An exploration of what makes a hero, why people put their lives in danger for others, and the true nature of sacrifice.

Listen to the to the official trailer now HERE

NEW YORK – June 21, 2024 – Why do we tell stories about heroes? Because every story needs a hero. 

Co-produced by Pushkin Industries and iHeartPodcasts, Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage is a new podcast from Malcolm Gladwell (out June 26) that tells the extraordinary tales of some of our nation's heroes. Each week, Gladwell will profile one Medal of Honor recipient's life and courageous actions while exploring themes like what it is that makes a hero, why people put their lives in danger for others, what human beings are capable of, and the true nature of sacrifice.

“We tell stories about heroes because of a simple fact about the human mind: Courage is contagious,” Gladwell explains. “And when you hear about someone doing something heroic, it makes you want to be a hero too. And these days, we could use more heroes.” 

In Season 1, you’ll hear stories of Medal of Honor recipients ranging from the Civil War to the Iraq War including Henry Johnson, a “Harlem Hellfighter” who, despite his valor on the battlefields of France during WWI, returned home to a different type of battle due to his race; Mary Walker, the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor; and Douglas A. Munro, the first person to receive the medal for actions performed during service in the Coast Guard.

This show is about these heroes: What they did. What it meant. And what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice — not just for our country, but for each other.

The full list of Medal of Honor winners profiled in Season 1 includes Mike Thornton, Henry Johnson, Douglas A. Munro, Alwyn Cashe, Mary Walker, Tibor Rubin, Jay R. Vargas, Robert Bush, and John Chapman.

Malcolm Gladwell is the author of several bestselling books and host of the hit podcast Revisionist History. His next book, Revenge of the Tipping Point, will be released on October 1, 2024.

Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and made possible by the support of American Military University, LifeLock, Navy Federal Credit Union and Mint Mobile. New episodes will be released each Wednesday starting June 26, 2024 on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are available.

Download the podcast cover art HERE

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ABOUT MALCOLM GLADWELL

Malcolm Gladwell is co-founder of Pushkin Industries and host of the hit podcast Revisionist History. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of several New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Outliers, David and Goliath, Talking to Strangers, and The Bomber Mafia. Malcolm has been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996. He is a trustee of the Surgo Foundation and currently serves on the board of the RAND Corporation. His forthcoming book, Revenge of the Tipping Point will be released on October 1, 2024.

ABOUT PUSHKIN INDUSTRIES

Pushkin Industries is dedicated to producing audio in any format that challenges listeners, encourages their curiosity, and inspires joy. Or, in other words: Good, Smart, Fun. Founded in 2018, Pushkin has produced numerous podcasts that have broken into the top 10 on the Apple Podcasts chart, including Malcolm Gladwell’s hugely successful Revisionist History, as well as Against the Rules from Michael Lewis, Paul McCartney’s A Life in Lyrics, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, Broken Record, Tim Harford’s Cautionary Tales, The Last Archive, Deep Cover, Lost Hills and Apple’s Best Show of 2021, A Slight Change of Plans. Pushkin’s audiobook catalog includes Steve Martin’s So Many Steves, Inside Voice by Lake Bell,  the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen, Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis, Fauci and Higher Animals by Michael Specter, Heartbreak by Florence Williams, and Malcolm Gladwell’s Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon, The Bomber Mafia, and Talking to Strangers. Follow us @pushkinpods.