@hannahpixels’ 2019
100 Podcasts
Challenge to try two new podcasts per week in 2019.
I love podcasts. I listen to them almost every day. But I have a confession. I've generally stuck to the same few favorites. Meanwhile, all the subscriptions with intriguing descriptions and suggestions from friends languished unlistened to at the bottom of my list. In 2019, I set out to change that and tried 100 DIFFERENT podcasts in 1 year. I listened to at least 3 episodes of each podcast and gave it my own personal rating:
😍 Loved, 😄 Enjoyed, 🙂 Liked, 😕 Meh, or 😴 Pass
Some Stats:
As of December 2019, I've listened to 21 days 19 hours worth of podcasts since 2017 (Sorry PocketCasts doesn't let me isolate it to this year, hint hint...)
Yes, this is tilted pretty positive, since I really only listened to podcasts that sounded interesting to me. Also if I couldn't even get through one episode, I didn't even record it.
2019 Favorites
NEW
😍
36 Questions
In this three-part podcast musical, a couple attempts to bring their marriage back from the brink of divorce using 36 revealing questions designed to make strangers fall in love.
My Thoughts
If you like Rent or Dr Horrible you have to try this podcast. It is beautiful and intriguing and is over to soon.
NEW
😍
99% Invisible
Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture.
My Thoughts
I first tried this ages ago & had a misperception is was only about architecture. I was wrong. It's amazing.
NEW
😍
Against the Rules
Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis takes a searing look at what’s happened to fairness—in financial markets, newsrooms, basketball games, courts of law, and much more. And he asks what’s happening to a world where everyone loves to hate the referee.
My Thoughts
Feels very similar in tone to Malcom Gladwell's Revisionist History. Poking holes in some big areas of our life.
NEW
😍
Armchair Expert
Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment.
My Thoughts
Interviews with celebrities rarely speak to me. But this is different. Dax gets these highly successful people to open up in a way that is so candid and human. The end segments sometimes get a bit rambly but each one I've listened to leaves me with something to think deeply about.
NEW
😍
Business Wars
Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet, or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these battles shapes what we buy and how we live. Business Wars gives you the unauthorized, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives to new heights -- or to ruin.
My Thoughts
Audio drama of the real stories behind some of the world's biggest brands. David Brown makes the stories engaging and dramatic.
😍
Criminal
Criminal is a podcast about crime. Not so much the "if it bleeds, it leads," kind of crime. Something a little more complex. Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. We're a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Learn more at radiotopia.fm.
My Thoughts
It's not just about the big flashy crime. Criminal dives into the ripple effects, the bizzare crimes, the criminal justice system around the crime, challenging preconceptions and provoking thought.
NEW
😍
Critical Role
Welcome to Critical Role, where a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons! Join Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer and an all-star cast of world-class performers each week as they travel through imaginary realms for more adventure than you can shake a magic staff at.
My Thoughts
Don't think of this as a podcast. Think of it as an improvised fantasy audiobook. Very fun and really makes me want to play D&D again!
NEW
😍
Dr. Death
If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Christopher Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. But soon his patients started to experience complications, and the system failed to protect them. Which begs the question: who - or what - is that system meant to protect? DR. DEATH is a story about a charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system.
My Thoughts
Simply horrific, but expertly examined and told. I couldn't stop.
NEW
😍
High Resolution
Bringing clarity to how the best companies approach, communicate, and deploy design. We’ve hand-picked the design industry’s 25 greatest influencers and change-makers to bring you 1000min of deep-dive conversation.
My Thoughts
Super insighful interviews with design leaders. Fantastic lessons in how top designers talk about their craft and process.
NEW
😍
How I Built This
Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.
My Thoughts
Dives deep into the backstories of a wide variety of successful ventures. Lots of insights and Guy Raz makes it all so approachable.
😍
More Perfect
More Perfect explores how cases inside the rarefied world of the Supreme Court affect our lives far away from the bench.
My Thoughts
If you thought a podcast about the Surpeme Court would be boring, think again. I certainly didn't have a clue as to how big of an impact various cases have had on all our lives.
NEW
😍
Ologies
Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and some insane stories about what fuels these professional ologists' obsessions. Hosted by humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward.
My Thoughts
Deep and delightful. Alie Ward lets scientists reveal their passion and curiosity. Each episode is a time investment but so worth it.
NEW
😍
Optimal Living Daily
I read you the best content on personal development, minimalism, productivity, and more, with author permission. Think of Optimal Living Daily as an audioblog or blogcast where the best blogs are narrated for you for free.
My Thoughts
Great curated blog content in under 10 minute chunks!
NEW
😍
Proof
We tell the weird and surprising and funny backstories around food and drink. The tales we haven’t all heard yet, the ones that have been lost, the under-told. This is not a recipe show. And this is not a show about celebrity chefs or what they like to eat. Proof goes beyond recipes and cooking to investigate the foods we love (tiki drinks) and don't love (the grain bowl); ask the big questions (where do food cravings come from?); and uncover the hidden backstories that feed your food-obsessed brain.
