Podcast Proclivities - Recommendations for Fun, Well-Rounded Podcast Listening

There is so much media out there.  Not only is it impossible for one person to consume it all, it's overwhelming to even know where to start.  Personally, I like to stay aware of what's going on in the world, learn stimulating new things, and keep up on my particular interests.  Oh and do it all in the copious amounts of spare time between work, mothering, maintaining a household, cooking, writing, etc., etc.

When I found first public radio and then podcasts a few years ago, it felt like a significant eureka moment.  I had unearthed a magical personalized education program with no tests and a fast forward button.

Brilliant idea, podcasts.

It's not hyperbole to say they have made a big impact in my life.  They helped me realize there is much more time available for listening than just driving to and from work. Podcasts have filled much of the mental space that exists while I am doing simple tasks - getting ready in the morning, cooking, exercising, showering (ok not really, but those bluetooth shower speakers do look pretty nifty...).

This year they've exploded in popularity. which is great because it means so many new, fun, and addicting podcasts are coming out.   I thought I'd share my favorites and personal recommendations now that there are so many to choose from.  If you have recommendations, I'd love to hear them!  If you are new to podcasting and need help getting set up, visit this webpage for some tips.

The first two mainstays in my personalized podcast curriculum help me cover news and current events, politics (when I can bear it), literature, art history, religion, science, the economy, architecture, music, etc..

I started with The Diane Rehm Show, broadcast out of Washington D.C.  Ms. Rehm is intelligent,  thought-provoking, asks hard questions, doesn't let people slide away from answers, and covers a wide-range of news and topics.  Oh, and she won a Peabody for her work.  I wanted to know the story behind her unusual radio voice and discovered she suffers from spasmodic dysphonia - a neurological voice disorder that came on later in her career.  Her tenacity in staying in radio nonetheless made me appreciate her and the show even more, and now I find her and her voice familiar and reassuring.  She puts out two podcasts a day, so there are many to pick and choose from.

Radio West is the other anchor of my program, broadcast out of Salt Lake City, hosted by Doug Fabrizio.  He is insightful, prepared, thoughtful, and guides his interviews in such a way as to make his guests feel appreciated and understood, and as a listener I feel I get a good understanding of the topic as a result.  It covers topics that are of interest locally but also nationally and it is a nice compliment to The Diane Rehm Show.

Then there are my favorites, the delicious, story-filled special interest podcasts.

The first one I was smitten with was, of course, This American Life.  When I started listening in 2011, I downloaded almost every episode since 2006 and listened to over 100 episodes in a row.  My life was so filled with This American Life that I felt a genuine loss when I was all caught up waiting for the weekly show.  It is such an incredible way to see into the lives of all kinds of people and subject matters.  Ira Glass and his producers essentially spin story straw into gold and you learn a lot on the way.  Some are light hearted, some serious, some just interesting, but they all are really, really good.  If you haven't ever listened to it, start right now. 

Another top favorite (I haven't missed a single episode) is Radiolab, hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich.  It nicely rounds out the science part of my podcast curriculum while at the same time satisfying my love of storytelling.  They use unique narratives to artfully illuminate all kinds of fascinating scientific topics.  I am naturally curious about the world so it's right up my alley, and I can't get enough of it.   If you haven't listened yet, I recommend listening to every episode they have ever done from the beginning.

The Moth is storytelling at its best - true stories told live with no notes.  Funny, heartbreaking, and most of all, spellbinding.  They are all so exceptional, and often help keep my own life in perspective, as the stories are relatable and help ground me or just help me see from a different view.  I listen to every podcast weekly and love it.

Then there is of course, the incredibly popular (though sadly over now) Serial.  It's about one girl's murder from 1999 and the teenager that was arrested for the crime.  The real question at hand...did he really do it?   It's addicting and Sarah Koenig does a fantastic job taking us along on her investigative journey.  Undisclosed is a podcast covering the minute details of the same case.  It sometimes a little repetitive and long, but I find I can't stop listening because I have to know what happens!  Serial will have a new case coming out soon and I can't wait.  

My most recent addition in the last couple of weeks is Mystery Show.  So far I am totally enchanted by Starlee Kine and her endeavors to solve mysteries (mysteries that can't be solved by Googling).  They are deceptively simple mysteries about things you wouldn't instinctively think you'd care about, but following her on her quests to solve them has been so much fun.

Finally, for my most niche podcast I also listen to Writing Excuses - a podcast specifically for aspiring writers hosted by four successful published authors - Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler.  If you have any interest in writing fiction, I highly recommend this podcast.  It's only 15 minutes long so it's easily digestible, and they make writing seem so doable, which is so helpful in the face of crushing self doubt new writers face.

An honorable mention I enjoyed early on is Dan Carlin's Hardcore History - Mr. Carlin has a unique way of looking at the past and makes history utterly compelling.  My favorite was his remarkable series about the Eastern Front of WWII - Ghosts of the Osfront.   I ultimately had to give the podcast up because he does very long podcasts with multiple casts in a series, and I just don't have that kind of time at the moment.  However, I do keep it in my podcast list so I can add it in when I can.  

Sending out many thanks to the public radio shows and podcasters for making my magical personal education program so enriching and fun!

In the language of flowers, Bouvardia means Enthusiasm

Photo credit: Vreeken Sierteelt B.V.