
This is a special episode commissioned by Aspen Ideas: Health and originally performed at the 2026 festival in Aspen, Colorado.
Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
The Barr Brothers play Static Orphans
Jul 2
21 min

This episode was originally released in 2016 in the days after the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. It is re-released every year on the anniversary of the incident.
Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Jun 12
13 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
The Barr Brothers play Static Orphans
Resavoir plays Facets
We hear Le mort de l'enfant from Hikaru Hayashi's score to The Naked Island.
South Seas by David Pike
Trust in Me from Sould Flutes
Flowering Jasmine from Gidon Kremer
Tesko Mi Je Zabrovit Tebe from Branko Mataja.
Jun 10
14 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
Two (Duvet and Correspondences) from Laurie Torres' gorgeous album, Après coup.
Notes
I implore you to get lost in the interactive map at livingnewdeal.org. And then go out in the woods.
May 23
10 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
The Skydiver from the great Lalo Schiffrin's score to the quite poor, The Mask of Sheba.
Charlie Megira plays The Girl Who was Frightened of Ashtrays
Ellen's Image from the great Lalo Schiffrin's score to the quite excellent, The Fox.
What if... from Keegan Dewitt's score to the quite charming, Heart Beats Loud.
Notes
There was a very good article in Cabinet Magazine by Christopher Turner about the Switzer Brothers that includes excerpts from an unpublished autobiography from Bob.
I also really enjoyed this one from Liz Stinson about the science and art of Day Glo.
May 1
12 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
You can hear Rollercoaster and more of Hrishi's music at Hrishikesh.co. Pre-order his new album wherever you do that sort of thing!
Music
Halcyon and Photosynteses and Embryo by H. Takehashi
Intro by Library Tapes
The Florist Wears Knee Breeches by M. Sage
Notes
I found Andrew Isenberg's book, The Destruction of the Bison, An Environmental History, completely fascinating.
If you want to do a deep dive on Madison Grant, I'd recommend Defending the Master Race: Conservation, Eugenics, and the Legacy of Madison Grant by John Peter Spiro.
If you want to do a deep dive on the Catalina Buffalo, this site is a fun place to start.
Apr 10
29 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
Drywall from Johann Johannson's score to Sicario.
Castle Song by Green-House
Tea by Resevoir
La Valse du Progres by Delphine Dora
Arrival by Domenique Dumont
Sarah in Bath from Kryzystof Komeda's score to Fearless Vampire Killers
Thread of Light by Golden Retriever
In Some Spirit World by Geotic
Notes
This one was pulled together with tiny threads of information, much provided by the NCRA's website itself.
You can find links to three fascinating (really!) studies on the brains of transcribers here, here, & here.
Mar 22
16 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
This episode originally dropped in 2018.
We start with Facing the Obstacles, from Robert Simonson's score to The Final Member.
Nice Breeze Isn't It? by Simon Rackham
The Things Left Unsaid, by Caleb Burhans.
View from a Balcony by Isorinne.
1979 by Deru.
The Julianna Barwick remix of This Will Destroy You's The Puritan.
Mar 7
12 min

Order The Memory Palace book now, dear listener. On Bookshop.org, on Amazon.com, on Barnes & Noble, or directly from Random House. Or order the audiobook at places like Libro.fm.
The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Radiotopia is a collective of independently owned and operated podcasts that’s a part of PRX, a not-for-profit public media company. If you’d like to directly support this show, you can make a donation at Radiotopia.fm/donate.
Music
Marisa Anderson plays He is Without His Guns
Bing & Ruth play Broad Channel (Solo Piano)
Greg Haines plays Peter's Advice
Notes
You can listen to the full recording here.
Feb 23
12 min
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