My Thoughts
Who knew the secret popular history of celery or the neuroscience behind fair food?Fascinating stories that are easy to sprinkle into lunchtime convos.
😍
Radiolab
Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder.
My Thoughts
IMO the gold standard of stories that provoke discovery and curiousity. I remember things from these episodes even years after I listened (like the Colors episode).
😍
Reply All
"'A podcast about the internet' that is actually an unfailingly original exploration of modern life and how to survive it. " - The Guardian. Hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman, from Gimlet.
My Thoughts
Technology shapes our world in weird ways. This podcast embraces the weirdness, and keeps everyone on top of the memes, the social undercurrents and bizzare impacts or the Internet and tech.
NEW
😍
Rough Translation
How are the things we're talking about being talked about somewhere else in the world? Gregory Warner tells stories that follow familiar conversations into unfamiliar territory. At a time when the world seems small but it's as hard as ever to escape our echo chambers, Rough Translation takes you places.
My Thoughts
Fascinating stories I haven't heard from other sources. Great global perspective in how the whole world is grappling with similar issues.
😍
StartUp Podcast
A series about what it's really like to start a business.
My Thoughts
Breathing life into new ideas is hard. This podcast shows that in a radically transparent way which has really helped me tame some of my imposter syndrome.
NEW
😍
The Accidental Creative
The Accidental Creative podcast shares how to build practical, everyday practices that help you stay prolific, brilliant and healthy in life and work. Host Todd Henry (author of the books The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words) interviews artists, authors and business leaders, and offers tips for how to thrive in life and work.
My Thoughts
Fantastic topics, thoughtfully explored. One of my new top design podcasts.
NEW
😍
The Dropout
The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. You'll hear exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients, and for the first-time, the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Elizabeth Holmes, and those at the center of this story.
My Thoughts
The hype is warranted. An excellently told and incredibly shocking expose that goes to show how powerful a vision (even if it's a lie) can be.
NEW
😍
The Happiness Lab
You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale, Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.
My Thoughts
Really important lessons especially for those of us continually looking to make things better, better, better.
NEW
😍
The Memory Palace
Short, surprising stories of the past, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often a little bit of both.
My Thoughts
What fun little stories. The host tells them so well; so far I haven't been able to be half as interesting as I've tried to retell them to friends and family.
NEW
😍
Throughline
The past is never past. Every headline has a history. Join us every week as we go back in time to understand the present. These are stories you can feel and sounds you can see from the moments that shaped our world.
My Thoughts
This is the kind of journalism I love. The producers do an amazing job summarizing rich, complex historical context around current events.
NEW
😍
Two Guys on Your Head
Each week Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore different aspects of human behavior and the brain. In conversations hosted by producer Rebecca McInroy, the two renowned psychologists cover everything from the effects of sugar on the brain, to what's happening in our minds while we sleep, and much, much more.
My Thoughts
Short, always fascinating and instantly applicable.
NEW
😍
Undiscovered
A podcast about the left turns, missteps, and lucky breaks that make science happen.
My Thoughts
Fascinating stories told very well. If you like RadioLab you should check this one out.
😍
Without Fail
Candid conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, visionaries of all kinds—about their successes, and their failures, and what they learned from both. Hosted by Alex Blumberg, from Gimlet Media.
My Thoughts
Successful people sometimes come across as larger than life, having it all figured out. Alex helps expose their journey and struggles.
NEW
😍
Women at Work
HBR editors Amy Bernstein, Sarah Green Carmichael, and Nicole Torres are untangling some of the knottiest problems in gender discrimination. They interview experts on gender, tell stories about their own experiences, and give lots of practical advice to help you succeed in spite of the obstacles.
My Thoughts
Thoughtful, well researched advice of the quality you expect from HBR. The topics are relevant to anyone who manages, works with or happens to be a woman (which I hope it's almost everyone).
Podcasts in 2019
#101
😍
Reply All
"'A podcast about the internet' that is actually an unfailingly original exploration of modern life and how to survive it. " - The Guardian. Hosted by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman, from Gimlet.
My Thoughts
Technology shapes our world in weird ways. This podcast embraces the weirdness, and keeps everyone on top of the memes, the social undercurrents and bizzare impacts or the Internet and tech.
#100
😍
Radiolab
Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder.
My Thoughts
IMO the gold standard of stories that provoke discovery and curiousity. I remember things from these episodes even years after I listened (like the Colors episode).
#99
😍
StartUp Podcast
A series about what it's really like to start a business.
My Thoughts
Breathing life into new ideas is hard. This podcast shows that in a radically transparent way which has really helped me tame some of my imposter syndrome.
#98
😍
More Perfect
More Perfect explores how cases inside the rarefied world of the Supreme Court affect our lives far away from the bench.
My Thoughts
If you thought a podcast about the Surpeme Court would be boring, think again. I certainly didn't have a clue as to how big of an impact various cases have had on all our lives.
