All Of It with Alison Stewart

This month's Get Lit with All Of It October book club event is the novel King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby. The story follows a man determined to rescue his family from the clutches of a vengeful local gang, no matter the cost. We air parts of Cosby's conversation with guest host Tiffany Hanssen from earlier this year. To borrow your e-copy and get tickets to our October 28th Get Lit event with Cosby and musical guest Yaya Bey, click here.

For the month of October, the Criterion Channel will spotlight spooky films, including selections from the best horror of the 2000s to a collection of John Carpenter movies. Criterion curator Clyde Folley discusses scary movies, plus listeners share their favorite horror films of the 2000s.

A new documentary explores the groundbreaking legacy of Cincinnati’s King Records, showcasing racially-diverse artists such as James Brown, Hank Ballard, Little Willie John, and Grandpa Jones. Director Yemi Oyediran discusses his film, "King of Them All: The Story of King Records."

Fourteen years ago, director and producer Jezza Neumann followed a group of three Americans kids living below the poverty line. Now, more than a decade later, Neumann returns to these subjects to see how poverty has affected their young adulthood. Nuemann talks bout "Born Poor," which premieres on PBS Frontline on October 7.

Puerto Ricans have had tremendous impact on comics industry, but their contributions are often overlooked. A new exhibit at The New York Public Library seeks to change that. "¡Wepa!: Puerto Ricans in the World of Comics" opens on October 4th. Co-curators Paloma Celis Carbajal and Charles Cuykendall Carter join us to preview the exhibit.

Personal finance expert Kerry Hannon, co-author with Janna Herron of the book Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future, discusses the challenges facing Gen X as they begin to prepare to retire, suggests tips for a smooth transition into retirement, and takes listeners' calls.

Director Raoul Peck uses excerpts from George Orwell's diary alongside contemporary and historical footage to find new meaning in the author's work for the modern day. "Orwell: 2+2=5" is released in theaters today.

Director Kim A. Snyder discusses her new documentary called "The Librarians," which explores the role of libraries and the people who run them in today's politically fraught atmosphere. Focusing on librarians in Texas, responding to efforts to ban books about race and the LGBTQIA+ experience, the film illuminates a key angle in the conflict over access to information and art, and library patrons' so-called 'freedom to read.' Plus, New Jersey librarian Martha Hickson, who is featured in the film, shares her experiences and insights.

The novel The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and is a Kirkus Prize finalist. Author Kiran Desai discusses the novel, which tells the story of one couple throughout their lives in India and New York City.

In response to J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy, Georgiann Davis shares the story of how she went from a seventh-grade dropout to a celebrated professor of sociology. The University of New Mexico professor and author of Contesting Intersex: The Dubious Diagnosis joins us to discuss her new memoir, Five Star White Trash: A Memoir of Fraud and Family.

The Hudson Jazz Festival is taking place this weekend in Hudson from October 3-5. Vibraphonist Joel Ross is performing at Hudson Hall Mainstage on October 5, and Ross brings his vibes in to perform live, preview the festival, and discuss his most recent album, nublues, from 2024.

Gluten-free baked goods have a reputation of not being as good as a recipe that includes gluten. But after she was diagnosed with gluten intolerance, baker Aran Goyoaga has dedicated herself to elevating gluten-alternative baking. The result of her research and recipe testing is a new book, The Art of Gluten-Free Bread. Goyoaga discusses her story and listeners share their questions about gluten-free baking.

It's International Coffee Day, and to help celebrate, we'll run down some of the best places in the area to enjoy a cuppa joe, with Eater's lead Northeast editor, Melissa McCart.

In The Comic Book History of the Cocktail, Daily Beast columnist and award-winning author David Wondrich teams up with comics artist Dean Kotz to trace the evolution of the cocktail. Wondrich shares some of the techniques, recipes, and spirited approaches from the book.

In a new podcast, weight-based discrimination expert Virgie Tovar explores some of the troubling parts of the rise of drugs known as GLP-1s, and what it means for the movement towards body acceptance. Tovar joins us to discuss medical fatphobia, diet culture, the rapid adoption of weight loss drugs, and other topics covered on her podcast, 'GLP-1 Truth Serum.'

It's been 25 years since Coldplay released their debut album Parachutes, launching what would become one of the best-selling bands of the 21st century. Debs Wild was a scout for Universal Records in the late 90s and discover the fledgling band led by Chris Martin. She's also the co-author of the book, Life In Technicolor: A Celebration of Coldplay. She reflects on the band's debut album as part of our series Silver Liner Notes.

Rates of divorce in America are low, and have actually fallen nearly 50% since the 1980's. However, in one group the rates are rising. People over 50 are leaving their marriages in much higher numbers. We speak to relationship researchers Dana Weiser from Texas Tech University and Rosie Shrout at University of British Columbia about this phenomenon termed "the grey divorce" and take listener calls.

