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Some Things Considered with Sean Murphy

Some Things Considered with Sean Murphy

Von: Sean Murphy
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 Join award-winning author Sean Murphy for conversations with the most accomplished minds spanning the literary, music, and tech industries. Sean brings his decades of experience as a cultural critic, professor, and founder of a literary non-profit to explore and celebrate the ways stories define us as artists and human beings. This podcast peels back the layers of creativity, examining why it matters and how brilliant minds achieve mastery. Each episode features authentic discussions and deep dives into craft, routines, and the personal journeys of successful storytellers.2024 Kunst Sozialwissenschaften
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  • Season 5 Ep 3 | Tim Wendel | Baseball, History, and Craft

    Season 5 Ep 3 | Tim Wendel | Baseball, History, and Craft
    Jan 6 2026
    In this episode, I speak with award-winning author and Johns Hopkins writing professor Tim Wendel, whose books include Summer of '68, Castro's Curveball, Cancer Crossings, and his newest novel Rebel Falls. Tim is productive, well-read, and well-traveled, so our conversation inexorably covered a great deal of ground, and some topics include: Baseball & storytelling: How the game shaped Tim's life as a writer; the mythology of Bull Durham; the legend of Steve Dalkowski. Substack & citizen historians: Why Tim believes everyday people must help preserve historical truth, especially amid 2025's wave of historical erasure. History as many stories: Why the meaning of history changes depending on who tells it—and why authoritarian regimes always try to control the narrative. Travel as antidote to prejudice: In the spirit of Mark Twain, how Tim's global reporting career shaped his worldview and fuels empathy. Censorship & cultural retreat: The rise of anti-Humanities rhetoric, the danger of "whitewashing" civil rights history, and why cultural amnesia is alarming. Artists and athletes as change agents: Jackie Robinson, jazz musicians, and others who changed America while facing enormous resistance. Teaching writing today: Tim's advice to students, the challenges and opportunities of AI, and why craft still matters. I hope you find Tim as refreshing and informative as I do: he's versatile, curious, and passionate–and cares deeply about why stories matter, and how to tell them. Tim Wendel's books include SUMMER OF '68, CASTRO'S CURVEBALL, CANCER CROSSINGS and other works. His latest, the historical novel REBEL FALLS, won the W.Y. Boyd Award from the American Library Association. A longtime writer-in-residence at Johns Hopkins University, his stories and columns have appeared in Esquire, GQ, Gargoyle, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Psychology Today and National Geographic. ABOUT TIM WENDEL Instagram: @timlwendelLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tim-wendel-39973 Facebook: facebook.com/TimWendelBooksWebsite: timwendel.com Endnotes & Backstory A eclectic look at history, culture and sports by Tim Wendel, a longtime writer-in-residence at Johns Hopkins University. By Tim Wendel ABOUT SOME THINGS CONSIDERED Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression. ABOUT HOST SEAN MURPHY Website: seanmurphy.net Substack: seanmurphy.live X: @bullmurph Instagram: @bullmurph Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41
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    1 Std. und 6 Min.
  • From Prison to Advocacy: Stephanie Shepard on Justice and Reform