#97
😄
Invisibilia
Invisibilia (Latin for invisible things) is about the invisible forces that control human behavior – ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions. Co-hosted by Lulu Miller, Hanna Rosin and Alix Spiegel, Invisibilia interweaves narrative storytelling with scientific research that will ultimately make you see your own life differently.
My Thoughts
Well told stories about all the fascinating, intangible complexity that makes life so interesting.
#96
😄
By The Book
By The Book is half reality show, half self-help podcast, and one wild social experiment. Join comedian Jolenta Greenberg and her skeptical friend Kristen Meinzer as they live by the rules of a different self-help book each episode to figure out which ones might actually be life changing.
My Thoughts
A delightful way to scratch my self help book itch without spending the time to read. The hosts are funny and super relatable.
#95
😄
What Is Wrong with UX?
Kate and Laura drink and fight about what is wrong with user experience design.
My Thoughts
These never fail to make me laugh and always have timely insights on the latest in the UX community.
#94
😍
Without Fail
Candid conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, visionaries of all kinds—about their successes, and their failures, and what they learned from both. Hosted by Alex Blumberg, from Gimlet Media.
My Thoughts
Successful people sometimes come across as larger than life, having it all figured out. Alex helps expose their journey and struggles.
#93
😍
Criminal
Criminal is a podcast about crime. Not so much the "if it bleeds, it leads," kind of crime. Something a little more complex. Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. We're a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Learn more at radiotopia.fm.
My Thoughts
It's not just about the big flashy crime. Criminal dives into the ripple effects, the bizzare crimes, the criminal justice system around the crime, challenging preconceptions and provoking thought.
#92
😄
UX and Growth Podcast
Stories, debates, and advice. HubSpot designer Austin Knight regularly sits down with friends from around the world to have a couple beers and discuss User Experience and Growth tactics.
My Thoughts
One of my fav UX podcasts. Instead of rehashing the usual community debates, it's original and insightful. I constantly refer back to their Design Debt episode.
#91
😄
Scattered
Chris Garcia’s dad had one dying wish: That his family scatter his ashes off the coast of Cuba. Chris’s mom? She doesn’t give a crap about dying wishes. She’s vowed to never go back to Cuba again. As Chris tries to do right by his dad, he sets out to uncover the truth about a man he barely knew.
My Thoughts
I couldn't stop listening once I started. Deeply human and humorous despite the heavy subject. Also super informative about Cuban history.
#90
😍
99% Invisible
Design is everywhere in our lives, perhaps most importantly in the places where we've just stopped noticing. 99% Invisible is a weekly exploration of the process and power of design and architecture.
My Thoughts
I first tried this ages ago & had a misperception is was only about architecture. I was wrong. It's amazing.
#89
🙂
Copyblogger
Copyblogger FM is a weekly, short-form broadcast hosted by Sonia Simone. Each week, she and a cast of rotating experts analyze the week in content marketing, copywriting, email marketing, conversion optimization, mindset, and much more.
My Thoughts
Gained some interesting insights into longform blogging and online learning.
#88
😍
Overheard at National Geographic
Whale American Idol. Underwater pyramids. A honeybee chop shop. Each week we'll dive into one of the curiously delightful conversations we've overheard around National Geographic's headquarters. You'll be introduced to the explorers, photographers and scientists at the edges of our big, bizarre, and beautiful world.
My Thoughts
Super fun and often quirky insights about our world.
#87
🙂
Table Story Dying Order
Four will be chosen. The fate of the world rests on their shoulders. Dying Order is a Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition (D&D5e) homebrew actual play with GM BradWOTO and featuring DisbeArex, KatiePetersPlays, Pokket, and Pumpkinberry. Return to the world of Lacrin, it might not exist for much longer.
My Thoughts
I'm very intruiged by the plot premise, however the characters haven't really hooked me in the first two episodes.
#86
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Reveal
From prisons to protests, immigration to the environment, Peabody Award-winning Reveal goes deep into the pressing issues of our times. The Atlantic says “the experience of each episode is akin to a spoonful of sugar, even when it’s telling a story about Richard Spencer’s cotton farms or a man’s final days as a heroin addict.”
My Thoughts
Well told, sobering, and commonly looked over stories. "When Tasers fail" & "The unpaid cost of elder care" were particularly impactful.
#85
😍
The Happiness Lab
You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale, Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.
My Thoughts
Really important lessons especially for those of us continually looking to make things better, better, better.
#84
🙂
Adventuring Academy
Adventurers, alight! Veteran gamemaster Brennan Lee Mulligan dives deep into role-playing games, with tips for everyone from first-time players to other pros.
My Thoughts
Discussions between friends covering a variety of storytelling topics.
#83
😍
Optimal Living Daily
I read you the best content on personal development, minimalism, productivity, and more, with author permission. Think of Optimal Living Daily as an audioblog or blogcast where the best blogs are narrated for you for free.
My Thoughts
Great curated blog content in under 10 minute chunks!
#82
😄
UX Podcast
UX Podcast is for people passionate about balancing business, technology and users within the realm of digital media. Hosted by Per Axbom & James Royal-Lawson every other Friday from Stockholm, Sweden.
