Podcasts -- seeking recommendations

[carbonel]

I remember my first podcast. naomikritzer mentioned she had a story on PodCastle. That was #39, and I ended up downloading everything on PodCastle and Escape Pod to date. It became a morning habit, just like (I suppose) morning drive radio for more normal people. I have a window most days of half an hour to an hour where a podcast is the perfect thing. It took

Comments

[helenraven]

I listen to several Slate podcasts: "Lexicon Valley" (about language), "Culture Gabfest" and "Political Gabfest". I don't understand more than about 10% of the political one, but I find it a nice place to hang out

[carbonel]

Thanks -- just started listening to Lexicon Valley.

[inamac]

I second Kermode and Mayo. And you might browse through the BBC back catalogue of 'In Our Time' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl)for interesting discussions on some very deep subjects (the archive is divided by theme - I recommend the History and Science ones).

[tanac]

I love the BBC's Desert Island Discs. It's been going on for decades; she's had absolutely everyone on as guests. The fundamental premise is that guests share the 7 albums they'd take with them to a desert island, along with why- usually ends up talking a lot about their lives, motivations, etc. everyone from British politicians, to actors, to architects, to designers... The interviewer does her homework and asks good questions.

Design Matters is another one I like, although it's longer than my commute (30 min), so that gets annoying occasionally.

[agentxpndble]

Ditto (about Desert Island Discs) - I dread the day I eventually exhaust the archive. :-(

Also, not sure if it's your style, but I never miss The Moth podcast: http://themoth.org/about/programs/the-moth-podcast

[affreca]

Sorry about the drive by post, but I have recommendations. Astronomy Cast is a pretty good weekly (ish) half hour podcast about astronomy. There's about 300 episodes currently. Each week is a new topic, and they wait until research has been proven out for a couple of years (except for the arsenic life one that was mostly disproven). I have reservations about the episodes when they try any geology (my field), and Pamela mispronounces names (but admits it). Star Stuff (Australian Broadcasting) is a weekly half hour podcast on breaking astronomy stories, so it's a nice complement.

Quirks and Quarks an hour-long (so longer than your limit) science radio show that interviews various researchers. It is currently on summer hiatus, but there are quite a bit of archives available as it has been running on CBC for years. Science Now and Inside Science are two short BBC equivalents.

[hawkida]

Hmm, consider Stuff You Should Know, Freakonomics Radio and Stuff to Blow Your Mind.