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Rating

★★★★☆

4.1

from

74 reviews

Description

Everyone has a public story. Stephen Dubner wants the rest. On Better in Person, Dubner invites remarkable people into his home for a kind of conversation that’s hard to find: curious, free-wheeling, even profound. They talk, play, eat and drink, argue and laugh. The result? Less interview, more shared discovery. This is how a conversation works.

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from Better in Person with Stephen Dubner podcast

How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel

2026/09/08

He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others.

Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans

2026/09/01

He started with one small shop in London. He has since resuscitated both Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. He tells Stephen Dubner exactly how he does it.

How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era

2026/08/25

Anne Pasternak (Brooklyn Museum) and Michael Roth (Wesleyan University) tell Stephen Dubner how they keep the peace in the middle of a culture war.

“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself”

2026/08/18

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan talks about confidence, luck, and why it takes 35 drafts to get to the finish line.

Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie

2026/08/11

When he joined the Del Fuegos, his big brother’s band, all Warren knew how to play was a record player. Things went great for a while — and then it all fell apart. So how did he wind up writing definitive books on Springsteen and Tom Petty?

What If Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower?

2026/08/04

Angela Buchdahl was the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, and now she is among the most influential rabbis in the world. She and Stephen Dubner talk about boundary-crossing, the aftermath of October 7, and whether you can be a good Jew without believing in God.

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories?

2026/07/28

Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace.

How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold

2026/07/21

Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well.

Introducing Better in Person with Stephen Dubner

2026/07/15

How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels

2026/07/14

Is the oxymoron really “the secret sauce to everything”? That’s the case Ingels makes in this debut episode of our new video show Better in Person, filmed in Stephen Dubner’s living room.

Trusting Your Senses Over Science, with Chef Hillary Sterling

2026/07/14

Hillary Sterling was a Brooklyn kid raised on cream cheese sandwiches and canned potatoes. So how did she become one of New York City's best chefs? The Ci Siamo executive chef explains on the second episode of Better in Person.

Podcast reviews

Read Better in Person with Stephen Dubner podcast reviews

4.1 out of 5

74 reviews

★★☆☆☆

nutjob 2026/09/13

Somehow, the opposite of Freakonomics Radio

I’ve enjoyed “Freakonomics Radio” for years. Stephen Dubner is insightful, clever, and has an engaging delivery that makes even esoteric subjects (Bau...

★★★★★

CamarilloCountry 2026/08/18

Excellent interview, questionable sponsor

Fantastic interview and video with Warren Zanes! Hard to get past the ChatGPT ads. Seems contradictory to the values of this podcast. Made it hard to ...

★★★★★

KDray1 2026/08/09

Refreshing delightful & interesting

This show is really is taking the podcasting arena up a notch. So far, first 5 episodes have all been fascinating. The guests didn’t have much in co...

★★★★★

Bunnies and dolphins 2026/07/15

Stephen Dubner Strikes Again!

Truly… I can’t wait for more. Bjarke is so gracious and Stephen really makes a personal conversation so interesting and profound. My family and I were...

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