The Price of Our Dreams (With George Saunders)

My first introduction to Cheryl Strayed was when I read Wild a few years ago. It’s quite an exposing and vulnerable story, and when she followed it with the publication of Tiny Beautiful Things (a compilation of her advice columns, where she’d write under the name “Sugar”), the central theme to her writing was on display again: life happens, it can be shaping and overbearing and beautiful, but it rarely does any good to run from what you’re feeling. To this day, I find that emotional directness is one of the best things you can offer both yourself and the world.

This podcast combines that theme with the mind of one of my favorite writers (George Saunders makes a brilliant appearance) as they respond to three anonymously written letters. The third is my favorite, because it tackles something I think about often: how to tap into that most creative side of yourself when a number of forces try to counteract its expression.