My Third “Podspirations” + Recs

As I’ve done the last two years, I’ve reserved my August blog for my recommended podcasts. I’m often asked for podcast suggestions since I subscribe to many, of all stripes. As you embark on your August vacation and need to start listening to podcasts, or update your own library, please see my new list. (See last year’s list here and 2020’s here.)

I haven’t changed my list as much as I did last year. I’ve removed a few that are no longer as relevant or have been discontinued, and I’ve added some new ones. This list contains my favorite podcasts, but not my entire library. I don’t listen to every episode. I vary what I listen to depending on my mood.

If I’m walking, I tend to listen to them at 1.5 speed. If I’m driving or cooking, I don’t change the speed. There are no embedded links since everyone uses a different source to download podcasts.

But first, a YouTube channel I love

If you like learning about small, niche communities, check out Peter Santenello’s YouTube channel. He does 20–30-minute videos of interesting subcultures, such as Hasidic Jews in New York, the Amish in Florida, Cowboys in the Southwest, California’s Lost Desert Town, and in far-flung places like Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, India and more. He tends to do 3-4 videos per location. His subjects are fascinating, and his demeanor is calm and respectful of his subjects and audience. I highly recommend checking out his videos to learn something and be entertained.   

My Podcast Recommendations

Note: I’ve asterisked (*) those that are new this year.

General Interest:

Now & Then: If you’re familiar with the brilliant, social media superstar Heather Cox Richardson, this is the show for you. She and Joanne Freeman (of my old favorite BackStory podcast), both professors of history, put in perspective what’s happening in our political and cultural spheres. If you don’t follow Heather Cox Richardson on Facebook or Twitter, I urge you to. She posts almost daily on what’s happening and why it matters.

Sisters In Law: MSNBC legal whizzes – Joyce Vance, Jill Wine-Banks, Barbara McQuade and Kimberely Atkins – anchor this podcast. They talk about the latest legal, political and cultural issues and provide fantastic insight from their years of working at the Justice Department as prosecutors, in law firms and as law school professors. Best for those interested in legal issues.

Hell and High Water: John Heileman, one of the most articulate and wise political pundits, and a host of Showtimes The Circus, interviews folks shaping our culture, especially in the political sphere. He is brilliant, insightful and humorous.

Sway: This is a New York Times podcast, featuring the hard-hitting interviewer and journalist Kara Swisher. She is a thorough and tough interviewer of notable folks in the news.

The Ezra Klein Show: Ezra Klein tackles a number of topical issues, from anxiety to climate change, in an interview format in another New York Times podcast.

Fresh Air:  Many people know this podcast and its host, Terry Gross.  She’s a great interviewer of a wide range of interesting topics.

Think with Krys Boyd:  I discovered this NPR radio station (KERA) in Dallas’ podcast by accident, but I think host Krys Boyd is among the best interviewers out there.  This is sometimes focused on Texas topics, but most often on issues of national importance and interest. 

The Daily:  The New York Times came out with this podcast a few years ago, and it always covers a topic in the news in a really engaging way.  If you miss hearing it on the radio, it’s always worth checking out what Michael Barbaro is covering.

IA from WAMU:  This show took over for Diane Rehm’s daily radio show on WAMU, Washington DC’s NPR station.  It covers interesting, wide-ranging topics, so I often check to see if there are episodes of interest.

Inside the Hive:  This is a Vanity Fair podcast with famed writer Emily Jane Fox (broke the Michael Cohen scandal) and Joe Hagan.  They cover topical issues in an engaging way.

Personal Finance/Business/Retirement

*The Long View: One of the host’s of this Fidelity Investment’s podcast is Christine Benz, who is a well-known Fidelity Investment analyst. It covers a lot of investing topics that I’ve found to be informative and interesting.

Her Money with Jean Chatzky:  This is the only show I listen to religiously and have never missed an episode.  Jean Chatzky is known to many audiences for the financial advice she provides in a friendly, nonjudgmental, and well researched manner.  This show covers a range of topics related to women and money.  I always feel empowered after I listen to Jean, who’s enthusiastic and encouraging regardless of how financially knowledgeable one is.  I’m even a member of this podcast’s closed Facebook group.  Men should feel welcome to listen too.

Jill on Money: Jill Schlesinger takes questions on personal finance issues and provides her advice as a Certified Financial Planner.

The Retirement Answer Man: this is a weekly podcast covering retirement planning from various angles, but mostly focused on personal finance.

Macro Micro Michael Marco: Startups at the Edge:  A shoutout to my friend, Michael Leifman, who along with his former GE colleague Marco Annunziata, conduct thoughtful discussions with early-stage entrepreneurs who really are at the edge of innovation.  They are great interviewers focusing on start-ups, a sparsley covered aspect of business, economics and technology.

Cooking/Food

The Splendid Table:  This is a very entertaining, light show that has great interviews, information and recipes.  When I’m stressed, I love to listen to Frances Lam’s gentle voice as he takes on a range of food topics.

