A Bit of Relief: Introducing ’Sugar Calling’

Today, we're sharing an excerpt from a new Times podcast called “Sugar Calling,” hosted by Cheryl Strayed (a.k.a. Sugar). Each week, Cheryl will call up a writer she admires in search of insight and courage. She’ll ask the questions we’re all wondering: How do we stay calm when everything has been upended? How do we muster courage when fear is all around us?

In this excerpt, Cheryl reaches out to author George Saunders, her old friend and former mentor.