Against The Odds

Pilot Leon Crane has spent a week stranded in the Alaska backcountry after his plane crashed, and is in desperate need of food. He’s now considered “missing in action” by the army, with no rescue coming. His only option is to keep walking along a frozen river. But a stroke of luck buoys his spirits and gives him just enough fuel to keep searching for signs of civilization. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, he’s your new favorite snarky talk show host. Join The Grinch (and his faithful dog Max) each week as he rants against Christmas cheer and roasts celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. Starring Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson as the notorious curmudgeon and broadcasting straight from Who-Ville, will The Grinch send these famous folks back down Mt. Crumpit, or will they soften his stance against Christmas and grow his heart three sizes? Grab your hot cocoa and cozy slippers and listen along to find out! Follow 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to episodes of 'Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Listen now: Wondery.fm/Grinch See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s December 1943 and First Lieutenant Leon Crane and his crewmates board the Iceberg Inez, a B-24 bomber, for a test run. But when the plane runs into trouble and crashes, Crane finds himself alone in a remote stretch of Alaskan backcountry, far from the army base, Ladd Airfield. With no gear or supplies to protect himself from the harsh winter conditions, he must rely on his own ingenuity in his quest to find help. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan tell the wild stories of some of the most extraordinary men and women ever to have lived – and ask whether they have the rep they deserve. Should Nina Simone’s role in the civil rights movement be more celebrated than it is? When you find out what Picasso got up to in his studio, can you still admire his art? Was Napoleon a hero or a tyrant - or both? (And, while we’re at it, was he even short?) Legacy is the show that looks at big lives from the perspective of now – and doesn’t always like what it sees. Follow Legacy on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Prime Members can binge full seasons of Legacy early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the app today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, Yossi Ghinsberg joins host Cassie De Pecol to discuss how he survived for three weeks alone in the Bolivian Amazon. Yossi reflects on the lessons he learned from the experience, and shares the story of his return to the Amazon a decade later. His book Jungle: A Harrowing True Story of Survival in the Amazon was the basis for the film Jungle, starring Daniel Radcliffe. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin Gale desperately tries to organize a search party for Yossi Ghinsberg, who is still lost in the Bolivian rainforest. As days turn to weeks, Kevin worries he'll never see his friend alive again. Meanwhile, malnourished and injured, Yossi is growing increasingly disoriented as he treks through the forbidding jungle. He begins to lose all hope of ever being rescued. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After splitting off from their group, Yossi Ghinsberg and Kevin Gale hope to complete their journey through the Bolivian rainforest by rafting down the Tuichi River. But they quickly discover they're no match for the dangerous rapids. Soon they get separated, and when Yossi makes it to shore, Kevin is nowhere to be found. Yossi finds himself alone in the jungle, with barely any food, and no survival skills. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tristan Redman is a journalist who doesn’t believe in ghosts. But weird things happened in his teenage bedroom – weirder than normal. When, years later, he discovers subsequent occupants of his family home were haunted by the ghost of a faceless woman, he’s curious. Because by a strange coincidence, it just so happens that the house Tristan grew up in is right next door to a murder scene - where his wife’s great grandmother was killed by two gunshots to the face. Could there be a connection? Tristan decides to investigate and soon finds himself where no son-in-law should ever be: delving deep into his wife’s family history, asking questions no one wants answered. Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios present Ghost Story — a seven-part podcast series about family secrets, overwhelming coincidences and the things that come back to haunt us. Follow Ghost Story on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Ghost Story ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus. Listen now: Wondery.fm/Ghost_Story See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s 1981 and 22-year-old Yossi Ghinsberg is wrapping up a backpacking trip through South America. In La Paz, Bolivia, he and two friends meet an older Austrian expat, who entices them to join him on a trek into an uncharted corner of the Amazon rainforest. Yossi and his companions set out looking for adventure, but quickly discover they are ill-equipped for the harsh jungle environment, and their guide may not be as capable as they thought. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Follow MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge the first 8 episodes, early and ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today. The human body is a miracle. But when it’s not working, it can be the stuff of nightmares. On this new series from master storyteller MrBallen, we’re sharing medical horror stories and diagnostic mysteries that are surgically calibrated to make your blood run cold. From bizarre, unheard-of diseases and miraculous recoveries to strange medical mishaps and unexplainable deaths — you’ll never hear the phrase “heart-stopping” in the same way again. MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between MrBallen and Wondery, the award-winning company behind Dr. Death. Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kyle Dickman remembers the exact moment he learned about the fate of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. As a former firefighter and hotshot himself, the news hit him hard. He reported on the tragedy for Outside magazine, then spent the next two years researching and writing his book, On the Burning Edge: A Fateful Fire and the Men Who Fought It. Today, Kyle joins host Mike Corey to talk about the disaster and raise some tough questions about how wildland fires are fought. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fueled by 50-mile-an-hour winds, the Yarnell Hill Fire rages out of control. Fire officials have no choice but to evacuate all residents and firefighting crews in its path. But there’s still one crew out there: the Granite Mountain Hotshots. They think they’ve found a shortcut to a safety zone, but unbeknownst to them, the fire is heading right for them. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the Yarnell Hill Fire abruptly changes direction, hotshot Brendan McDonough has to abandon his lookout post and run for his life. Meanwhile, the rest of his crew, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, are safe on a ridge, in what firefighters call “the black” – an already-burned area. But when the winds change direction, and push the fire towards the town of Yarnell, crew chief Eric Marsh makes a fateful decision: to lead his men out of their safe area, so they can help fight the fire. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Granite Mountain Hotshots arrive in Yarnell to help fight what is now the number-one fire priority in all of Arizona. But crew chief Eric Marsh is frustrated when his guys are assigned to create fire breaks at the back of the fire. He wants his team to be on the front lines, where the action is. Meanwhile, driven by high winds, the fire begins to threaten the town of Peeples Valley, forcing the evacuation of the fire command center and throwing the entire firefighting effort into chaos. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On June 28th, 2013, lightning sparks a wildfire near the town of Yarnell in central Arizona. Fueled by dry conditions, the fire quickly spreads. To contain the blaze, local officials call in elite crews of firefighters known as hotshots. One team, the Granite Mountain Hotshots, from the nearby town of Prescott, are especially eager to prove themselves. But they’ve never faced anything like the Yarnell Hill blaze. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Hurricane Katrina approached New Orleans, 13-year-old Edward Buckles, Jr. piled into a car with his family and evacuated. They drove for hours on clogged roads, and slept on a shelter floor that night. When Edward woke up the next morning and saw news reports of his city under water, he began to realize that the life he had known was gone. Today, Edward joins Host Cassie De Pecol to discuss his HBO documentary, Katrina Babies, which looks at the toll the hurricane took on the youth of New Orleans. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At long last, the government’s rescue effort kicks into high gear and buses arrive to evacuate people from New Orleans. But it’s too late for many residents, who died in their homes waiting to be rescued. Thousands of people’s lives are shattered, and the damage to the city is extensive, particularly in predominantly Black neighborhoods like the Lower Ninth Ward. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Days after Hurricane Katrina floods their city, residents of New Orleans become increasingly desperate, as the government bungles the rescue effort. Using doors and other items to make improvised rafts, people make their way from their flooded homes to the Superdome and the Convention Center, which the city has set up as emergency shelters, only to find both venues lacking in food and resources. Meanwhile, the city’s largest public hospital, Charity, remains unevacuated, as its staff struggles to keep critical patients alive. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Officials learn that the storm surge from Katrina has breached New Orleans’s levees, allowing water to pour into the city. Soon, 80 percent of New Orleans is underwater. Many residents become trapped in their homes, and are forced to climb into their attics and onto rooftops, as their neighborhoods flood. With the power out and phone service down, the local and federal government struggle to mount relief efforts, leaving thousands of people to fend for themselves without food, drinking water, or adequate medical care. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s late August 2005, and the city of New Orleans makes preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. But after decades of hurricanes missing the city, many residents are confident they can ride out the storm. By the time Mayor Ray Nagin orders the first mandatory evacuation in New Orleans history, it’s too late for some to leave. Listen early and ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/againsttheodds. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.