My Thoughts
Essential listening for UXers. So many great topics. Loved the 10 year challenge episode.
#81
🙂
13 Minutes to the Moon
How the first moon landing was saved. The full story of the people who made Apollo 11 happen and prevented it from going badly wrong.
My Thoughts
Even if you're not much of a space history buff, this is a fascinating glimpse into collaboration and how teams take on huge projects.
#80
😄
Moonshot
Explore the world's biggest ideas and the people making them happen. Are you ready for self-driving cars, jetpacks, 3D printed food, or a trip to Mars? Moonshot talks to the people who are at the forefront of all this rapid change to find out what the future of humanity might actually look like.
My Thoughts
Curious about what future technology might have in store for us? Great summaries of the constantly evolving world.
#79
😄
Build with Maggie Crowley
Build gives you the inside track on all things product and product management. Host Maggie Crowley, former Olympian turned Harvard MBA turned Director of Product Management at Drift, sits down with the best of the best across product management, design and engineering to bring you lessons from product greats at Atlassian, Pluralsight, VMWare and more.
My Thoughts
One of the best product interview shows I've heard so far. What sets it apart is Maggie acknowledges that often advice is really culture & company specific, and forces guests to discuss that.
#78
😄
The Adventure Zone
Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy from My Brother, My Brother and Me have recruited their dad Clint for a campaign of high adventure. Join the McElroys as they find their fortune and slay an unconscionable number of ... you know, kobolds or whatever in ... The Adventure Zone.
My Thoughts
The dynamic between the family of players made this a super fun listen. It's also a great way to learn the mechanics of D&D if you're curious or just getting into it.
#77
😄
Rethinking Weight Loss - Life Kit
For better or worse, people think about their weight. We explain the science of weight and weight loss to help put you on a road to body acceptance — and better health.
My Thoughts
Really thought provoking around ways of thinking about weight so baked into our society & upbringing. I really wish there were more episodes.
#76
🙂
Professor Buzzkill History Podcast
Professor Buzzkill is an exciting podcast that explores history myths in an illuminating, entertaining, and humorous way.
My Thoughts
I really like the shorter episodes that concisely bust oft-repeated myths of history. The longer episodes might be interesting to history nerds but got a bit dense for me.
#75
😴
Robot or Not?
Jason Snell asks John Siracusa to rule on the meaning of various words and concepts. It’s not just about robots anymore.
My Thoughts
If you like lunch conversations like "Is cereal salad?" you may enjoy this podcast. It wasn't my thing.
#74
😄
The Savvy Psychologist's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Mental Health
Welcome to psychology for the rest of us. Host Dr. Jade Wu takes the science of psychology and makes it both entertaining and relatable. Using a sympathetic ear and evidence-based research, she explains the ‘why’ behind emotions like joy, anger, fear, trust, and anxiety, and helps you better understand the relationships you form with your friends, family, coworkers, and yourself. Seeking a healthier emotional life? It’s time to bring a trained psychologist and mental health expert along for the ride.
My Thoughts
Really interesting and evidence based nuggets.
#73
🙂
60-Second Adventures in Thought
Can a cat be both alive and dead? Can a computer think? How does a tortoise beat Achilles in a race? Voiced by comedian David Mitchell, these fast-paced animations explain six famous thought experiments, from the ancient Greeks to Albert Einstein, that have changed the way we see the world. Subjects as vast as time travel, infinity, quantum mechanics and artificial intelligence, are squeezed into 60-second clips that will tickle your funny bone and blow your mind.
My Thoughts
Interesting brain puzzlers, but the 60sec time box made it almost too quick to get the nuance of the paradoxes.
#72
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Retropod
Retropod is a show for history lovers, featuring stories about the past, rediscovered. Host Mike Rosenwald introduces you to history’s most colorful characters - forgotten heroes, overlooked villains, dreamers, explorers, world changers. Available every weekday morning.
My Thoughts
Neat little nuggets of history.
#71
😍
The Accidental Creative
The Accidental Creative podcast shares how to build practical, everyday practices that help you stay prolific, brilliant and healthy in life and work. Host Todd Henry (author of the books The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, and Louder Than Words) interviews artists, authors and business leaders, and offers tips for how to thrive in life and work.
My Thoughts
Fantastic topics, thoughtfully explored. One of my new top design podcasts.
#70
🙂
The $100 MBA Show
The $100 MBA Show is a new kind of podcast where you simply get better at business with our practical business lessons for the real world. These no fluff episodes are packed with only the pure business building training you want. Omar Zenhom shares some of the best lessons, concepts, examples and insights from inside The $100 MBA training and community. Omar also calls upon some of the industry's top experts as guest teachers on the show. Again, no backstories or promotions, just solid business lessons from the best in the game.
My Thoughts
Insightful, easily applicable business lessons. My only knock is the ad to content ratio felt a bit heavy, but I guess I shouldn't complain about good free content.