The new novel The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore tells the story of a woman who is contemplating making a trip to her home country of Colombia to discover more about where she came from, while being spoken to by the spirits of her deceased ancestors. Author Anika Fajardo discusses her debut novel for adults as part of our celebration of debut novelists for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Ramen is a staple quick and easy meal. The simple packet of noodles and seasoning can provide a great meal, but there are also ways to zhush up instant ramen. Peter J. Kim, founding director of Museum of Food and Drink and ramen enthusiast, has written a new cookbook, Instant Ramen Kitchen: 40+ Delicious Recipes That Go Beyond the Packet. Kim shares his favorite ways to make ramen at homer, and listener share their ramen hacks.

[REBROADCAST FROM July 10, 2025] Jonathan Adler's 30 year career is being celebrated at the Museum of Art & Design in a show titled "The Mad, MAD World of Jonathan Adler," which looks at his ceramic work over the past 30 years.

Paul Hollywood, chef and host of "The Great British Bake Off" shares tips on celebrating virtually any occasion from his new cookbook Celebrate: Joyful Baking All Year Round.

The New York Film Festival kicked off this weekend with a number of world premieres. Vulture film critic Fran Hoepfner talks about the festival so far, and previews some upcoming screenings, including Bradley Cooper's latest directorial work, a chaotic tale of parental exhaustion starring Rose Byrne and two documentaries about the situation in Gaza.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. The novel follows two Jewish cousins who create a popular comic book hero in the midst of World War II. Chabon joined us for a special Get Lit with All Of It book club event to discuss the novel 25 years later.

Silvana Estrada was just nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Singer-Songwriter Song, for "Como un Pájaro," which will appear on her upcoming album Vendrán Suaves Lluvias, out October 17. She performs live at WNYC's studio, and previews the album, as well as her upcoming National Sawdust show on Sunday.

On Sunday, WQXR’s Elliott Forrest will host Grammy-winning conductor Leonard Slatkin in The Greene Space for a conversation about the history of movie music, covering composers like John Williams, Rachel Portman, and Terence Blanchard. Forrest previews the event and takes listeners' calls about their favorite movie scores and composers.

Photographer Pamela Hanson has captured some of the world's most unique and iconic figures in fashion. Hanson recently released a new photography book, The '90s, featuring the pictures she took for clients, fashion magazines, and supermodels from that time period. Hanson reflects on the fashion and culture of the 1990s and listeners share their favorite '90s fashion item.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was released in US theaters on September 26, 1975. Adapted from a stage show which premiered in 1973, the story of the film's production is told in a new documentary directed by Linus O'Brien, son of "Rocky Horror" creator Richard O'Brien. Linus talks about "Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror," which premieres in theaters today. Plus, listeners talk about their favorite Rocky Horror memories, and what the story in its many forms means to them.

In the new series "Alien: Earth," Timothy Olyphant plays Kirsh, a fully artificial humanoid robot who is tasked with caring after a group of a new creation, robots that have been downloaded with human consciousness. That task gets a lot more complicated when a spaceship full of aliens crash lands on Earth. Olyphant discusses the series, which is available to stream now on Hulu.

As summer days shorten and autumn chills start to creep in, how should we be re-tuning our green thumbs for the seasonal changes? Plant Doctor Christopher Satch returns to the show to hear about your favorite houseplants and answer any questions about Fall plantcare.

In the 1980's federal agents got a tip about large shipments of heroin coming in through Chinatown. What they didn't know was the ring consisted of women recruited from local mahjong clubs. The host of the new podcast "The Chinatown Sting," Lidia Jean Kott, discusses the little known case that led to the top rungs of organized crime.

The NYC Yarn Crawl is this weekend -- an annual fall extravaganza in which fiber craft lovers off all kinds visit knitting stores across Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are events! Discounts! Scavenger hunts! And the opportunity to "touch, squeeze and sniff all the latest yarns," all while in community with fellow knitters. Kiana Malekzadeh, owner of West Village Knit and Needle, one of the stores on the Crawl previews the event.

The series "Climate Town" began when comedian Rollie Williams decided to go back to school for a master's degree in climate science and policy. It's since grown into a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers and a podcast, The Climate Deniers Playbook, in which co-hosts Williams and Nicole Conlan sift through climate misinformation. Williams and Conlan share their insights on using comedy to communicate complex and often unsettling truths about climate change.

Climate change is reshaping how people live, and where they live. If you're a homeowner, or looking to become one, extreme weather, heat, droughts, and floods are important factors to consider. That's true if you're renting too. New York Times finance reporters Ron Lieber and Tara Siegel Bernard share the advice from their guide to owning a home and foreseeing climate risks, and take listeners' questions.

