20th century still hotly debated.
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    18 mins
  • Harrison Ford

    Harrison Ford
    Feb 3 2024
    This is the life story of acclaimed actor Harrison Ford, chronicling his unconventional path from unknown carpenter to one of Hollywood’s highest-grossing leading men. It tracks his early acting struggles, big break playing Han Solo in Star Wars, and rise to stardom through iconic roles like Indiana Jones. Now entering his fifth decade in the business, the biography looks at Ford’s staying power as a beloved cinematic hero and bankable star, as well as his determination to keep pursuing his craft into his 80s. Captivating from modest beginnings to an accidental career defining classic film characters, it offers behind-the-scenes insight into the prolific actor.
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    9 mins
  • Ed Sheeran

    Ed Sheeran
    Feb 3 2024
    This is the story of how an average teenager from small-town England, armed with only a guitar and innate songwriting talent, rose to become one of the biggest musical artists in the world in the span of a single decade. Charting Ed Sheeran’s journey from self-producing albums in his bedroom to breaking sales records globally, selling out stadiums as a solo act, and earning elite pop icon status, this biography looks at the phenomenal career of the first decade that made Sheeran a household name.
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    11 mins
  • Bob Marley

    Bob Marley
    Feb 3 2024
    Bob Marley was born in rural Jamaica in 1945 to a black mother and older white father. Raised with African folk traditions and converting to Rastafarianism as a teen, Marley championed black empowerment and human rights through his influential music. After early pop success with his band The Wailers, an assassination attempt in 1976 cemented Marley’s mythical status. His album Exodus made him an international icon blending reggae with rock to spread his message globally.Diagnosed with fatal cancer at age 36, Marley undertook a demanding final tour and album before dying in 1981. His funeral in Jamaica drew massive crowds. Marley achieved unprecedented fame for a musician embracing African identity and speaking against inequality. His sound and image as the King of Reggae lives on through endless musical covers and generations of artists carrying his influence. Beyond music, Marley leaves an enduring legacy as a cultural icon who taught marginalized groups not to compromise their heritage to fit society's molds.
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    18 mins