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Talk of Iowa is a place for Iowans to connect to our shared culture and what it means to live in Iowa. Host Charity Nebbe brings a mix of regular guests and a range of experts to discuss the arts, history, literature and everything else happening in Iowa. Every day brings something new — even if it's in a recurring segment like Talk of Iowa Book Club or comes from a familiar voice on Horticulture Day.
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The path to becoming a financially independent adult is full of challenges, and some of the obstacles along the way are not easy to navigate.
Experts share how to grow a favorite summer treat on a cob in your own backyard.
Social media has rapidly become an unavoidable part of how people socialize, communicate and spend their free time. Experts Jonathan Platt, Gerta Bardhoshi, Kostadin Kushley and Rachel McLaren unpack the latest research on how social media affects teens' lives and mental health. We also explore how to break out of doomscrolling and realistic ways to limit screentime.
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Art Cullen and president of Iowans for Stronger Communities Jesse Case join to discuss the new documentary series, 'What's Eating Iowa?' Then, two farmers share how their family has evolved to regenerative farming in northwest Iowa.
The 2018 film, 'The Miracle Season' tells the story of Caroline Found and the Iowa City West High volleyball team. Found tragically died in a moped accident in her senior year, and in the season that followed her team worked together through their grief and won the state championship. Recently, the movie came to Netflix. We revisit our conversation with Kathy Bresnahan, retired volleyball coach; Olivia Mekies, a friend and teammate of Found and screenwriter David Cohen. (This episode was originally produced March 2018)
Since its inception in 1965 in President Lyndon B. Johnson's "war on poverty," the federal Head Start program has served nearly 40 million children and their families in preparing to succeed in school and life. Head Start has faced a number of challenges in recent years, including flat funding, new mandates, attacks from the Trump Administration and a proposal to eliminate the program entirely. On this episode, we here from different Head Start stakeholders in Iowa about the services this program provides to young children and their families, how they are managing this changing landscape and what the future may hold for this program.
In 1965, John and Mary Beth Tinker protested the Vietnam War by wearing black arm bands to school. The incident led to a landmark Supreme Court decision that guaranteed free speech rights for public school students. The Tinkers reflect on this history and present day threats to the First Amendment. Later, a new play from playwright Megan Gogerty works through her complicated feelings about her father and family's history as a sixth generation Iowan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced changes to vaccine recommendations for children and infants — raising questions and concerns for parents and pediatricians alike. We talk with pediatrician Dr. Amy Shriver about what’s changed in the childhood immunization schedule, as well as the overturning of policy on the hepatitis B vaccine for infants. Health policy expert Jen Kates of KFF joins to explain what the changes mean for insurance coverage, how states are responding and why vaccines remain available for families. Later, husband-and-wife musicians Annie and Dave Ducharme-Jones join to discuss their latest album, 'Lumina.'
African violets may be finicky, but that’s part of the fun. Iowa State University horticulturists Cindy Haynes and Aaron Steil answer your questions and share tips for growing these beautiful houseplants. To further grow your gardening knowledge, sign up for our Garden Variety newsletter. And check out all the episodes of Garden Variety, the horticulture podcast for all the things you’d like to grow or grow better.
The first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell lived to be 111. She was admired for her wit and wisdom and helped with the preservation of her rich family history. We listen back to producer Dani Gehr's 2025 conversation with Renfrow Smith at her home in Chicago. Then, host Charity Nebbe spoke with the author of a children's book about Renfrow Smith, 'No One is Better Than You,' and the Grinnell professor that led the Renfrow family history project, Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant. Then, we learn about an Iowa organization that keeps pets and their owners together, assisting elderly and low-income Iowans and those with disabilities.
Iowa has been awarded a $209 million federal grant to expand and improve health care across the state — the first installment of what officials say could total $1 billion over the next five years. The funding is part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program and is aimed at strengthening access to care, equipment and workforce development in rural communities. Leaders from Iowa’s critical access hospitals talk about what this funding could mean on the ground and why they say it falls far short of what rural providers are bracing for. We also discuss workforce shortages, the challenge of recruiting specialists like OB-GYNs, and the “hub and spoke” model Gov. Kim Reynolds has promoted to reshape rural health care delivery. Later, host Charity Nebbe announces Talk of Iowa’s 2026 Book Club selections with IPR talk show producer, Caitlin Troutman.
Maintaining mobility as we age is critical when it comes to independence and quality of life. Kinesiologist Gregory Welk and research scientist Abbie Coniglio of ISU join the program to talk about what adults of any age can do to maintain or increase mobility as they age. Later in the episode, author and master of flash fiction Grant Faulkner returns to talk about his newest book, 'Something Out There in the Distance.' Faulkner also shares about his newest writing community, Memoir Nation, and a reality show he's executive producing. He will be reading at Beaverdale Books on Jan. 23 at 6:30 p.m.
For the Talk of Iowa book club, author Carol Roh Spalding and expert readers discuss the short story collection 'Waiting for Mr. Kim.' The connected stories in 'Waiting for Mr. Kim' are quintessentially American — an immigrant family builds a life in San Francisco drawn by the promise of opportunity. Over the decades, the family grows and struggles with the tension between two different cultures. (This show was originally produced Oct. 14, 2025.)
A conversation with expert readers about 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' for the 'Talk of Iowa' Book Club. Author Zora Neale Hurston drew on her experience as a folklorist, anthologist and a Black woman who came of age in the Jim Crow South when she wrote her beloved novel. (This show was originally produced August 12, 2025.)
'Warrior Girl Unearthed' is a young adult thriller that gives readers insight into Ojibwe culture, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, missing and murdered Indigenous persons and teenage shenanigans. On this episode of 'Talk of Iowa,' host Charity Nebbe talks with author Angeline Boulley about her inspiration for the novel, then turns to three expert readers. (This episode was originally produced June 10, 2025.)
In this episode of the 'Talk of Iowa' book club, author Sarah McCammon and expert readers discuss 'The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.' The book is a blend of memoir and reporting, focusing on McCammon's life growing up in an evangelical church in Missouri and attending an evangelical college before parting ways with the church as a young adult. McCammon also writes about the experiences of other so-called "exvangelicals." (This episode was originally produced April 15, 2025.)
'James' is a retelling of Mark Twain's 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,' but this time the story is told by Huck’s companion, Jim or James. James is an enslaved man who flees when he learns that he is at risk of being sold. Expert readers Rachelle Chase, Faye Dant and Jocelyn Chadwick discuss their reading experiences for this episode of the 'Talk of Iowa' book club. Please be advised: a portion of this show references racist language used in the book. (This episode was originally produced on Feb. 11, 2025.)
In 1946 Joseph Geha moved with his family from Lebanon to Toledo, Ohio. He grew up on his family’s stories and delicious Lebanese food, and brings them together in the book 'Kitchen Arabic.' On the Talk of Iowa book club, Geha discusses the book with host Charity Nebbe and expert readers. (This episode was originally produced on Dec. 17, 2024.)
Paul Lasley has repaired and donated 18 used violins in the last year for students in need. Also in this episode, ISU psychology professor Doug Gentile shares how acts of kindness towards others can help us take better care of ourselves, too.
IPR Studio One hosts Nick Brunner, Tony Dehner, Cece Mitchell, Sean McClain and Tressa Glass share their favorite new music from the last year.
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