Seven Must-Listen This American Life Episodes

I love this topic Rachael! Here are my top six in no particular order:

#246: My Pen Pal
#188: Kid Logic
#322: Shouting Across the Divide
#172: 24 Hours at the Golden Apple
#275: Two Steps Back
#225: Home Movies

Okay, now I want to go on a road trip to Atlanta so I can listen to like five episodes in a row.

#115: First Day on the Job. The 14-minute squirrel cop segment might be the funniest story I've ever heard in any format. http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio_episode.aspx?episode=115

Totally agree with Josh about the First Day on the Job.
I think Notes on Camp is one of the best. That was the first one I ever heard and still think it is my favorite.

As a side note, Ira followed the youth group I was leading from Chicago on a missions trip for an episode called "A Teenagers Guide to God" #147. Ira was amazing and did a great job with us to tell the story of our trip. I respect him and his show is amazing

I love Heretics and Matchmakers. I remember trying to explain the newborn nursery story to my roommate the next day and I could not do it justice.

I think the first episode I listened to was #335 "Big Wide World" about Haider, the teenager in Iraq.

#241: 20 Acts in 60 Minutes
Instead of the usual 3-5 stories, this episode manages to squeeze in 20 terrific vignettes. Favorites: Tate Donovan's embarrassing encounter with a fan, and two brothers' determination to come up with the best dog name ever.

#339: Break-Up
Starlee Kine's attempt to bounce back from a break-up ends up involving Phil Collins. The REAL Phil Collins. A must for anyone who's been brokenhearted ... or Genesis fans.

I became a TAL fan as I sat in the parking lot of a hardware store, unable to leave the radio, with tears of laughter streaming down my face from the squirrel cop story.

The episode "Fiasco" is, and always has been my favorite. They are the best audio stories I have ever heard.

Episode 209 Didn't ask to be born: Brent Runyon tells the story of the day in eighth grade that he set himself on fire ... and what led to that. He wasn't a loner, he had friends, his mother was a teacher, his parents took an interest in his life.
Episode 195:Losing the War: An excerpt from a story that writer Lee Sandlin wrote for the Chicago Reader about what it is that makes wartime different and about the particular psychology of being at war.
Episode 194: Before and After: Act One. In the After of Before and After.

Lynn Simpson worked on the 89th floor of the World Trade Center. She escaped, along with the rest of her office, and now is trying to figure out what it means that's she's alive, and how her life is different now. (13 minutes)

Act Two. Watching from the River's Edge.

David Rakoff tells the story of the day that used to hold the record as the worst disaster in New York history: June 15th, 1904, when the steamship The General Slocum, caught fire and sank in the Hudson river, killing 1,013 passengers. Almost everyone aboard was from one neighborhood in New York, and by all accounts, that neighborhood was never the same again. (9 minutes)

#323 -- The Super
The first act is amazing. This episode, like several other, proves true life stories can be better than fiction.

The excerpt from the website follows:
"Reporter Jack Hitt tells the story of how he helped organize tenants and threaten a rent strike in a New York City building back in the 1980s. Before long, Bob, the building super, became his enemy. The situation got pretty ugly. Mobster ugly. Bob began to brag about how important he was in his native Brazil, how he could kill a person and be immune from prosecution. It was only many years later that Jack found out how dangerous Bob really was. (21 minutes)"

Episode 205, Plan B, is my favorite episode. "There's the thing you plan to do, and then there's the thing you end up doing. Most of us start off our lives with some Plan A which we abandon...switching to a Plan B, which becomes our life."

I love all the ones you mentioned. Also, 24 hours at the golden apple is a wonderful set of stories.
You mentioned #355 The Global Pool of money, which is a wonderful episode about the financial crisis. Everyone should also listen to #365 Another Frightening Show About the Economy, because it explains how the collapse of mortgage backed securities began to affect companies with no exposure to mortgage backed securities. Basically, the idea is that it created a liquidity trap by putting the commercial paper(super short term loans) market on hold, but you should listen to it yourselves.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1263

Using a pretty unscientific approach, I collected my own list of the most-loved This American Life episodes a while back:

http://bit.ly/lYclX

Total agreement with Mike, 'The Super' is amazing.

