Not every POTUS is a leader for the ages, but the handful that are offer illuminating lessons on life for the rest of us. Historian Talmage Boston joins host Krys Boyd to discuss his dive into the lives and leadership styles of eight presidents, from Washington to Reagan, and the ways they shaped American society. His book is “How the Best Did It: Leadership Lessons From Our Top Presidents.”

There’s a myth that rural America is dying when, in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett is the James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning and professor of public policy at the University of Southern California. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the small towns in the middle of the country that are thriving and, by many metrics, outperforming much larger urban centers. Her book is “The Overlooked Americans: The Resilience of Our Rural Towns and What It Means for Our Country.”

YouTube is filled with adorable videos of animals at play, and studying that play is helping uncover mysteries of evolutionary behavior. University of Massachusetts, Amherst professor David Toomey joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why piglets flop, dogs slide and octopuses play, and what that tells us about animal cognition and biology. Plus, we’ll dive deeper into the world of cephalopods. Toomey’s book is “Kingdom of Play: What Ball-bouncing Octopuses, Belly-flopping Monkeys, and Mud-sliding Elephants Reveal about Life Itself.”

One year ago, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was imprisoned by Russian authorities and charged with espionage. Wall Street Journal assistant editor Paul Beckett joins host Krys Boyd to discuss what is known about Gershkovich’s condition in prison, the efforts to free him, and what journalism looks like in Putin’s Russia now.

In this new Ozempic era, food cravings are going away, and scientists are searching for the reasons why. Brian Resnick is science correspondent at Vox and co-creator of the podcast “Unexplainable.” He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why new GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy seem to target appetite but actually work with brain chemistry, and what effect this might have on people struggling with addictions. His article is “Can you change what you crave?“

To be a better manager, maybe it’s time to schedule more Zoom meetings? Steven Rogelberg is an organizational psychologist who holds the title of Chancellor’s Professor at UNC Charlotte for distinguished national, international, and interdisciplinary contributions. He joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why one-on-one check-ins with employees are proven to increase job performance – and why we avoid them anyway. His book is “Glad We Met: The Art & Science of 1:1 Meetings.”

Going to the ballot box is good for democracy—and good for us. Michael Bruter, professor of political science at the London School of Economics and director of the Electoral Psychology Observatory (EPO), joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the psychology of voting, why it helps us feel connected to a larger purpose in life, and how voters make their choices. His book, with co-author Sarah Harrison, is “Inside the Mind of a Voter: A New Approach to Electoral Psychology.”

Belonging to a church can offer a feeling of community, and leaving a church can feel like you’re leaving part of yourself behind. Sarah McCammon is national political correspondent for NPR and co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss when politics get in the way of religious beliefs in evangelical churches, and how that’s driving some members away. Her book is “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.”