“You can no longer read in the bath” my doctor said, his words ripping through my very soul. “you’re straining your neck and that’s what’s causing that pain and tingling down your arm”.
There would have been a time in my life where I would have ignored him and taken all the codeine with a glass of red wine to relax my neck and form an even stronger addiction to my bath. But because I’m such a mature well-balanced woman I developed another addiction instead – the podcast. Listening in the bath allowed me to continue to soak in words and water. Perfect.
But I couldn’t contain it to the bath, my passion for the podcast spilt over and has seeped in to every part of my life. I am the mother that wants to do all the lifts so that I can get extra time in the car on the way home to listen. I am listening to people talk in my ear as I do the shopping. I am wearing my dogs legs out by taking him for multiple walks during the day just so that I can tune in to my whole new world.
Who wouldn’t want to tune into a world that involves an early morning walk with Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb or a drive home from school with Caitlin Moran? The podcast has essentially given me the ability to curate my own radio, to entertain and educate me in a way I never previously thought possible.
Irritatingly I am evangelical about it. Every time I step away from my headphones I feel the need to tell people about something I’ve learned, laughed at or cried over. Maybe I’m an auditory learner (although I still love reading) but I think it is because I am being given access to stories, ideas and conversations that I don’t think actually exist in the written sphere.
Here are just some of the podcasts I am loving right now
Chat 10 Looks 3 – hosted by Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb
Although they may have given this podcast a name which makes it impossible to find by looking for either host’s name, it is pure delight when you do find it. I could listen to these best friends natter about baking, books and Prime Ministers for days on end. Seriously it’s like sitting in a café next to these amazing women and being able to eavesdrop on their entire conversation. The fact that they are sometimes in a café, sometimes doing their make up, always eating really makes it very real.
BBC World Service World Book Club – hosted by Harriet Gilbert
Well loved authors come on to the show to chat and answer questions about their best known novels. I always love hearing authors talk about their own work but what makes this podcast even more special to me are the questions from the audience. I love that a reader in Nepal can have the same thoughts about a book as a reader in Uganda and I have that same thought as well. It’s a very unifying podcast and I adore the global nature of it.
Slate Working – hosted by writers at Slate
Ever wondered what people do all day for work? This is your podcast. Everything from the day in the life of a book editor to the day in the life of a self defense instructor or child abuse detective. They also famously (and fascinatingly) feature a day in the life of Stephen Colbert. I find other people’s lives so fascinating so this is just constantly awesome.
This is like going to live stand up theatre but in the comfort of your bath. Each episode is a story told live from the Story Club chair at the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Sydney. This morning I listened to Tracey Spicer read her own poetry and Rebecca Huntley talk about canteen duty. Just funny and clever and like being right there. I almost feel like I should pay for tickets
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Sex, Death and Money – hosted by Anna Sale
A podcast about the sex, death and money – but really it is just about people. Anna Sale is amazing and the way she weaves together stories is spectacular. If you haven’t listened to the episode on siblings I will excuse you while you go do that now. Other than the most fascinating stories told by every day people I love the fact that I don’t know and can’t see any of these people so there is no race, size, looks bias – it’s just people talking and I can relate in some way to all of them.
Longform Podcast – hosted by Aaron Lammer, Max Linsky, and Evan Ratliff.
A weekly conversation with a non-fiction writer or editor. Fascinating and insightful. I I tried to tell my husband every word of what Cheryl Strayed said in her interview, it’s the kind of insight into a person you can only glean in conversation. My husband is not that interested in Cheryl Strayed it turns out. But there are amazing people interviewed and it’s done really well.
Love + Radio – hosted by Nick van der Kolk
It’s as hard to describe what this podcast is about as it is easy to listen to. Ira Glass from This American Life (which you should also listen to) describes it as “some of the most emotionally complicated stories and portraits of people that anyone is doing anywhere. It’s like getting lost in another person’s life and coming away with your own richer and deeper understanding of how the world works for other people.
Hamish & Andy – hosted by Hamish and Andy
This is one I cannot listen to when outside in the real world because I literally laugh out loud. It’s their radio show without the ads and without the music and it is hysterically funny.
There are hundreds more amazing podcasts which I dip into all the time but wont list them all at the risk of boring you to tears (Although I’d never bore you in real life because I’ve become so worldly and smart by sitting in the bath with earphones in my ears.).
Check our suggestions from Smaggle and Pip Lincolne as well (because they are awesome)
Smaggle : 5 podcasts you should really be listening to
Pip Lincolne: 22 great podcasts to listen to
What can you add to the list?
People do say podcasts are the new thing. I have a 50 minute commute every day and definitely need to curate my own listening. Thanks for the tips Lana 🙂
It will change your commute completely, you will wish it was longer xx
So Pip covered some that I listen to but it all depends on what your interests are….
So if you were obsessed with Serial you really need to listen to Undisclosed – it has uncovered some MAJOR issues in the Adnan Sayed case and there can be no just outcome than a brand new trial for that guy (I reserve judgement on his guilt – I’m still not sure – but I definitely don’t think the case was proven beyond reasonable doubt).
Because I am a law nerd I also love Slate’s AMICUS about the US Supreme Court – the presenter makes some otherwise dull cases REALLY interesting and understandable and the discussion around the same-sex marriage stuff was fantastic.
I listen to The Minefield as a podcast because I don’t hear it live on RN but it’s really good.
I think Lana you might like SPARK – Stories you should know.
Stuff You Should Know is also great.
And I listen to a few about creativity etc too….the arty stuff (when I am no holidays from uni).
I love love love podcasts – it has taken over from TV for me big time and I listen to them in the car to/from uni (sometimes up to an hour each way). ALWAYS love getting tips!
I was completely obsessed with Serial and I sort of fell in love with Adnan, but I don’t think I can hear anymore because I get so upset about the lack of true justice – not just for him but for all the people who have unfair trials (and as you know there are many of them).
Going to look into the others – thanks xx
Chat 10 looks 3 is fabulous and by far my favourite.
TOFOP with Will Anderson is another good one. http://www.tofop.com/
I tried TOFOP but it was too AFL heavy for me. But I did like Will Anderson’s other podcast – Wilosophy xx
Oh you should try it again. He split Tofop & Fofop and the last Fofop with Gareth Reynolds is hilarious! You’d love the ones he does with Dave Anthony and Matt Kirshen – barely any afl!
Richard Fidler conversations on 702 Sydney. Always interesting, often riveting.
Agreed. 100%
I am so obsessed with podcasts at the moment, they are so addictive! Some new ones here for me to add!
My favs at the moment are the Serial spin-offs, Undisclosed and The Serial Dynasty, I loved Elizabeth Gilbert’s Magic Lessons, The Slow Home Podcast, as well as a lot of writing podcasts such as; So you want to be a writer, Hotcopy, The worried writer, DIY MFA radio and Writing excuses.
Absolutely love Conversations with Richard Fidler from the ABC 702. Riveting listening on my way to and from work every day.
Me too! Been listening to him for so long I forgot to include him as a podcast – just thought he was part of my life! 🙂
http://omnyapp.com/shows/osher-gunsberg
Osher Gunsberg, just fabulous. He also opens up about his own battle with anxiety.
I have heard that. Now I must try it for sure
I must be the only person on the planet who cannot stand the idea of podcasts. I do not want to listen to people talking when I can’t join in. I prefer to listen to music.
That makes sense. Although the people talking at you are always very interesting 😉