How can opera, with words we rarely understand, make us cry? Why does opera, filled with melodrama, move us? Listen as poet and librettist Dana Gioia explains to EconTalk's Russ Roberts why words matter more than we think, in both opera and on Broadway.

Can Musk use DOGE to reduce the size and power of the bureaucracy and big government? Michael Munger of Duke University thinks not, but EconTalk's Russ Roberts isn't so sure. Listen as they discuss the risks of empowering bureaucrats to rein in other bureaucrats and whether change can really happen given the power of the political forces operating below the surface.

Under settler colonialism, you're either a settler or indigenous and the sin of the founding of America, Australia, and Israel, for example, is not just a past injustice but a perpetuating mistake that explains the present. Listen as poet, author, and literary critic Adam Kirsch explains how an academic theory helps us understand the protests against Israel on America's college campuses, the phenomenon of land acknowledgments, and more.

Public health officials should tell the truth, even when it's complicated. Even when some people might misunderstand. Otherwise, says economist Emily Oster of Brown University, the public will come to distrust the people we need to trust if we are to make good decisions both personally and publicly. Listen as Oster talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about vaccines, fluoride, raw milk, and the lessons learned and yet-to-be learned from the Covid pandemic.

Why are European cities charming and American cities often so charmless? Simple, says urbanist Alain Bertaud: most American cities are zoned for single-family housing. The result is not enough customers within walking distance of a business, and not enough parking for the customers who drive. Why American cities are zoned that way is related to culture and history. Hear Bertaud and EconTalk's Russ Roberts talk about urban problems and how to solve them--not through urban design or planning, but by respecting what makes each place unique.

Is Israel's war with Lebanon going to end differently from past attempts to secure Israel's northern border? Journalist Matti Friedman, who recounted his experience as a soldier in Lebanon in his book Pumpkinflowers, reflects on that experience in light of current events and looks to the future in this conversation with EconTalk's Russ Roberts.

Tariffs are in the air. Will they help or hurt Americans? Listen as economist Scott Sumner makes the case against tariffs and various other forms of government intervention that go by the name of industrial policy. Along the way he looks at some of the history of worrying about the economic and military dangers posed by foreign countries.

What does it take to translate a 900-page Russian novel written before the fall of the Soviet Union? For Robert Chandler it meant living in a seaside cottage for four months to immerse himself completely in the characters' lives and to meet his publisher's deadline. Listen as Chandler, the translator of Vasily Grossman's masterpiece Life and Fate and many of his other works, speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about Grossman, the art of translation, and the challenges of bringing a sprawling Russian classic to English-speaking readers.

Life and Fate might be the greatest novel of the 20th century or maybe ever. Tyler Cowen talks about this sprawling masterpiece and its author, Vasily Grossman, with EconTalk's Russ Roberts.

Over the last 30 years, the Israeli public has moved to the right on the question of how to deal with the Palestinians. Why did this happen? How has this changed Israeli politics and the strategy of the Palestinians? Listen, as journalist Haviv Rettig Gur explores the political and military history of the last three decades in Israel with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. The conversation ends with lessons for the future and a discussion of the differences between American and Israeli Jews.

How can we cultivate a sense of awe in our lives? Easy, says physicist and author Alan Lightman: Pay more attention. When we take the time to examine the world around us, from shooting stars to soap bubbles to everything in between, we can feel a sense of wonder and appreciation akin to spirituality. And the best part is, you can take your scientific worldview with you on your awe-inducing journey. Join Lightman and EconTalk's Russ Roberts as they discover that discovering the science behind things can be a truly miraculous experience.