Oh, and when do we get to see the top WNYC Radiolab shows?

#065: Who's Canadian?
I'm Canadian, but I think even if you aren't, it's still a fantastic show. David Rakoff is in fine form.
And ditto on #061: Fiasco! It is not to be missed-- is this the show where Ira Glass had to turn off his mic because he was laughing so hard? I think it is..

The "Nubbins" story in Matchmakers may be the best ever and Sedaris as Billie Holiday had me laughing out loud (and still cracks me up when I think about it).

I would also add:
#372 The Inauguration Show
#319 And the Call Was Coming From the Basement (mainly because I was in Westchester County airport shortly after a rabid raccoon had been spotted in the terminal)

anyone listen to the one about the guy who went to prison for 11 years for a crime that he didn't do and then the daughter of the guy who actually did the crime and they becoming friends? That was my favorite of all time.... I balled!

258: Leaving the Fold
Act One. I've Got a Secret I've Been Hiding From You.

This American Life producer Alex Blumberg tells the true story of Jerry Springer's life before he was a talk show host. It's the story of an idealistic and serious Jerry Springer, a progressive politician, and the most popular mayor ever of a certain American city.

As someone who grew up with Jerry Springer as an emmy award winning news anchor and thoughtful commentator before he sold his soul in Chicago, this was an amazing story for me. And the speech he gave at a tucked away political rally that they somehow got their hands on... both powerful beyond words and tragic to know how much intellect and political prowess this guy left on the table when he made that fateful jump into TV's nether world. Definitely worth a listen because of how much it'll surprise people who only know Springer from his TV "reality" show.

I don't remember the show number, but it was about a boy named Bobby Dunbar who had been missing and then was mistakenly given to another family who had also lost a son. The story followed relatives from both families as they learned the truth. It also described how Bobby ended up with the other family and described the economic differences between the two families. It was excellent.

"heretics" is one of my all-time faves as well. first time i heard it, on a 3 hour drive at 6 am, i literally couldn't stop crying. initially i chalked it up to weariness, but i listened to it again last week. same result.

other faves: the valentine's day show from 2008 (i think); the george saunders story gets me every time.

"break-up": i, like starlee, take phil collins all too seriously.

My fiance inrtroduced me to TAL and it has been our go to listening on Road trips for the better part of two years. When her father was sick we put several shows on CD for him because we were raving like lunatics about the show.

My personal favorites:
#352 - The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar - just a fantastic story about two families

#258 - Leaving the Fold - After listening to this I'll never look at Jerry Springer the same way. If he ever runs for office again I'll vote for him.

#328 - What I learned from Television - Heard this just after seeing the live show last year. The last act about IRA and his wife watching the OC just resonated with my fiance and I. Also a great performance by Mates of State.

#354 - Mistakes were made - Such a bizarre story I can't even describe it, but I felt every emotion across the board while listening to it.

#361 - Fear of Sleep - Somehow a story about a man jumping out of a window has never been funnier.

#355, 365, 375 - Giant Pool of Money, Another Frightening Show about the Economy, and Bad Bank - Required listening about our current economic state.

#360 - Switched At Birth (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1253) made my jaw drop. The parents knew right from the beginning and didn't tell anyone because they "didn't want to embarrass the doctor". Riveting episode of a awesome series.

Thanks for the other recommendations. Now please excuse me - I have some downloading to do...

I don't think anyone has mentioned Episode #218: Act V

From their site:

"We devote this entire episode to one story: over the course of six months, reporter and TAL contributor Jack Hitt followed a group of inmates at a high-security prison as they rehearsed and staged a production of the last act—Act V—of Hamlet. Shakespeare may seem like an odd match for a group of hardened criminals, but Jack found that they understand the Bard on a level that most of us might not. It's a play about murder and its consequences, performed by murderers, living out the consequences."