#69
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Tell Them, I Am
Tell Them, I Am is about the small moments that define who we are and who we are not. The stories are universal. The voices are all Muslim. With a new episode every weekday this Ramadan, host Misha Euceph opens a window into the lives of Tan France, Alia Shawkat, Ramy Youssef, Reza Aslan, Mercedes Iman Diamond and others.
My Thoughts
If you want to blow away all your stereotypes of what it means to be a Muslim, please listen to this podcast. The stories are delightfully produced and very concise. If you like This American Life, I promise you'll like this.
#68
😕
One Great Book
Each week Anne Bogel, host of What Should I Read Next?, pulls one stand-out selection off her personal bookshelves and tells you all about it.
My Thoughts
I love the host's little reviews of her favorite books; very well done. This was a tough one to rate because while I liked the reviews, the recommended books don't really match my interests.
#67
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ZigZag
Journalists-turned-entrepreneurs, Manoush Zomorodi and Jen Poyant, share their struggles to build an ethically-minded company, Stable Genius Productions, all while investigating how other founders and creators are resisting the “winners take all” mindset of Silicon Valley. From techies putting humanity at the heart of their products, to artists looking beyond ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ for validation, and investors who value empathy over 100 X returns...there’s a new movement to chart a kinder, sustainable, and collective path forward for work and life.
My Thoughts
Super relevant and interesting topics that aren't always discussed. A bit all over the place, but in a pretty relatable way.
#66
🙂
Creative Processing with Joseph Gordon-Levitt
On his new ten-episode series, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will get into the nitty-gritty of how a wide variety of creative people do what they do. Listeners’ questions will inspire conversations between Gordon-Levitt and a range of creative guests, from Hollywood notables like Rian Johnson and Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, to behind-the-scenes heavyweights like casting director Mary Vernieu, and from political visual artist Shepard Fairey to indie sonic songstress, Yuka Honda, and more.
My Thoughts
Interesting interviews with titans of creative industry. Felt a bit drawn out at times though.
#65
😍
Rough Translation
How are the things we're talking about being talked about somewhere else in the world? Gregory Warner tells stories that follow familiar conversations into unfamiliar territory. At a time when the world seems small but it's as hard as ever to escape our echo chambers, Rough Translation takes you places.
My Thoughts
Fascinating stories I haven't heard from other sources. Great global perspective in how the whole world is grappling with similar issues.
#64
😍
High Resolution
Bringing clarity to how the best companies approach, communicate, and deploy design. We’ve hand-picked the design industry’s 25 greatest influencers and change-makers to bring you 1000min of deep-dive conversation.
My Thoughts
Super insighful interviews with design leaders. Fantastic lessons in how top designers talk about their craft and process.
#63
😕
Userability
(2010) It’s a show title, not a typo! Userability was a short-run, free-wheeling call-in podcast where UXers from around the world phoned in to ask Jared Spool and Robert Hoekman, Jr. questions on the spot a wide range of user experience topics. One caller, one question, a handful of useful takeaways, and hopefully some fun throughout.
My Thoughts
Useful for someone just starting out in UX maybe, but feels a bit rough and dated now.
#62
🙂
Hackable?
We see lots of movies and TV shows where hackers can infiltrate our lives with just a few keystrokes. But is it real? We’re here to find out. Malicious cat photos, sketchy Wi-Fi networks, rogue rentals, all-knowing webcams - those are just a few topics tackled in Hackable?, where we let our hackers shed light on just how secure we really are.
My Thoughts
Simultaneously fascinating and terrifying. Good to be aware just how vulnerable all this new technology in our lives is.
#61
😄
Intercom on Product Management
How do you build something people actually want and will use time and time again? Sharing lessons we've learned in the six-plus years building Intercom, in this series you'll learn how to evaluate your current product, how to decide which features to build in a haystack of those you shouldn't, best practices for getting those features used, and much more.
My Thoughts
Great topics for all Product Managers packaged in super concise well produced chunks. 9 episodes, most around 6 min.
#60
😍
What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law
Professor Elizabeth Joh teaches Intro to Constitutional Law and most of the time this is a pretty straight forward job. But with Trump in office, everything has changed. Five minutes before class Professor Joh checks Twitter to find out what the 45th President has said and how it jibes with 200 years of the judicial branch interpreting and ruling on the Constitution. Hosted by acclaimed podcaster Roman Mars (99% Invisible, co-founder Radiotopia), this show is a weekly, fun, casual Con Law 101 class that uses the tumultuous and erratic activities of the executive branch under Trump to teach us all about the US Constitution.
My Thoughts
Heads up that "Con" here is the legal shorthand for Constitution. While the title comes across as left leaning, it's a pretty neutral examination of the judicial implications of all the latest unprecedented scenarios.
#59
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Machine Learning Guide
Teaches the high level fundamentals of machine learning and artificial intelligence. I teach basic intuition, algorithms, and math. I discuss languages and frameworks, deep learning, and more. Audio may seem inferior, but it's a great supplement during exercise/commute/chores. Where your other resources provide the machine learning trees, I provide the forest. Consider me your syllabus. At the end of every episode I provide high-quality curated resources for learning each episode’s details.
