Wild Card with Rachel Martin

Suleika Jaouad has written extensively about what it means to live in the in-between – the space between sick and healthy. She’s dealt on-and-off with cancer since her early 20s. Her latest book, "The Book of Alchemy," provides a guide on sustaining a creative practice through journaling. Suleika tells Rachel about eavesdropping on laughter and what she's learned from the people she's lost.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When Malala Yousafzai went to college, the last thing she wanted to talk about was her Nobel Prize or the Taliban attack that put her on the world stage. She just wanted to be a normal college student – taking risks, making friends and going to parties.  Malala tells Rachel it’s taken a lot of work to find out who she is beyond any titles or accolades. Her new book, “Finding My Way,” is out now.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Padma Lakshmi has always been deeply curious about food, and how it serves as a vehicle for celebrating the cultural diversity of America. In her new book, "Padma's All American," she shares stories and recipes from people she’s encountered all across the U.S. Padma talks to Rachel about the life lessons her grandma taught her through cooking and why life is better in her 50s. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Brandi Carlile sought out some alone time to work on her newest album, “Returning to Myself,” but she came out of the experience realizing she needed the people around her more than ever. Brandi talks to Rachel about owning different sides of her identity even when they’re at odds with each other and shares her memory time machine trip with Joni Mitchell.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Shonda Rhimes has created some of the most successful TV shows of the 21st century, but she says the secret to her success is not caring whether or not people will like her shows. The “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy” creator is out with a new version of her memoir, “Year of Yes.” She talks to Rachel about the freedom she feels when she writes and the imaginative potential of a pantry.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nick Offerman is an Emmy-winning actor, but that’s a small part of his identity. He’s also a woodworker, an author, and a devoted acolyte of the naturalist writer Wendell Berry. He talks with Rachel about the art of being satisfied, building up the courage for a home project and what he learned from a childhood that felt like “Little House on the Prairie.”To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Jeff Hiller never expected to win an Emmy. He was used to side roles like “Mexican restaurant waiter” and “frazzled salesman,” and then his big break came as Joel on the HBO show “Somebody Somewhere.” He tells Rachel that not only did the role bring him critical acclaim, it also serves as an example of kindness and decency that has become a kind of moral compass for him.  To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

As a researcher and professor, Brené Brown has always sought to understand and navigate the emotions that make us human – vulnerability, shame, courage. In her latest book, "Strong Ground," she's exploring how to redefine leadership in a rapidly changing world. She spoke with Rachel about being stubborn about her faith, embracing mystery, and how moments of vulnerability can unite us. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Matthew McConaughey likes finding the rhythm in every role he takes – whether it’s delivering a monologue in “The Wolf of Wall Street” or a tearful goodbye in “Interstellar.” And now, as author of the book “Poems & Prayers,” he is finding the rhythm and prose in his own life, and sharing what he’s learned. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At 68 years old, Bobby Brown still has a competitive spirit. She lives by the words “watch me,” which has led to her success as a makeup artist, business mogul and TikTok star. She's written several books on makeup and beauty, but in her upcoming book "Still Bobbi," for the first time, she's telling her own story. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcardLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Raphael Bob-Waksberg says working in animation lets him get away with things. He’s able to dive into heavy topics, like grief and faith, without his stories getting too dark or saccharine. It’s a skill he honed as creator of “BoJack Horseman” and he’s putting it to use again with his new series “Long Story Short” on Netflix.  To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Elizabeth Gilbert's 2006 memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” was about her journey of self-discovery in the aftermath of a painful divorce. It was a massive hit, but it wasn’t nearly the whole story. In her new book “All the Way to the River,” Gilbert examines her self-destructive patterns as she contends with addiction and grief. She and Rachel talk about learning to show herself and others mercy.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard. For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The more Ocean Vuong writes, the more he sees his craft as less of a skill and more a condition. He feels compelled to pay attention to the small details around him and turn those details into a story. But he tells Rachel that he actually hopes a day comes when he can stop writing. Vuong’s latest book is “The Emperor of Gladness.”To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Despite being decades into a career that can only be described as iconic, Harrison Ford is still experiencing firsts – like his first Emmy nomination for his role in Apple TV+’s "Shrinking." He spoke with Rachel about staying busy at 83, why he doesn't fear death, and why Jay Leno called him mid-interview to talk about a toilet seat.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At the end of each Wild Card episode, Rachel invites guests to take a trip in our Memory Time Machine and revisit a moment they wouldn’t like to change anything about – a moment they would like to stay in a little longer. We’re sharing some of our favorite trips in the Memory Time Machine, from David Lynch, Brett Goldstein, Jenny Slate, Barry Jenkins and more. To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy