Discover The Strength of Water memoir, a powerful story of Chinese reverse immigration. Learn how one woman survived moving from 1920s Detroit to a rural Chinese village.

Episode Resources:

• Get your copy of "The Strength of Water" by Karin K. Jensen
• Connect with Karin K. Jensen

In this incredible interview, author Karin K. Jensen shares the astonishing true story behind The Strength of Water memoir, a book that details her mother's unbelievable journey of perseverance. Born in America, her mother Helen was taken to a remote Chinese peasant village in the 1930s at just 11 years old. After surviving war, disease, and near-starvation, she fought her way back to the United States alone as a teenager. How does a person endure such immense hardship and not only survive, but build a life of strength and independence? This episode uncovers a story of resilience you won't soon forget.

Join us as we explore the profound narrative of this unique memoir about a Chinese mother, as told by her daughter and author, Karin K. Jensen. We delve into the complex history that shaped this family's destiny, starting with the paper sons and daughters history that allowed her grandfather to immigrate to the U.S. despite the Chinese Exclusion Act. Karin paints a vivid picture of her mother's early life in a 1920s Detroit Chinese laundry, a world that was abruptly torn away. The conversation details the extreme culture shock Helen experienced in the reverse immigration story, moving from a modern American city to a Cantonese village with no electricity or modern medicine. We discuss the family dynamics with her new stepmother, the harrowing experience of contracting malaria and malnutrition, and being left for dead on a "death board." Throughout the discussion of The Strength of Water memoir, Karin highlights the unwavering spirit that drove her mother to survive. The story follows Helen's return to America, her work as a teen domestic in California, the pain of a difficult first marriage to a man with a gambling addiction, and her ultimate triumph in achieving financial independence and finding true partnership. This is more than just a Chinese reverse immigration story; it's a testament to the power of a mother's dream for a better life and the strength that can be found in the face of impossible odds.

About Our Guest:

Karin K. Jensen is the author of "The Strength of Water," a powerful memoir written in the voice of her mother, Helen. By meticulously interviewing her mother, aunts, uncle, and other family members, Karin reconstructed a lost piece of Chinese-American history, capturing her mother's incredible journey from an American-born child to a survivor of 1930s rural China and back again.

Timestamps / Chapters:

(00:00) The Unbelievable Reverse Immigration Story of Helen Chu

(01:32) Writing in a Mother's Voice: Capturing Authenticity

(03:40) The Journey to America: Understanding the "Paper Son" System

(06:12) Life in a 1920s Detroit Chinese Laundry

(15:23) Culture Shock in Reverse: Returning to a 1930s Cantonese Village

(23:57) Illness and Survival: A Brush with Death in Rural China

(27:14) The Kindness of Strangers: Securing a Passage Back to America

(33:01) Trapped in a Difficult Marriage and the Hidden Cost of "Settling Down"

(37:14) Building Financial Independence and Finding True Partnership

(39:07) The Meaning Behind the Title: "The Strength of Water"

(40:08) What's Next? Adapting the Story for the Screen

Discover the Doctor's Riot of 1788 and the grim history of body snatching. Learn about 18th-century anatomy riots and the shocking modern-day black market for body parts.

Episode Resources:

• Get your copy of "Doctors' Riot of 1788: Body Snatching, Bloodletting, and Anatomy in America" by Andy McPhee
• Connect with Andy McPhee

In 1788, a furious mob stormed the streets of New York, not over taxes or tyranny, but over stolen corpses. This was the Doctor's Riot of 1788, a violent clash that exposed the grim underworld of 18th-century medical science. What drove medical students to dig up fresh graves in the dead of night? In this episode, we're joined by author Andy McPhee to discuss his book, The Doctor's Riot of 1788, and uncover the shocking history of body snatching, a practice that, in some forms, continues to this day. We explore the central dilemma: how could medicine advance without access to the one thing society refused to give?

The history of body snatching in America is a dark and fascinating tale of science, ethics, and social class. Author Andy McPhee details how, five years after the Revolutionary War, New York City was a tinderbox of tension. Medical students at New York Hospital, desperate for cadavers to study anatomy, regularly stole bodies from the "Negroes Burial Ground." While the city's Black population protested, their pleas were ignored. The situation exploded only when students began taking bodies from the white Trinity church graveyard. The riot was sparked by a medical student, likely John Hicks, Jr., who taunted a young boy by dangling a dismembered arm from a window, claiming it was the boy's recently deceased mother. This single act ignited days of chaos, pitting a mob against founding fathers like John Jay and Baron von Steuben, who tried - and failed - to quell the violence.

This episode delves into the legal and moral gray areas of the time, explaining the critical difference between body snatching and grave robbing; one was a minor offense, the other a serious crime. This legal loophole allowed "resurrectionists" to flourish, supplying medical schools across the country. McPhee reveals that the Doctor's Riot was not an isolated incident but one of many "anatomy riots" that occurred at medical schools across the young nation, from Baltimore to Vermont's "Hubbardton Raid." The conversation then takes a startling turn to the present, revealing the horrifying reality of modern body snatching. We discuss the case of "Masterpiece Theater" host Alistair Cooke, whose bones were stolen and sold after his death, and the recent Harvard Medical School morgue scandal involving Cedric Lodge, showing how an unregulated "body broker" market continues to exploit the dead for profit.

About Our Guest:

Andy McPhee is a historical nonfiction author and the writer of The Doctor's Riot of 1788. In this interview, he shares his meticulous research process, which involved diving into digital archives like HathiTrust, archive.org, and Newspapers.com to piece together this forgotten chapter of American history and verify sources from a time when journalism was notoriously biased.

Timestamps / Chapters:

(00:00) The Shocking Story of the Doctor's Riot

(01:33) How the Author Discovered This Forgotten History

(09:11) Body Snatching vs. Grave Robbing: The Critical Difference

(10:42) The Unbelievably Mild Penalties for Stealing a Corpse

(16:04) The Spark: John Hicks Jr. and the Arm in the Window

(20:09) Founding Fathers vs. The Mob: How Hamilton & John Jay Faced the Riot

(28:37) The Barbaric State of 18th-Century Medical Science

(31:53) Racial Tensions and the Unwritten Rules of Body Snatching

(35:45) Modern Body Snatching: The Alistair Cooke & Harvard Morgue Scandals

(41:39) "Mary's Ghost": A Haunting Poem from the Era

Explore the new John Candy biography with author Paul Myers. Discover powerful stories of the beloved comedian's true character, integrity, and unforgettable kindness.

Episode Resources:

• Get your copy of "John Candy: A Life in Comedy" by Paul Myers
• Connect with Paul Myers

In this definitive John Candy biography deep dive, author Paul Myers reveals the untold stories behind one of cinema's most beloved figures. While we all know John Candy for his iconic roles in movies like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, and Cool Runnings, what was the man behind the laughter truly like? This conversation explores the incredible highs and heartbreaking lows of his life, from his early days in comedy to the secret pain he carried.

Paul Myers, author of "John Candy: A Life in Comedy," shares intimate details sourced from those who knew him best. This episode unpacks the complex and admirable John Candy character, a man who stood up for pay equity for his female co-stars on SCTV and famously gave his own star trailer to screen legend Maureen O'Hara on the set of Only the Lonely. We explore his creative genius, tracing his journey from the legendary stages of Second City Toronto, where he honed his improv skills and developed characters like Yosh Shmenge, to his iconic status in Hollywood. The conversation also delves into the complex relationship between SCTV and Saturday Night Live, and how a single piece of advice from Candy inspired a young Mike Myers to pursue comedy.

This comprehensive interview with Paul Myers, author and comedy historian, doesn't shy away from the difficult moments. Discover the story behind Candy's infamous conflict on the set of Stripes over the demeaning mud wrestling scene, a moment that highlighted his career-long struggle with body-shaming. We also explore the immense pressure he was under during his time as a co-owner of the John Candy Toronto Argonauts, a dream that ended in heartbreak following a fraud scandal. Finally, learn about the unprecedented and moving tribute from the LAPD, who shut down the 405 freeway for his funeral procession. From his most celebrated John Candy movies to the private battles he faced, this episode paints a complete picture of a comedic genius and a profoundly decent human being, based on the research from this essential John Candy biography.

About Our Guest:

Paul Myers is an author, musician, and journalist with a deep connection to the world of comedy. As the brother of comedian Mike Myers, he grew up surrounded by the industry and brings a unique, respectful perspective to his work. In this interview, he discusses the meticulous two-year process of interviewing legends like Dan Aykroyd and Martin Short for his definitive John Candy biography, "John Candy: A Life in Comedy."

Timestamps:

(0:00) Why John Candy's Story Still Matters

(2:17) Crafting the Biography & The John Candy Family Documentary

(5:38) How John Candy's Advice Launched Mike Myers' Career

(14:58) The Rise of Second City Toronto & SCTV

(19:18) The Origin of the Hilarious Shmenge Brothers

(22:07) Fighting for Equity: John Candy’s Stand Against SCTV Producers

(24:21) A Noble Act: The Story of John Candy & Maureen O'Hara's Trailer

(28:35) The "I Like Me" Scene: Analyzing Planes, Trains & Automobiles

(35:51) The Conflict on 'Stripes': Why John Candy Hated the Mud Wrestling Scene

(42:56) Johnny Toronto: The Dream and Heartbreak of Owning the Argonauts

(47:52) A Final Farewell: The Unprecedented 405 Freeway Tribute