My Thoughts
When learning something new, it's wonderful to have a guide to help you navigate the enormous amount of info. Super approachable for non-programmers too.
#58
😍
Two Guys on Your Head
Each week Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke explore different aspects of human behavior and the brain. In conversations hosted by producer Rebecca McInroy, the two renowned psychologists cover everything from the effects of sugar on the brain, to what's happening in our minds while we sleep, and much, much more.
My Thoughts
Short, always fascinating and instantly applicable.
#57
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IRL: Online Life Is Real Life
Our online life is real life. We walk, talk, work, LOL and even love on the Internet – but we don’t always treat it like real life. Manoush Zomorodi explores this disconnect with stories from the wilds of the Web, and gets to the bottom of online issues that affect us all. Firefox sponsored podcast.
My Thoughts
Interesting inspection into the evolving digital, connected world we live in. As most sponsored content goes, it really hammers on its agenda, emphasizing privacy stories.
#56
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No Such Thing As Fish
A podcast from the QI offices in which the writers of the hit BBC show huddle around a microphone and discuss the best things they've found out this week.
My Thoughts
If you want a rush of silly, bizarre fact after fact, this is your show.
#55
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Undiscovered
A podcast about the left turns, missteps, and lucky breaks that make science happen.
My Thoughts
Fascinating stories told very well. If you like RadioLab you should check this one out.
#54
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The Impact
In Washington, the story often ends when Congress passes a law. For The Impact, that’s where our story begins. We focus on the human consequences of policy-making, what happens in the real world after the government, non-profits, even academic institutions start doing something differently. The Impact looks at policies that work — and policies that need some work — as they make their way out into the real world, with many surprises along the way.
My Thoughts
A side to politics that doesn't seem to be as popular to explore, but matters the most to our daily lives.
#53
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Conversations With People Who Hate Me
Online video creator Dylan Marron calls some of the folks who wrote him hateful messages to ask one simple question: why? The results are sometimes awkward, often political, and always fascinating.
My Thoughts
If you're feeling pessimistic about our ability to connect with people that are different than us, listen to this podcast. A needed reminder about how humanizing just talking in real life can be.
#52
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Piano Jazz Shorts
A preview of upcoming conversations and improvisations with Marian McPartland and the brightest stars from the world of jazz.
My Thoughts
Love the music. The interviews are a bit meh.
#51
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Becoming Wise
The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world.
My Thoughts
The "depth and discovery" varied widely between guests. But the length made it pretty easy to get a lot of breadth.
#50
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Life is Short with Justin Long
I’m Justin Long and I’ve been an actor for most of my life, so I’m used to getting inside the heads of the characters I play. But now that I’m getting older (I’m 40 now, yikes), I want to peek inside the heads of real people to learn how they find meaning in life. Every episode I’ll get personal with all kinds of people, from actors to musicians to deep thinkers who fascinate me.
My Thoughts
Fun interviews between celebs, but didn't feel like there was much depth.
#49
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Love Anyway
Our world runs on fear. The loudest voices tell you to be afraid of anyone who’s different. But there’s another way. And it starts with each of us. Love Anyway is an immersive storytelling podcast pushing beyond the simple narrative of “us vs them.” Join us as we explore how ordinary people in places like Iraq, Syria, the US, and on the frontlines of conflict where you live are making the extraordinary choice to love in the face of fear.
My Thoughts
Humanizing stories at the front lines of conflict.
#48
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Drilled
Courtroom drama, secret documents, psychological warfare, whistleblowers, media manipulation, this is a story that has it all. Join us as we uncover the mechanics of the longest-running and most elaborate propaganda campaign of the century—the creation and spread of climate denial—and why it's been so effective.
My Thoughts
An interesting expose, though it feels almost as conspiratorial as the conspiracy it's trying to expose.
#47
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Against the Rules
Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis takes a searing look at what’s happened to fairness—in financial markets, newsrooms, basketball games, courts of law, and much more. And he asks what’s happening to a world where everyone loves to hate the referee.
My Thoughts
Feels very similar in tone to Malcom Gladwell's Revisionist History. Poking holes in some big areas of our life.
#46
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Uncivil
America is divided, and it always has been. We're going back to the moment when that split turned into war. This is Uncivil: Gimlet Media's new history podcast, hosted by journalists Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika. We ransack the official version of the Civil War, and take on the history you grew up with. We bring you untold stories about covert operations, corruption, resistance, mutiny, counterfeiting, antebellum drones, and so much more. And we connect these forgotten struggles to the political battlefield we’re living on right now.
My Thoughts
This needs to be included in every American history class. Fascinating stories that I'd never heard before.
#45
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Mom and Dad Are Fighting
Gabriel Roth, Rebecca Lavoie, and Carvell Wallace share triumphs and fails and offer advice on parenting kids from toddler to teens.
My Thoughts
I liked the letters from listeners section the best. Definitely embraces the fact that there is no single right way to parent.
