The writers of The Chronicles of Now satirize, applaud, and transmogrify the news of the day. The podcast, hosted by Ashley Ford, commissions famous authors (such as Roxane Gay, Ben Fountain, and Manuel Gonzales) to create short fiction pulled from the headlines. Some of the stories reach for high concepts; others are grounded and relatable. The pandemic lurks in the background of many. One episode, “Breeze Point,” responds to a viral story from Hong Kong about two mating pandas. “The Extinction Show” imagines a world in which people profit off soon-to-be-extinct animal species. Another entry follows two sisters who share a love of birds but can’t stop fighting about politics; the listener must decide whether the story is about love or polarization. The 10-minute readings—bookended by Ford’s excellent interviews with the writers—are easily snackable, but don’t let the breezy format fool you into thinking you won’t laugh and cry and ponder existential dread.