Inspired by a spate of new Chicago stage adaptations of the Faust story, This American Life brings you stories of people who made a deal with the devil.
Dangerous Minds
LuAnne Johnson is a teacher who sold her story to Hollywood and saw it made into the film and TV series Dangerous Minds, in which a character named LuAnne Johnson does things the real LuAnne believes are unethical and silly. (15 minutes)
The Undiscovered Country
Found tape of a conversation about bringing back the dead. (11 minutes)
Voyager
Alix Spiegel tells the story of her friend Jayna, who made a Faustian bargain at 11 years old. (12 minutes)
Carmen Becomes Faust
Carmen Delzell on a deal she made with the devil when she turned 30. (14 minutes)
First Contact
Daniel Pinkwater reads his children's picture book Devil in the Drain. (4 minutes)
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Act Three: My Own Private U.F.O.
A story about God and extraterrestrials, told by Elna Baker.
Act Four: How To Become An American
Writer Achy Obejas reads a piece of short fiction from her book, We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This? (11 minutes)
Act Three: The Router Less Taken
A man tries to unload a piece of junk he bought by selling it on eBay...not by concealing its many terrible properties...but by bragging about them.
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