doing our part:
podcasts
Stay safe. Stay home. Stay sane.
And here’s to help you with the sane part.
We have been collecting recommendations of what to do while you are home that gives you joy and peace (favorite books, podcasts, shows, recipes, etc.).
This week, our Top Ten Tuesday focuses on podcast recommendations; every Tuesday we will release a new category with ten recommendations.
Please take and share recommendations; together, we can do this!
podcasts
I have been slow to embrace this form of entertainment and news and information-giving. I didn’t know where to go to find reviews on podcasts and, truthfully, I didn’t know how to make sense of all of the content that is out there (there are currently over 850,000 podcasts!) and because of that, I have sidestepped and remained in my comfort zone - books and shows.
In the last three weeks, and because my boys are home and listen constantly to podcasts, I have opened the door a little bit more and I love it. During this time, podcasts are a perfect companion - no mask required - on a walk, in your bed, or on the couch.
start at the beginning
My first-ever podcast is the first one on today’s list. It’s a good place to start if you are not yet enmeshed in the world of podcasts. I listened to this one with a friend - not together, but simultaneously. It is riveting and will keep you guessing and wondering, “Did he do it?”
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Serial
Serial is a podcast from the creators of This American Life and hosted by Sarah Koenig. I have listened to all three seasons and it’s hard to not be a little hypnotized by Koenig’s voice and her probing questions.
Season one investigated the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee, an 18-year-old student at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore. Season two focused on Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an Army soldier who was held for five years by the Taliban and then charged with desertion. Season three explores cases within The Justice Center Complex in the Cleveland area.
Get ready to binge listen!
under 30 minutes
Although many podcasts seem to be closer to an hour, I have found these shorter ones more in sync with my ability to stay focused. We all have an extra 30 minutes here and there, so plug in your headset.
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A Mile in My Shoes
Sneakers, high heels, trainers, sandals…oh my!
In (very) short snippets, this podcast offers a story an episode and gives the listener the opportunity to feel what it’s like to walk a mile in the shoes of a stranger.
Nominated for “Best New Podcast” at the 2019 British Podcast Awards. All stories and shoes are part of the Empathy Museum’s “A Mile in My Shoes” project - an interactive shoe shop which tours internationally.
This podcast is best experienced while walking!
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The Daily
The Daily is a daily news podcast and radio show from The New York Times. Hosted by Times political journalist Michael Barbaro, its episodes are based on the Times’ reporting of the day with interviews of journalists form The New York Times.
Episodes last 20 - 30 minutes, and new episodes are every weekday. Lately The Daily is focusing specifically on the coronavirus.
(Full disclosure: I do not listen to The Daily, but it came highly recommended and is consistently voted one of the top news podcasts.)
crime stories
I am not sure what this says about our society, but there are a lot of crime podcasts out there. This seems to indicate that we love wrongdoing, unsolved mysteries, corruption, murder, bloody knives and smoking guns. I didn’t think I was among the fans until I started listening. I loved the first season of Serial, which is a step by step walk through a murder case, but here are a few more to take a stab at, even if you don’t think you like this kind of thing.
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Criminal
Launched in January 2014, Criminal is an award-winning podcast about true crime. Over the weekend, I listened to a few episodes and found myself completely captivated. Narrated by the unflappable and steady Phoebe Judge, each episode tells the story of someone who has been wrong, done wrong or was caught somewhere in the middle. Very entertaining!
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The Shrink Next Door
True intrigue! Sometimes the relationship between a therapist and client can go terribly wrong, and in this six-episode documentary podcast about Ike, the shrink and his client, Marty, things turn dark quickly. So why don’t you lie down on your couch and tell us how you feel about this one.
encouragement
We could all use a little bit of encouragement these days, and thanks to the wonderful recommendations from our readers, the name Brené Brown came up consistently. Anything Brené Brown, really. You can also read her books or find her on YouTube or social media.
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Unlocking Us
Personally, I am a big fan of Brené Brown. I love her insight and her courage and her humor. I have listened to a few episodes of Unlocking Us and find her conversations with her guests interesting and encouraging. She is Texan, oh so Texan, so get ready to love her, y’all.
food glorious food
Because really, isn’t it all about the food.
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Bon Appetit Foodcast
Whether you are wondering what to cook at home tonight or dreaming about one day, soon, going out to a restaurant, Bon Appetit Foodcast has you covered. Listen to the world’s best chefs talk about the best cooking techniques, new hot spots and everything food.
helpful during pandemic
We all need up-to-date information to keep each other safe. I find the daily news briefs given by our politicians long, overwhelming, and sometimes just too political. Here are two suggestions (one is not really a podcast but a videocast - is that a word?) that I think you will find useful!
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rp daily
This may not actually be considered a podcast (I won’t include it in our top ten), but definitely worth noting. The daily conversations between Nantucket Project’s Tom Scott and R. P. Eddy are important and informative and thoughtful. I stumbled on this a few weeks ago; the segments are factual and helpful and I really prefer it to any other news source on the pandemic.
Thank you, Nantucket Project!
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Staying In
In this podcast — whose profits go to charities helping those affected by coronavirus — Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani promise to help cure all things cabin fever-related. A therapist and a writer, they point the listener in the direction of good shows, books and healthy routines, and they try hard not to discuss the c-word. And they hope their podcast is very short-lived!
history junkies unite
My father always loved history, especially American history. He could and would talk forever to anyone who would listen on topics that included the Cold War, the Reagan years, the Great Depression, and the Civil War, to name a few. So, in his honor, I give you a few podcasts that my father would have loved.
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The Cold War: What We Saw
(recommended by McKinley Frantz)
Thirty years after the end of the Cold War, Bill Whittle narrates an in-depth account of the conflict that changed the nature of warfare forever. For something that occurred within most of our lifetimes, this account is particularly relatable and personal, providing context to our own shared memories.
Ultimately, this podcast boils down to the two competing ideologies battling for global supremacy in the ashes of World War II.
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Revisionist History
Last week, we listed Talking to Strangers as one of our top ten books, and here is Malcolm Gladwell again with his revered podcast. We are clearly fans and find his observations thought provoking.
In his podcast, Gladwell goes back to reinterpret bits from the past: an event, a person, an idea, or something completely overlooked or misunderstood. Gladwell will leave you with plenty to say during your next Zoom gathering or when we are all able to convene again.
Oh, and there are other wonderful ones out there, Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, BBC’s Global News Podcast, We Hear from the New York Post’s Page Six, Sibling Revelry with Kate and Oliver Hudson, and The Moth.
Let us know your favorite and we will share it in our next Top Ten Tuesday - Podcasts!