    From Prison to Advocacy: Stephanie Shepard on Justice and Reform
    Dec 16 2025
    In this episode, I speak with Stephanie Shepard, Executive Director of Last Prisoner Project. She was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a first-time, nonviolent cannabis offense and now leads the Last Prisoner Project (LPP). Her story—and her advocacy—reveals the human cost of the War on Drugs and the urgent need for restorative justice. Some key takeaways from our conversation include: Stephanie's story: From her 2010 conviction and nine-year sentence to becoming Executive Director of LPP. What LPP does: Freeing cannabis prisoners, record clearance, reentry support, and policy reform. Breaking myths: The legacy of "Just Say No," drug panic politics, and bipartisan failures from Nixon to Clinton. Narrative & policy: How storytelling shifts public perception and drives real legislative change. Where we are now: Cannabis tolerated or legal while people remain imprisoned; opioid crisis reframes priorities. Human impact: Individual cases showing how lives are disrupted—and rebuilt—through LPP's work. Mobilizing advocates: How people affected by incarceration become powerful voices for reform. LPP's current battles: Clemency, resentencing, expungement, and federal reform. Goals ahead: Expanding services, increasing national awareness, and pushing comprehensive drug reform. What everyone should know: Drug policy is political—not scientific—and justice requires empathy and action. I'm so grateful for, and inspired by this conversation. I encourage everyone to listen and share, and get involved: spreading the word and supporting justice for all Americans is an essential act not only for activists, but patriots. Stephanie was convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana in 2010. As a first-time, non-violent offender, Stephanie was sentenced to ten years in the Federal Bureau Of Prisons. After serving nine years, she was placed on federal probation for an additional five years. She now serves as Last Prisoner Project's Executive Director and sits on the organization's Board of Directors. She is adamantly advocating for restorative justice for those who have suffered as she has from the criminalization of cannabis. ABOUT STEPHANIE SHEPARD Instagram: @lastprisonerproject @stephy_sheps X: @lastprisonerprj Facebook: facebook.com/lastprisonerproject Website: lastprisonerproject.org LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/lastprisonerproject ABOUT SOME THINGS CONSIDERED Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber at seanmurphy.live ABOUT HOST SEAN MURPHY Website: seanmurphy.net Substack: seanmurphy.live X: @bullmurph Instagram: @bullmurph Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41
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    1 Std. und 5 Min.
  • Season 5 Ep 1 | Matt Davis | What does Mount Rushmore tell us about America?

    Season 5 Ep 1 | Matt Davis | What does Mount Rushmore tell us about America?
    Dec 9 2025
    Some Things Considered returns with our fifth season, and we could not be more excited. Episode One features Matthew Davis, with whom I speak about his new book Biography of a Mountain, an in-depth examination of Mt. Rushmore as both a monument and a metaphor for America. Drawing on years of research and personal engagement with the Black Hills, Davis unpacks the layered histories, mythologies, and political tensions embedded in this iconic site. We cover a ton of ground, and highlights include: Why Mt. Rushmore: How Davis realized this was the book he needed to write — and why the mountain mirrors the American story. Many Americas: Mt. Rushmore as a metaphor for the evolving, often conflicting visions of what "America" means. Native history: The mountain's sacred role long before white settlement, and how Indigenous perspectives were erased or overwritten. Power & narrative: Who tells America's story? Who benefits? Why monuments become battlegrounds. Gutzon Borglum: The ambition, ego, and controversy surrounding the monument's creator — including his troubling political ties. Author in the narrative: Why Davis chose to include his own journey, and how personal context strengthens historical storytelling. The paradox of monuments: How the same statue symbolizes pride to some and oppression to others — and what that reveals about American identity. Relevance in 2025: How Davis's research unexpectedly speaks to today's political climate and the weaponization of history. Trump, Reagan, and symbolism: The modern fight over commemoration, legacy, and political mythmaking. What the mountain teaches us: Reflections on history, country, culture, and narrative itself. It's always a pleasure to speak with Matt, whom I consider a good friend, colleague, and source of inspiration. His book could hardly be more timely–and it adds valuable insights for an America that, in 2025, is as complicated and bifurcated as ever. Matthew Davis is the author of When Things Get Dark: A Mongolian Winter's Tale. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Los Angeles Review of Books and Guernica, among other places. He has been an Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fellow at New America, a Fellow at the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, and a Fulbright Fellow to Syria and Jordan. He holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa and an MA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Davis lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, a diplomat, and their two young kids. ABOUT MATT DAVIS Website: matthewdaviswriter.com ABOUT SOME THINGS CONSIDERED Award-winning author Sean Murphy in conversation with creative thinkers, spanning the literary, music, art, politics, and tech industries. As a cultural critic, professor, founder of a literary non-profit, Sean is always looking to explore and celebrate the ways Story is integral to how we define ourselves, as artists and human beings. This Substack newsletter and weekly podcast peels back the layers of how creativity works, why it matters, how our most brilliant minds achieve mastery. Join us to explore how our most successful and inspired storytellers engage by discussing craft, routines, brand, and mostly through authentic and honest expression. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ABOUT HOST SEAN MURPHY Website: seanmurphy.net Substack: seanmurphy.live Twitter: @bullmurph Instagram: @bullmurph Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorSeanMurphy LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sean-murphy-4986b41
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    1 Std. und 2 Min.
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