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The 99% Invisible Breakdown

99% Invisible

What if the most powerful man in New York never held elected office?

In our first audio book club, Roman Mars and comedian Elliott Kalan dive deep into The Power Broker, Robert Caro’s epic biography of Robert Moses, the master builder who reshaped New York City with highways, bridges, and raw political force.

Each episode unpacks each chapter from the book and features guests like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mike Schur, and, of course, Robert Caro. Together, they explore how one unelected man used ambition and bureaucracy to bend an entire metropolis to his will.

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  • 20 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 42 min
  • English

Episodes 20

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  • S2 · E9
    April 24 · 1 hr 5 min

    The Constitution #9: Alondra Nelson

    Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article VI and VII, which includes the all-important Supremacy Clause. Alondra Nelson, a leading expert on AI, is our guest.

  • S2 · E8
    March 27 · 1 hr 6 min

    The Constitution #8: Jill Lepore

    Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Jill Lepore is our guest.

  • S2 · E7
    February 27 · 1 hr 17 min

    The Constitution #7: California AG Rob Bonta

    Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article IV, which outlines the relationship between states and between states and the federal government. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is our guest this month.

  • S2 · E6
    January 30 · 1 hr

    The Constitution #6: Adam Liptak

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times chief legal affairs correspondent, Adam Liptak.

  • S2 · E5
    Dec 26, 2025 · 1 hr 19 min

    The Constitution #5: Dr. Tom Frieden

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to the remainder of Article Two, which defines the scope and limits of presidential power, alongside former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden.

  • S2 · E4
    Nov 28, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min

    The Constitution #4: Janet Napolitano

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth turn to Article Two, which establishes the executive branch, alongside former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

  • S2 · E3
    Oct 31, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min

    The Constitution #3: Sen. Elizabeth Warren

    This month, Roman and Elizabeth dive into Article One, Sections 8 through 10, which spells out what Congress can and cannot do. Then, Senator Elizabeth Warren joins to talk about Congress’s “power of the purse."

  • S1 · E13
    Mar 21, 2025 · 54 min

    The Power Broker #13: Drop Dead City

    Like a shadow epilogue to The Power Broker, this story plunges into the chaos of 1970s New York where debt, unions, and one brutal headline nearly broke the city.

  • Feb 14, 2025 · 1 hr

    The Power Broker Breakdown Wrap-Up

    Join Roman and Elliott one last time as they reflect on their journey with you all through "The Power Broker," exploring their favorite moments and answering listener questions in this bonus episode.

  • Jan 24, 2025 · 16 min

    The Power Broker Breakdown Breakdown

    The Power Broker Breakdown may have concluded, but if you're just tuning in (or if you just want a quick refresher), this episode is a compilation of the summary portions of the The Power Broker Breakdown series.

  • S1 · E10
    Oct 18, 2024 · 2 hr 51 min

    The Power Broker #10: Clara Jeffery

    Featuring Clara Jeffery, the editor-in-chief of Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting, and covering the last section of Part 6 and the first section of Part 7, chapters 39-41.

  • S1 · E9
    Sep 20, 2024 · 2 hr 32 min

    The Power Broker #9: Majora Carter

    Featuring Majora Carter, an urban revitalization strategist and real estate developer from the South Bronx, and covering the third section of Part 6, chapters 35-38.

  • S1 · E7
    Jul 19, 2024 · 2 hr 42 min

    The Power Broker #7: Sec. Pete Buttigieg

    Featuring Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and covering the second half of Part 5 and the first section of Part 6, chapters 27-32.

  • S1 · E6
    Jun 21, 2024 · 2 hr 58 min

    The Power Broker #6: Mike Schur

    Featuring television producer, writer, director, and actor Mike Schur, and covering the first half of Part 5, chapters 25-26.

  • S1 · E5
    May 17, 2024 · 2 hr 11 min

    The Power Broker #5: Brandy Zadrozny

    Featuring Brandy Zadrozny, senior reporter for NBC News who covers misinformation, conspiracy theories, and the internet, and covering the last section of Part 4, chapters 21-24.

Showing 1–20 of 20 episodes