From Barbie's origin story to the power of quitting, give these new podcasts a listen

Already finished with your stack of beach reads? Need a summer road trip companion? Or, just ready to revamp your listening rotation? The NPR One team is here to help with podcast recommendations from across public media.

The 13th Step

It started with a tip. Eventually, multiple sources said it was an open secret: The founder of New Hampshire's largest addiction treatment network was sexually harassing or assaulting women — allegations he denies. NHPR's The 13th Step investigates how so many people could end up hurt in an industry dedicated to healing.

Start listening.

Sugar Land

In 2018, construction crews in Sugar Land, Texas, uncovered 95 unmarked graves. This wasn't a serial killer's dumping ground, but it was evidence of a particularly dark period in U.S. history — evidence many in Sugar Land wished had stayed hidden. The Texas Newsroom's Sugar Land tells the story of these 95 people. Who were they, and what happened to them?

Listen to episode 1, "Who's Buried Here?"

LA Made: The Barbie Tapes

Barbie is a cultural icon. But what do you really know about her? LA Made: The Barbie Tapes from LAist Studios tells the origin story of the world's most popular doll.

Listen to episode 1, "A Toy is Born."

The Pulse

The messages we receive around quitting are usually straightforward — don't do it. Go the distance. Never give up. But what if giving up really is the best option? When should we stick it out, and when should we walk away? Listen to this episode of WHYY's The Pulse.

This Is Our Hawaiʻi

Hawaiʻi has sustained hundreds of thousands of people for centuries. But these days, it can feel like there isn't enough for everyone. This Is Our Hawaiʻi from Hawaiʻi Public Radio digs deep into residents' frustrations with the status quo. Who owns the Hawaiian Islands? And why do so many local people feel like they're left out?

Start listening.

Starting a Riot

Thirty years ago, a movement called riot grrrl started in the Pacific Northwest. It wasn't just music — it was politics, feminism, culture and zines. And we're still feeling its effects today. OPB's Starting a Riot examines riot grrrl's history and lasting impact.

Start listening.

Back From Broken

Everyone knows someone who struggles with addiction, mental health issues or a physical ailment that has dramatically changed their life. Colorado Public Radio's interview series Back From Broken explores how people recover from life's biggest challenges — and what we can learn from others' adversity.

Listen now.

Growth Machine

Housing prices in Austin, Texas, have exploded in the past decade. It's led to a city that's not just unaffordable, but also highly segregated. None of this happened by accident. KUT's Growth Machine explains how decades of decisions — from a master plan to move Black and brown residents to one part of town, to an outdated land development code — engineered the city's housing market.

Listen to episode 1, "We Planned This."

Small Joys

WOSU's Small Joys is a series of conversations between best-selling writer Hanif Abdurraqib and creative people of all stripes about what fuels their creative process and the little pleasures that help sustain us in our daily lives.

Start listening.

Vermont Public Docs

Giuliano Cecchinelli is part of a long legacy of Italian stone carvers whose skill helped transform the small Vermont town of Barre into the "Granite Capital of the World." But Barre is no longer the bustling industry town it once was. The flood of immigrants turned into a trickle, and eventually stopped. The Italian sculptors have died, retired or moved away. Cecchinelli is the only one left.

Listen to "The last Italian stone carver in Barre," from Vermont Public.

NPR's Jack Mitchell curated and produced this piece.

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