Oh man! ep. 253 'Tthe Middle of Nowhere'!

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=253

Two parts: Part 1 - getting lost in MCI customer service. This may be the funniest bit I've heard on the show, and SO relatable. The second half is about the island of Nauru - very interesting.

Episode 317: Unconditional Love

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1204

This one made me cry on the subway.

I've only heard a few so far, but the one about the two guys who go to Iraq to rebuild it and the one about the Baiters were amazing and got me hooked instantly.

Episode 339 (The Break-up) where Starlee Kine talks to Phil Collins about writing love songs. That one is just so wonderful.

I also agree about The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar, Notes on Camp, and Heretics. I grew up in a Pentecostal church and this one really rang true. I cried too.

I second a vote for the #323 -- The Super

You just can't make this stuff up. . . .

#354: "Mistakes Were Made" was the first episode I heard, and is still one of my favorites. It's such an intense and bizarre story!

Also, #52: "Edge of Sanity" was fantastic.

Other favorites:
Plan B
Who's Canadian
Global Pool of Money
your Dream, My nightmare

"Recordings For Someone" was the first episode I heard and still one of my favorites. But lra Glass is definitely my favorite part of listening to This American Life. So here are my favorite shows for great Ira-ness.

On episode #206 "Somewhere in the Arabian Sea," the staff visits an aircraft carrier and Ira grabbed his tape recorder when he got woken up suddenly in the middle of the night. Sleepy Ira is too cute.

In episode #165 "Americans in Paris," Ira tours Paris with David Sedaris. Hilarity ensues.

And Ira's description of the prom in episode #186 is priceless.

There's also an episode where Ira tells the story of one of his relationships and it involves a scene in a department store dressing room. I can't find the episode on the site—does anyone know which one I'm talking about?

Bobby Dunbar-excellent! Mistakes were made--excellent! Ruining it for the rest of us--one of my all time faves. Pool of money-a "must-hear" episode for all adult members of our society. But please everyone, please don't forget #275. It broke my heart.

#275 Two Steps Back

Ten years ago, when he was still a reporter for NPR's All Things Considered, host Ira Glass did a year-long series on a Chicago public school where things were getting better. Test scores were rising. Students were motivated. Last year, changes at the school dismantled some of the programs that had made for the school's success, and one of the best teachers in the school is thinking about quitting. We devote the whole hour to this story, about the rise and fall of school reform.

Prologue.
When Ira heard that Cathy La Luz, the best public school teacher he'd met during all his years of education reporting, was considering leaving her job, he went to see her in her classroom. (6 minutes)

Testosterone -- I loved the piece on the transgender man and his experience with testosterone. And then there was the testosterone "competition" where my boyfriend David Rakoff blew away the competition.

Yeah Break Up is a great episode

Lots of great episodes being mentioned here.

The first 90 seconds of the "Cringe" episode are priceless:

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=867

Music Lessons is my number 1
But I like "Apocalypse" and "Bad Banks" helped me see things so much clearer.

I've made all my friends listen to Giant Pool of Money and Fiasco. GPM is just so enlightening, and Fiasco still makes me cry laughing after hearing it at least 10 times.

Episode 281: My Big Break
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1280

In the Third Act, Shalom Auslander reads his short true story "The Blessing Bee."

I am Catholic, was not raised in proximity to Jews and knew little about Hebrew blessings on food when I heard this story. Nevertheless, I laughed uncontrollably.

#268: My Experimental Phase (The Legend of Curly Oxide...enthralling)
#306: Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time (Riverdance - do it for the lottery !!!)
#283: Remember Me (the story about the bus driver might be the saddest thing I've ever heard)
#175: Babysitting (the myth of the McRearies)

#328: What I Learned from Television

The story about the poodle makes me laugh every time. And Ira talking about the OC is so classic.

