Monsters are our subconscious perversions, our twisted fears realized, but what causes their creation, and how are they made? This hour, we look at fantastical creatures, terrifying beasts, and the scariest monsters of all: humans.

GUESTS:
Natalie Lawrence: Historian of science and the author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings
Surekha Davies: Historian of science, speaker, and monster consultant for radio, tv, and film. She writes a newsletter called “Strange and Wondrous: Notes from a Science Historian,” and is the author of books including Humans: A Monstrous History
Margery Cuyler: Author of 62 children’s books including Monster Mess, Bonaparte Falls Apart, Skeleton Hiccups, and the forthcoming Stompie the Zombie

Monsters are our subconscious perversions, our twisted fears realized, but what causes their creation, and how are they made? This hour, we look at fantastical creatures, terrifying beasts, and the scariest monsters of all: humans.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Natalie Lawrence:&nbsp;Historian of science and the author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nataliejlawrence.com/books">Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings</a></li>
<li>Surekha Davies:&nbsp;Historian of science, speaker, and monster consultant for radio, tv, and film. She writes a newsletter called &ldquo;<a href="https://buttondown.com/surekhadavies?tag=websitehomepage">Strange and Wondrous: Notes from a Science Historian</a>,&rdquo; and is the author of books including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.surekhadavies.org/humans-a-monstrous-history">Humans: A Monstrous History</a></li>
<li>Margery Cuyler:&nbsp;Author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.margerycuyler.net/">62 children&rsquo;s books</a>&nbsp;including&nbsp;Monster Mess,&nbsp;Bonaparte Falls Apart,&nbsp;Skeleton Hiccups, and the forthcoming&nbsp;Stompie the Zombie</li>
</ul>

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

The Colin McEnroe Show

Monsters: A look at the real, the fake, and the friendly

Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He’s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods, but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.

This hour, in celebration of the new PBS documentary about the writer, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.

GUESTS:


Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life


Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe 


Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of Walden, A Game 

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Join the conversation on Facebook.

Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 27, 2022.

Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He&rsquo;s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods, but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.
This hour, in celebration of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/henry-david-thoreau/">the new PBS documentary</a> about the writer, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo23013074.html">Henry David Thoreau: A Life</a>
</li>
<li>
Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of <a href="https://www.waldengame.com/">Walden, A Game</a>&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to&nbsp;The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by&nbsp;The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 27, 2022.

Demystifying the life, and legacy, of Henry David Thoreau

On the morning of May 24, 2019, Jennifer Dulos dropped her kids off at New Canaan Country School. And then minutes later, she vanished.

Her presumed murder quickly became a national story.

This hour, Wall Street Journal columnist Rich Cohen joins us to talk about his book, Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story.

Plus: a look at our ongoing obsession with these true crime stories.

GUESTS:


Rich Cohen: Writer at large at Air Mail and a columnist at The Wall Street Journal; his new book is Murder in the Dollhouse


Bethany Usher: A journalist and academic and the author of Journalism and Crime

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 17, 2025.

On the morning of May 24, 2019, Jennifer Dulos dropped her kids off at New Canaan Country School. And then minutes later, she vanished.
Her presumed murder quickly became a national story.
This hour, Wall Street Journal columnist Rich Cohen joins us to talk about his book, <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374608064/murderinthedollhouse/">Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story</a>.
Plus: a look at our ongoing obsession with these true crime stories.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Rich Cohen: Writer at large at Air Mail and a columnist at The Wall Street Journal; his new book is Murder in the Dollhouse
</li>
<li>
Bethany Usher: A journalist and academic and the author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.routledge.com/Journalism-and-Crime/Usher/p/book/9781032022246">Journalism and Crime</a>
</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on <a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 17, 2025.

‘Murder in the Dollhouse’: Jennifer Dulos and our fascination with true crime

Thousands of Americans gathered over the weekend for "No Kings" protests. So this hour, we take a look at kings around the world, from history to the present moment. Plus, why are we so interested in royalty? And, what is the role of the king in chess?

GUESTS:
Mauro Guillén: Vice Dean of Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives. He is the author of books including The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society. He has been named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit by King Felipe VI of Spain
Arianne Chernock: Professor in the Department of History and Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Social Sciences at Boston University. She is the author of books including The Right to Rule and the Rights of Women: Queen Victoria and the Women’s Movement
Jenny Adams: Professor and Department Chair of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of books including Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages

Music featured (in order):
It’s Good To Be King – Tom Petty
Brilliant Mistake (King of America) – Elvis Costello
Royals – Lorde
King of Nothing – Seals and Crofts
Her Majesty – The Beatles
Only a Pawn in their Game – Bob Dylan

Thousands of Americans gathered over the weekend for "No Kings" protests. So this hour, we take a look at kings around the world, from history to the present moment. Plus, why are we so interested in royalty? And, what is the role of the king in chess?
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Mauro Guill&eacute;n:&nbsp;Vice Dean of Wharton&rsquo;s MBA Program for Executives. He is the author of books including&nbsp;<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250281340/theperennials/">The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society</a>. He has been named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit by King Felipe VI of Spain</li>
<li>Arianne Chernock:&nbsp;Professor in the Department of History and Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Social Sciences at Boston University. She is the author of books including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/right-to-rule-and-the-rights-of-women/B0F2779E79836F04E83B7689BF516DB6">The Right to Rule and the Rights of Women: Queen Victoria and the Women&rsquo;s Movement</a></li>
<li>Jenny Adams:&nbsp;Professor and Department Chair of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of books including&nbsp;Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages</li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SF1iLXSQto">It&rsquo;s Good To Be King</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Tom Petty</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/SfICbSL6Vm0">Brilliant Mistake (King of America)</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Elvis Costello</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/LFasFq4GJYM">Royals</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Lorde</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/FhiCCcHkBVE">King of Nothing</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Seals and Crofts</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/Cj-w0641nbY">Her Majesty</a>&nbsp;&ndash; The Beatles</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSmkeb_7uq0">Only a Pawn in their Game</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Bob Dylan</li>
</ul>

Monsters: A look at the real, the fake, and the friendly

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