#44
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Mission To Zyxx
An improvised science fiction sitcom following a team of ambassadors as they attempt to establish diplomatic relations with planets in the remote and chaotic Zyxx Quadrant… better known as the "ass end of space."
My Thoughts
Silly scifi story, but feels a bit aimless.
#43
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Critical Role
Welcome to Critical Role, where a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors sit around and play Dungeons & Dragons! Join Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer and an all-star cast of world-class performers each week as they travel through imaginary realms for more adventure than you can shake a magic staff at.
My Thoughts
Don't think of this as a podcast. Think of it as an improvised fantasy audiobook. Very fun and really makes me want to play D&D again!
#42
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Design Better
The Design Better podcast delivers insights from the world’s most renowned design leaders, empowering teams to transform their practice and build remarkable products. This series is hosted by Aarron Walter and Eli Woolery and brought to you by InVision, the digital product design platform used to make the world’s best customer experiences.
My Thoughts
One of the best UX interview podcasts I've heard. Lots of great perspectives.
#41
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Dr. Death
If you had back pain, and had tried everything else, Dr. Christopher Duntsch could give you the spine surgery that would take your pain away. But soon his patients started to experience complications, and the system failed to protect them. Which begs the question: who - or what - is that system meant to protect? DR. DEATH is a story about a charming surgeon, 33 patients and a spineless system.
My Thoughts
Simply horrific, but expertly examined and told. I couldn't stop.
#40
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How I Built This
Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.
My Thoughts
Dives deep into the backstories of a wide variety of successful ventures. Lots of insights and Guy Raz makes it all so approachable.
#39
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Professional AF
Essential habits for women at work. Diana interviews authors and thought leaders who have something to teach women about how to be more awesome at work. Diana acts like a guinea pig for each episode, trying the advice and instruction before each taping to report back on how well it worked for her.
My Thoughts
The topics are really interesting and novel from other podcasts of this type. The phone recording interviews are a bit hard to make out at times though.
#38
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Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
A fairy tale podcast about the extraordinary women who inspire us. This show is based on Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, the global best-selling book series written by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo, inspiring millions of girls and women around the world to dream bigger, aim higher and fight harder.
My Thoughts
Inspiring and dramatically told, these are great little stories for anyone.
#37
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The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week
At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of science and tech stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.
My Thoughts
Funny and wonderfully interesting. If you like chasing your curiosity down a Wikipedia link trail, you'll love this.
#36
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Motherhood Sessions
Dr. Alexandra Sacks, a renowned reproductive psychiatrist, sits down with mothers and lets us listen in on conversations that are hard to have outside of a therapist’s office. Each episode features a woman struggling with some problem or question—from career uncertainty to sex to ambivalence about even being a mother—and she and Dr. Sacks work it through together.
My Thoughts
In most interviews, the goal is to get to the person's true perspective. This show starts their but then challenges the destructive loops in that perspective. An interesting glimpse into therapy and what other moms struggle with.
#35
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Story Pirates
Story Pirates is a group of world-class actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians who adapt stories written by kids into sketch comedy and musical theater. Visit www.storypirates.com for more information on Story Pirates and how you can bring our live show to your school or town!
My Thoughts
An awesome project to inspire kids to create their own creative stories. I can't wait until my kids are old enough to understand this silly jaunt.
#34
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Making Gay History
Intimate, personal portraits of both known and long-forgotten champions, heroes, and witnesses to history brought to you from rare archival interviews.
My Thoughts
There is a lot to admire in the stories told. Courageous people, standing up for their rights to live their true lives.
#33
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Masters of Scale
How do companies grow from zero to a gazillion? Legendary Silicon Valley investor / entrepreneur Reid Hoffman tests his theories with famous founders. Guests include Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg & Sheryl Sandberg, Netflix’s Reed Hastings, Google’s Eric Schmidt, Spanx's Sara Blakely. With original music and hilariously honest stories, the show sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard.
My Thoughts
While occasionally the host gets a bit hyperbolic, the interviews are really insightful and inspiring. Also mad props to the 50-50 gender balance!
#32
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Embedded
Host Kelly McEvers takes a story from the news and goes deep. Whether that means digging into the Trump administration's past, the stories behind police shootings caught on video, or visiting a town ravaged by the opioid epidemic, Embedded takes you where the news is happening.
My Thoughts
Poignant, unique journalism that tells deep human truths behind forgotten headlines. I'd recommend interspersing it with some lighter listening though.
#31
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30 Animals That Made Us Smarter
Amazing things humans have learnt from the animal kingdom. Inspiring, fascinating, bingeable.
My Thoughts
Really cool connections between biology and technology that you might not have realized before.
#30
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Everything is Alive
Everything is Alive is an unscripted interview show in which all the subjects are inanimate objects. In each episode, a different thing tells us its life story--and everything it says is true.
My Thoughts
What a silly format to learn some interesting facts about various stuff.
#29
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Tribe of Mentors
Tribe of Mentors is a short-form podcast series from Tim Ferriss, one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People” and an early-stage tech investor/advisor in Uber, Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, Duolingo, Alibaba, and 50+ other companies. The show highlights short life advice from the best in the world.