Today marks the opening of the Whitney's major exhibition this fall, "Sixties Surreal." The exhibition displays the work of over 100 American artists made during the years 1958-1972, and makes the case that early 20th century Surrealism inspired a new kind of surrealist influence during a turbulent era of American history. Whitney curators Dan Nadel and Laura Phipps talk about the exhibition, on view through January 19.

SoHa, NoBat, NoCal, BoHo, GoCaGa. In NYC, the lines that deliniate one neighborhood from another can be blurry, and it gets even more confusing when 'neighborhood re-brandings' occur. So, why do neighborhoods get re-named or subdivided, and how do these changes relate to things like gentrification, politics and the real estate industry? Greg Young, co-host of The Bowery Boys podcast talks about the history and impact of neighborhood re-brandings. Plus, listeners call in to talk about what it means to them to belong to a neighborhood of a certain name.

In the new novel Archive of Unknown Universes, author Ruben Reyes Jr. allows his characters to literally explore alternate versions of history: one version where the Salvadoran war ends in a peace treaty, and another where the government wins. Reyes Jr discuses the novel, his debut.

NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik and Vulture senior editor Jesse David Fox share their thoughts and reporting about the Trump administration's efforts to tamp down critique from late night comedy talkshow hosts like Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.

Comedian Lou Wall discusses their internet age stand-up act, called 'Breaking The Fifth Wall,' which The Guardian called 'silly and profound.'

The new play "The Other Americans" was written by John Leguizamo, and stars Leguizamo as a laundromat owner in Queens who is grappling with secrets and trying to keep his business afloat. Things come to a head when his son, Nick, played by Trey Santiago-Hudson, returns from a stay at a mental health facility. Leguizamo and Santiago-Hudson discuss the play, which is running at the Public Theater through October 19.

Author Angela Flournoy joins to discuss her new novel, The Wilderness. It follows 20 years of friendship in the lives of a group of Black women in New York and Los Angeles. The novel is a finalist for the Kirkus Prize.

Fall is here, and in addition to pumpkin spice everything, there's a new crop of TV and streaming shows premiering. From hit drama series like 'The Diplomat' and 'Slow Horses' to newcomers like 'The Lowdown' and 'Task', and forthcoming comedies from Tim Robinson and Rachel Sennott, Vulture critic Kathryn Van Arendonk shares her picks of what to watch this season.

A new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art spotlights the work of John Wilson, a Boston-born artist who dedicated his career to creating art about the Black American experience. Curators Jennifer Farrell and Leslie King Hammond discuss "Witnessing Humanity: The Art of John Wilson," which is showing at the Met through February 8, 2026.

[REBROADCAST FROM October 7, 2020] Before her passing last week, Art collector Agnes Gund was well known for her philanthropic work, selling prized art pieces to contribute to significant social justice funds. A documentary, “Aggie,” from Emmy-nominated director Catherine Gund, her daughter, puts the spotlight on her activism. The two of them join us to discuss the film.

More publications are beginning to rethink how they approach cultural criticism, and some have eliminated those positions altogether. But what do we lose when there are fewer cultural criticisms? Charlotte Klein, a features writer and media columnist for New York Magazine, discusses her recent piece "Do Media Organizations Even Want Cultural Criticism?" Plus, listeners call in to share what value, if any, cultural criticism has brought to their lives.

“Speak,” new documentary, takes a look inside the world of competitive high school public speaking. Co-directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman plus two of the film’s subjects, Esther Oyetunji and Mfaz Mohamed Ali join to discuss.

The new FX series "The Lowdown" stars Ethan Hawke as an amateur sleuth who becomes obsessed with getting to the bottom of a mysterious death in Tulsa. The show's creator, writer, director, and executive producer Sterlin Harjo joins to discuss the series, which premieres September 23.

If you are a beneficiary to an estate when a loved one dies, or if you’re planning on creating an estate plan, there is a lot to sort through. Katrina Robinson, CEO of Teton Trust joins to share a basic checklist and take listener calls.

Our latest installment of Full Bio focuses on the life of writer James Baldwin, a literary master and essential figure of the Civil Rights movement. Nicholas Boggs discusses his new biography, Baldwin: A Love Story. Nicholas Boggs discusses his new biography, Baldwin: A Love Story. [00:00] Baldwin's early life and work[26:26] Baldwin's career and life in Paris[51:46] Baldwin's later life and civil rights work

After losing nearly $100,000 to a serial fraudster, former 'Shark Tank' and 'American Ninja Warrior' producer Johnathan Walton decided to pivot to making an investigative podcast, "Queen of the Con." He uncovered dozens of other alleged victims. Now, he has published his first book, Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters and Thieves.

Thursday marks the opening of a new survey at El Museo Del Barrio of artist Coco Fusco. The Cuban-American artist was born in New York, the daughter of a Cuban exile, and has used video, performance, installation, photography, and writing to speak out with her art. Fusco discusses the landmark exhibition, "Tomorrow, I Will Become an Island," on view through January 11.