I’m a semi-obsessive podcast devotee, so figured I would suggest some great podcasts just floating around on the internet. I practiced restraint and avoided all the main NPR suspects but tried to avoid going too esoteric. So here is a mix of very different sorts of things:
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History
Non-fiction – History – Avg. Length ~2 hours – Updates sporadically
Dan Carlin’s brand of history is a mix of sweeping overviews of cause and effect, detailed backstories, and lots of gory tid-bits. He covers everything from Ancient Rome to the Mongol Empire to the 1950s, and does a fantastic job of suggesting historical parallels to present day situations. The show is worth it if only for his quotations—he likes to read out sources in a dramatic and booming voice before lapsing into a more gruff analytical tone.
Decode DC
Non-Fiction – Politics – Avg. Length 15-20m – Updates sporadically
In Decode DC, Andrea Seabrook tries to give us the stories no one is covering—more in depth, behind-the-scenes pieces that explore the backdrop and backstory of any given headline. She helps put events and decisions into context, and avoids the distracting daily theatrical details.