Pushkin.

Hey everybody.

Today I'm excited to share a chapter from Jill Lepore's latest book, The Deadline.

The Deadline really is the art of the essay at its best.

If you listen to Jill's seasons of the last archive, you'll recognize her voice in these essays, witty, warm, and no holds barred.

The essays collected in the deadline amount to a searching portrait of American history in all

its contradictions by turns maddening and uplifting.

I'm sharing one of my favorite chapters in the book, an older essay from 2013 on Robert Ripley,

yes, Ripley, as in Ripley's believe it or not.

You may recognize him from our second season.

It's a chapter, The New York Times, called A Delicious Portrait.

Here's the episode.

You can purchase the deadline on Pushkin.

FM slash audio books, or wherever you get your audio books.

You can also pick up a hard cover

at your local bookstore or library.

Thanks for listening.

The Odyssey.

Robert L. Ripley, who was heavy-set and dainty, wore his dark widow's peak, slicked back flat,

and had teeth so jutting and crooked

that until he got some of them yanked out and strayed her fakes jammed back in,

which hurt like hell, he looked remarkably like a vampire.

...