Homemade:  I like the interesting interviews and information around food by Marty Duncan, a former contestant of the Next Food Network Star show.  It is a podcast of Allrecipes, a great place to get good recipes.

A Taste of the Past:  This looks at the history of a range of food-related topics. 

Entertainment/Sports

*Formula I racing: my son CJ turned me on to Choosing Sides: F1, which is about the backstory of each F1 team now and in the past. F1: Beyond the Grid interviews key people and drivers involved in F1. I got hooked on F1 after watching the Netflix series, Drive to Survive.

*The British Royal Family: I’m one of those Americans obsessed with Britain’s Royal Family (and actually any royal family) and listen to Dynasty by Vanity Fair; Born to Rule: When Charles is King; and Royally Obsessed (very chatty).  

Awards Chatter:  This is one of the Hollywood Reporters podcasts (and my favorite).  The host, Scott Feinberg, is a great interviewer of famous folks, most of whom are up for one of the big award shows, like the Academy Awards, Tony’s or Grammy’s.  It’s very entertaining and well researched.  Go back to previous episodes – he’s interviewed everyone! [Two other podcasts from THR include It Happened in Hollywood and Behind the Screen.]

*The Plot Thickens: This TCM podcast has been on my list before, but because it had such an amazing series this year on Lucille Ball, I had to include it as a new podcast rec. Each season, the host Ben Mankiewicz does a deep dive into a historically significant Hollywood personality or movie.  I highly recommend this season for those who adore Lucille Ball as I do.

Even The Rich:  This is a comical view of a range of rich figures, usually devoting 3-4 episodes for each rich family being addressed.  They’ve covered the Royal Family, Will Smith, Jay Z and Beyonce, Princess Diana, Madonna, the Murdochs and more.  It’s a light but well researched take on these folks.

Podcasts based on TV shows

*HBO’s Succession: I can’t get enough of this tv series and love this podcast, which interviews everyone involved in its production, from the writers and producers to each of the actors.

*The Official Gilded Age Podcast: If you loved HBO’s Gilded Age tv series, this is the podcast for you.

*And Just Like That: The Writers Room: if you are a fan of “Sex and the City” and the recent series “And Just Like That,” you’ll appreciate this podcast, which speaks to the writers, actors and others involved in making the latest series.

*Making the Ricardos: this podcast is about the series that focused on Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s relationship. As an “I Love Lucy” fan, I loved the series and this podcast.

*Bridgerton: The Official Podcast: This is a fantastic podcast that goes through each episode of the wonderful Netflix series, with interviews with its stars and a lot of backstage players. I loved this!

*The Crown: The Official Podcast: This is the companion podcast to the wonderful Netflix series. It does a deep dive into each episode and interviews key folks that makes this series so captivating.

*Schitt’s Creek podcast: For those, like me, who adored this show, this is a fun podcast that goes into the making of this small Canadian tv show that erupted in the time of Trump to capture all of our hearts and every Emmy award for which they were nominated.

History

*The Bowery Boys: New York History: this is a very informative podcast with historians steeped in everything having to do with New York City. I learned about it when listening to the Official Gilded Age Podcast above.

Presidential: this is from a Washington Post reporter who does a deep dive on each of our Presidents. It was on my first list, but I’ve brought it back given the political strife we’re engulfed in. If you’re interested in our Presidents, this is a good podcast to listen to. She also did another podcast, called Constitutional.

Dressed – The History of Fashion:  I love fashion and history, so this is a perfect podcast for me.  The two hosts are fashion historians that cover a range of fashion topics that usually can relate to current times. 

Year of Polygamy: this is recommended for those with an interest in the Mormon Church and Polygamy. I love the tv show, Sister Wives, and became interested in polygamy and secondarily, in the Western US, where much of polygamy takes place.

Stuff You Missed in History Class:  This covers historical events or figures that most of us have never heard of.  I loved the one about the 1918 Flu, which was produced years before the current pandemic.

Miscellaneous

*A Certain Age: this podcast deals with a variety of issues that women my age and older deal with.

*Learn to Paint: this podcast host interviews artists, working in various media, to discuss their approach to art. Inspiring for painters like me.

Us Among the Israelis: Two American immigrants to Israel cover a range of topics to explain Israeli society to non-Israelis. Interesting and engaging.

WorkLife with Adam Grant: An organizational psychologist, Adam Grant dives into the keys to creating a better work life.

Tiny Victories: this very short (maximum 15 minutes) weekly podcast by my childhood friend Annabelle Gurwitch and Laura House shares how fleeting joys and minor accomplishments can make one’s day.

Listening to podcasts makes everything I do more enjoyable — whether walking, cooking, painting, cleaning or looking for inspiration. I hope you find some new ones to listen to. No doubt I’ll have a fresh list next year. Enjoy the last weeks of Summer!