COVID-19 headlines have dominated the news nationally, on GPB and conversations within On Second Thought. But, there’s a lot more that our show has to offer within its archives that may provide a break from the coronavirus outbreak.

Our team has decided to pull together a weekly compilation of our favorite uplifting interviews to get through this time. We hope this list brings calm, relaxation and inspiration to you and your household. Let us know what you think and tell us what your favorites are! Tag us on Twitter at @OSTTalk or join comment on our Facebook page at “GPB Radio’s On Second Thought.”

Here are recommendations for this week: 

(1) For ‘Nap Bishop’ Tricia Hersey, Rest Is A Radical Act Of Social Justice

Though many Americans now have more time at home than ever, stress and pressure to keep up with rapidly changing coronavirus situation may make deep rest harder than ever. In this quick interview from July, Tricia Hersey makes the connection between intentional resting and resistance.

(2) Muhammad Ali’s Storied Return To Boxing — And The Role Atlanta Played

After being convicted of draft evasion in 1967, Ali had lost his license to fight in all 50 states and had become a polarizing figure across the country. Walk through the twists and turns of Ali’s return to the ring three years later, after a key group of players managed to jump through a legal loophole and stage a comeback fight in Atlanta.

(3) Two Way Street: Southern Authors Rick Bragg and Armistead Maupin on Family and Identity

Virginia stepped in for GPB’s Bill Nigut to host Two Way Street a few times in late 2018. Here’s one of those interviews, live from the Decatur Book Festival, with authors Rick Bragg and Armistead Maupin speaking to the way their Southern heritage shapes their writing.

(4) Pearl Cleage’s New Play Illuminates The Murky Intersections Of Society, Aging, And Identity

We spoke with the Atlanta-based playwright and author Pearl Cleage this past March. Over the course of nearly an hour, Cleage reflected on her start as a writer, her thoughts on her piece Mad at Miles in the era of the #MeToo movement and how her newest play Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous tackles aging while in the public eye.

(5) One Year After ‘An American Marriage,’ Author Tayari Jones Reflects On Coming Home To Atlanta

We spent our Valentine’s Day in 2019 with Tayari Jones, author of the celebrated novel ‘An American Marriage.’ She’s now teaching (online!) at Emory University and spent an hour with On Second Thought discussing, among other things, her deep personal connection to the city of Atlanta.

Keep an eye out for more recommendations from the On Second Thought archives next week. In the meantime, stay healthy out there!

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