Every year or two I purging through my podcast subscriptions. A couple weeks ago I completely eliminated almost all of my podcast subscriptions down to six or seven feeds. From that spartan list, I just bloated it back up to about twenty yesterday morning. As such this seems like the right time to take a snapshot of what I’m listening two.
There are two segments of the podcast world that is conspicuously missing. For whatever reason I just have never been able to get really into the highly produced refined offerings like Radiolab or This American Life. They are both excellently produced shows, but unconsciously it just is not what I’m looking for in my audio mumblings. Also, I’m curious whether my interest in politics will return with the next presidential election but at this time, I’ve found that life is much more calm avoiding the subject altogether. I know where I stand, but I know my wrath inside a metal box moving a mile a minute will do nothing to change things. So no more audio incitement.
With that here are the 20 podcasts I am actively subscribed, with a few other ones on deck once I finish off some of the completed shows.
HISTORY SERIES
A History of the World in 100 Objects, the classic BBC Series that I’m very slowly working my way through.
History in the Bible, An excellent podcast working his way through the Bible, from start to finish.
The History of China, The History of China, from start to current times, currently in the Song Dynasty
The History of Egypt Podcast, The History of Egypt from start to finish.
Tides of History, A topical series about the transition to modernity.
THE WORLD AT LARGE
The Big Idea, An english Hong Kong radio roundtable program about various topics. It seems to have ended in 2016, and I want to finish it.
In Our Time, A BBC radio roundtable about various topics.
New Books Network, The mothership New Books feed with all their academic books.
The Evening Jones, Bomani Jones talks about everything except sports, though he only addresses politics obliquely given his position at ESPN.
Common Sense with Dan Carlin, Along with the Evening Jones, this is the only podcast that addresses current events, and he rarely posts now. I like really like his historically based perspective on current events.
MISCELLANY
The Right Time with Bomani Jones, Bomani Jones talks about sports; I really like his perspective on sports and life in general.
Imaginary Worlds, Exploring geekdom in all its facets.
Lexicon Valley, Talking about english.
Akimbo, Seth Godin talks about work.
Twenty Thousand Hertz, A program about sounds.
Levar Burton Reads, He reads big kid stories. Amazing and often heavy.
Jocko Podcast, The main focus of the podcast is about self ownership and leadership, but the main hook is when he goes through books, mainly military in nature.
SERIOUSLY GEEKY STUFF THAT MAY NOT LAST LONG TERM
Automators, as the title implies, a podcast all about automating stuff. I’ve had so much fun with Apple Shortcuts recently, I have to give this a try, even though I find myself getting very anxious when I listen to it.
Hello Internet, CGP Grey Talks with a youtuber guy with a funny accent, generally about life, often framed as a youtubers.
Cortex, CGP Grey talks with another podcaster with a funny accent, focused about productivity stuff.
“NEW BOOKS” FEEDS I’D LIKE TO ADD TO THE TOP 20
New Books in Architecture
New Books in Asian American Studies
New Books in Folklore
New Books in Sports
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, NOT YET RESUBSCRIBED
Boardgames to Go, This was my favorite podcast at one point, but I just don’t play enough games at this time. Listening to it just makes me sade
Hang up and Listen, Slate’s sports podcast. I like the guys, but since I feel guilty for following too much sports and I’m currently avoiding politics (these guys are openly left as expected by their network), I’ve refrained from subscribing to this one.
Indy Matters, From the Nevada Indy, this would be the one news / politics podcast I would readily bring back in the fold, since state politics is really quite important to my life.
Revisionist History, I am conflicted about Malcom Gladwell. I find him interesting, but often I think he’s gratuitously counterintuitive just to be cute.
The Longest Shortest Time, Talking about life as parents. I really want to get into it, but hasn’t really ever really clicked, but I’m not ready to fully give up on it.
ON TAKING PICTURES, NOT YET RESUBSCRIBED
On Taking Pictures, They were one of my favorite podcasts for more than a year. They just concluded their run and I’d like to finish it at some point.
Iterations, Short musings by Jeffery Saddoris, one of the hosts of OTP.
Pals with Bill Wadman, the other host of OTP interviews other friends. I want to give it a serious run in the future.
OTHER HISTORY PODCASTS, NOT YET RESUBSCRIBED
History of the Papacy, I like the host from what I’ve heard elsewhere, but I have enough ongoing History podcasts at this time.
The History of the Eastern Church, This seems to be relatively new, I know nothing about this one aside from the title, which is a subject of interest to go with the other podcast.
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History, He is the godfather of all History Podcasts, but I don’t usually have the stamina to handle his mega long episodes.
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History Addendum, His shorter episode but more theoretically more frequent podcast feed.
RELIGION PODCASTS, NOT YET RESUBSCRIBED
NT Pod, A really interesting series about the New Testament by a professor at Duke.
The Human Bible, The old series by Robert M. Price who takes an aggressively skeptical view of the Bible.
Bible Geek Show, The current series by Robert M. Price.
The Classical Ideas Podcast, A series of interviews with various experts on different ways of thought.
PODCASTS I FEEL GUILTY FOR NOT FOLLOWING
99% Invisible, I liked the couple episodes I’ve heard, and its about my profession, but something continues to not clicking with me on this one.
The Essay, BBC3’s essay podcast. I aspire to like it, but haven’t so far.
On Being Present, Poetry is cool and being present sounds good.
RadioLab, I like science. This is really well produced. I should like this podcast. It’s never captured me.