//podcastplus.net/feed/story-the-writers-almanac~507b1120 The Writer’s Almanac is a daily podcast of poetry and historical interest pieces, usually of literary significance. Each day’s offering is five minutes long and contains “on this day in history” information as well as an accessible poem. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:22:48 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902687/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F1531f853-14ef-0869-a17a-1af9ba3a07ab.mp3 It's the birthday of Alex Haley (1921-1992), who wrote both "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (1965) and "Roots" (1976). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:58:57 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902687/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F1531f853-14ef-0869-a17a-1af9ba3a07ab.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902682/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fcd69838a-eb4c-60c0-55f0-de151e926fd9.mp3 It's the birthday of Joyce Sutphen, Poet Laureate of Minnesota, whose poem "Happiness" we are featuring today. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:58:45 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902682/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fcd69838a-eb4c-60c0-55f0-de151e926fd9.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902667/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F2c4793e3-ac43-6a94-2b62-e44294344ed9.mp3 It’s the birthday of author P.L. Travers (1899-1996), who described her popular Mary Poppins series as “both a joy and a curse.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:58:28 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902667/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F2c4793e3-ac43-6a94-2b62-e44294344ed9.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902514/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F827c919b-c94e-3048-7f5a-b5ae53fa9f04.mp3 The first refrigerator was patented in the United States on this date in 1899. The company Frigidaire was founded 19 years later. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:53:42 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902514/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F827c919b-c94e-3048-7f5a-b5ae53fa9f04.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902510/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fb999da5c-8e34-b89a-8fb1-f7040954dfa4.mp3 Today’s episode features a poem by Galway Kinnell, called “Wait,” promising that “Personal events will become interesting again.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:53:23 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902510/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fb999da5c-8e34-b89a-8fb1-f7040954dfa4.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902501/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F3cf7829b-e09e-699d-f58e-96ccad63e63b.mp3 75 years ago today, in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing 80,000 people on impact. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:53:06 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902501/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F3cf7829b-e09e-699d-f58e-96ccad63e63b.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902492/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F78a08f7a-85db-2084-56b2-aa639c1e085e.mp3 The comic strip "Little Orphan Annie" on this day in 1924. Creator Harold Gray was staunchly anti-FDR, but the musical version intentionally subverted his politics. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:52:50 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902492/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F78a08f7a-85db-2084-56b2-aa639c1e085e.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902479/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F899c3e33-babf-ea7b-01a7-81475ce2ed0d.mp3 It’s the birthday of pioneering jazz musician Louis Armstrong (1901-1971), who said, “Seems to me it ain’t the world that’s so bad but what we’re doing to it.” --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:52:33 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902479/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2F899c3e33-babf-ea7b-01a7-81475ce2ed0d.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902466/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Ff341460f-e90b-9f0b-e905-94a15fbf36f1.mp3 It’s the birthday of British crime novelist P.D. James (1920-2014), who had a seat in the House of Lords and also worked as a local magistrate. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:52:12 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902466/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Ff341460f-e90b-9f0b-e905-94a15fbf36f1.mp3 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902240/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fd9b5066f-7943-3554-3462-5de824e3d33e.mp3 It's the 78th birthday of Isabel Allende (1942), who once got fired for translating romance novels too liberally, adding depth and independence to the women characters. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/idris-halim/support Tue, 11 Aug 2020 20:51:42 +0000 https://anchor.fm/s/2faeef00/podcast/play/17902240/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2020-7-11%2Fd9b5066f-7943-3554-3462-5de824e3d33e.mp3