Thomas Beller tells the story of how we go from innocently amusing ourselves, to less innocent activities—all in the pursuit of happiness. It's an excerpt from his novel The Sleep-over Artist. (7 minutes)
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Act Three: Fraught Couture
A government agent steals a suit that’s supposed to make her invisible.
Act Four: Resurrection
Writer Brady Udall with another story about what animals can take the place of, in our lives and in our homes—this one involving an armadillo.
Act One: Lopsided Tannenbaum
A fictional story written and read by Maile Meloy about a family that encounters two peculiar strangers in the snow on Christmas Day.
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The story of Harold Washington and the white backlash that was set off when he became Chicago's first black mayor.