#361: Fear of Sleep

"Oh No! TiVo..." and "I'm the Hulk. I'm the Hulk. I'm the Hulk." Enough said.

My wife and I can listen to Starlee Kine's segment, "Dr. Phil," on Episode 339 "The Break-Up" repeatedly and laugh each time as if it's our first listen.

It seems whichever your first episode is seems to be a favorite. Mine was #306 'seemed like a good idea at the time.' Will never forget the story of the cop locked in his own cop car.

After that? would definitely add #339 the break-up, and agree about a little bit of knowledge. Never get tired of listening to the endangered species unicorn story, and DJ makes me cry every time.

Episode #102, "Roadtrip!" is thoroughly terrific, but Cheryl Tykv's "Paw Paw for Jesus" remains the singularly most hilarious this I've ever heard on the radio.

"Where are you going?"

"To Hell...wanna come?"

I've been listening to This American Life for 11 years so it's hard to pick a favorite from all the years I've listened and laughed/cried so hard... but I love Heretics. I'm glad I'm not the only one who cried like crazy over it. My religious views are much different than what I was taught as a kid, so I really related to Rev. Pearson

My husband loves #189 Hitler's Yacht.

Big thanks to TAL for introducing me to David Sedaris. Listening to his books on CD have saved me from many possible incidents of road rage.

Don't forget Superpowers, my all-time favorite!

'This week...dogs' - Stephen Colbert, April 2009

Ira + Colbert = http://www.tiny9.com/u/iraglassonthecolbertreport

the house on loon lake is far and away my most fav tal. the entire episode is the story of a young man who breaks into an abandoned house and then tries to find out all he can about the owners. riveting, fascinating, heartbreaking, haunting.

I'm even more of a new comer; I've only been listening to this wonderful show for a few months. I am totally hooked.

So far my favorites are:

#352 The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar. An hour-long story that proves that truth is stranger than fiction. Part detective story, part family history.

#354 Mistakes Were Made The part about the guy who practiced cryogenics by himself is stranger than anything you could make up.

Don't forget "The Story of Bobby Dunbar". That was pretty amazing.

TAL is such a great show. It's hard to pick just one favorite episode. #172: 24 Hours at the Golden Apple is one of my favorites. It's partly because they found such interesting stories from a pretty random selection of people - and partly because I used to live about half a block from that exact Golden Apple.

Very Interesting Chit Chat Article!
Life Gadget

Fiasco
Mistakes Were Made
And whichever episode contained the Parrot Story. Anyone remember that one?

But my favorite of all time:
#88 Numbers - particularly the piece about the artist and the musician who commission a survey on what people do and do not want in their art and music. The piece of music that people do not want is AMAZING!

I loved, LOVED "Small Fish, Smaller Pond", the short story written and read by Nick Hornby, about a young boy who is asked to show his patriotism by playing on his very small country's soccer team. So enjoyable...

In the shadow of the city. A kid gets marooned on a desert island...in full view of Downtown Manhattan. I have listened to this multiple times and every time I laughed so hard I cried.

Proud to say I was one of the campers you hear on "Notes from Camp" -- remember the stuffy-nosed 15th year old telling the little kids they have to cheer SO LOUD? I'm also the girl who ALWAYS does the math problem. My claim to fame :)

I finally got around to listening to Music Lessons. Sedaris' Billie Holiday is amazing.

So far, my favorite is # 339, The Break Up.
After that episode, I examined my own relationship at the time, and it helped convince me that I needed to break up...

All,
I wanted to note that WPSU will be hosting an open, online chat after
this week's This American Life episode about Penn State. The chat will
start at 6pm this Sunday, and at 7pm, This American Life producer
Sarah Koening, who worked on this show, will join in and take your
questions.

Just visit wpsu.org to take part.