The Daily Folgen

“The problem starts for Houston almost the moment that it’s founded.” That’s how Richard Fausset, who covers the South for The New York Times, describes the founding of Houston, which was built on the edge of a swampy bayou. On today’s show, he describes the uniquely American success story of Houston as a boomtown, and how Harvey’s destruction recasts the narrative. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

As a poor, white teenager in Fort Smith, Ark., Abraham Davis never fit in. As a hidden minority there, the town’s Muslims were trying to make a home. Then their lives collided. Plus: the latest from Houston, where the rain keeps falling. Guests: Sabrina Tavernise, a national correspondent for The New York Times; Jacqueline Herrera, a Houston resident who we check back in with. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

By Monday, the third straight day of flooding, Hurricane Harvey had left much of the region underwater, and the city of Houston looked like a sea dotted by islands. We hear from some people in the city about the view from the ground as the waters keep rising. Guests: Alan Blinder, a Times correspondent who has been reporting from Houston; Jacqueline Herrera, who talks to us us from her home in Houston where she is, for now, staying put. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.