My Thoughts
The questions asked are just as insightful as the answers. I ordered the book after two episodes and I can't decide which is better! So full of applicable wisdom!
#28
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Sooo Many White Guys
Phoebe Robinson is tired of being the token black woman in an ocean of white dude comedians. So in this podcast, Phoebe’s calling the shots. She’ll host intimate, funny and super honest conversations with musicians, actors, writers and comedians who are killing it in their fields--AND who aren’t white dudes!
My Thoughts
Such a fun collection of interviews. I have discovered a bunch of new awesome artists through just a few episodes.
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Why Sports Matter
Each week, a new story is built around a larger theme and told through the first-hand voices of extraordinary people. Whether it's exploring grief and healing after tragedy or understanding the mindset of athletes who willingly face death, we search for purpose and meaning -- without shying away from nuance, or the salient political and social issues of our time.
My Thoughts
Excellent interviewing and storytelling, but I wasn't a convert before, and I'm still not really a fan of sports after.
#26
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Business Wars
Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet, or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these battles shapes what we buy and how we live. Business Wars gives you the unauthorized, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives to new heights -- or to ruin.
My Thoughts
Audio drama of the real stories behind some of the world's biggest brands. David Brown makes the stories engaging and dramatic.
#25
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Josie & Jonny Are Having a Baby (With You!)
Josie Long & Jonny Donahoe are two comedians who are having a baby! As new parents, Josie and Jonny bring their humor and genuine curiosity into each conversation to get actual answers to questions they’re completely clueless about. Each episode features creators of all types talking candidly about what it means to raise a baby into a full on adult human.
My Thoughts
A fun candid approach to parenting advice. Feels like dropping in on some good friends' conversations.
#24
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The Dropout
The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. You'll hear exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients, and for the first-time, the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Elizabeth Holmes, and those at the center of this story.
My Thoughts
The hype is warranted. An excellently told and incredibly shocking expose that goes to show how powerful a vision (even if it's a lie) can be.
#23
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WSJ Tech News Briefing
Stay informed on the latest trends with daily insights on what's hot and happening in the world of technology. Listen to our reporters discuss notable company news, new tech gadgets, personal technology updates, app features, start-up highlights and more.
My Thoughts
Concise and interesting. Quick way to stay up on industry headlines.
#22
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60-Second Science
Leading science journalists provide a daily minute commentary on some of the most interesting developments in the world of science.
My Thoughts
Bite sized digest of new scientific findings. The time constraint limits the story though.
#21
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Throughline
The past is never past. Every headline has a history. Join us every week as we go back in time to understand the present. These are stories you can feel and sounds you can see from the moments that shaped our world.
My Thoughts
This is the kind of journalism I love. The producers do an amazing job summarizing rich, complex historical context around current events.
#20
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Women at Work
HBR editors Amy Bernstein, Sarah Green Carmichael, and Nicole Torres are untangling some of the knottiest problems in gender discrimination. They interview experts on gender, tell stories about their own experiences, and give lots of practical advice to help you succeed in spite of the obstacles.
My Thoughts
Thoughtful, well researched advice of the quality you expect from HBR. The topics are relevant to anyone who manages, works with or happens to be a woman (which I hope it's almost everyone).
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The Rosenfeld Review Podcast
Lou Rosenfeld talks with a LOT of brilliant, interesting changemakers in the UX world and beyond. Subscribe to the Rosenfeld Media podcast for a bird's eye view into what shifts UX faces, and how individuals and teams can respond in ways that drive success.
My Thoughts
A bit rough and self-promotey, but very bright guests discussing really complex issues of doing real world UX.
#18
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Ologies
Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and some insane stories about what fuels these professional ologists' obsessions. Hosted by humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward.
My Thoughts
Deep and delightful. Alie Ward lets scientists reveal their passion and curiosity. Each episode is a time investment but so worth it.
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Headlong
Headlong is Dan Taberski’s documentary podcast that explores the lives of overlooked people, moments and events in our culture. Season 2 is Surviving Y2K. December 31, 1999: The world braced for disaster as midnight approached. Then, nothing happened. The hysteria over the Y2K computer bug quickly became an afterthought; a punch-line. In Surviving Y2K, Dan Taberski takes you back to the turn of the millennium to meet the people for whom it was anything but a joke — computer coders, conspiracy theorists, survivalists, and true believers — as they each face their own version of the apocalypse. And Dan tells a new millennium story of his own, about a decision that could destroy his life.
My Thoughts
Such a captivating documentary of a focal point of my growing up years. Great perspectives and insights.
#16
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Business Schooled
In this new podcast by Synchrony, Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Initialized Capital and Reddit, meets the OG generation of entrepreneurs and learns how they started their own booming businesses.
My Thoughts
Interesting interviews, with not your typical business owners. Love hearing the rarely told tales of accidental success mostly from deep customer empathy.
#15
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Proof
We tell the weird and surprising and funny backstories around food and drink. The tales we haven’t all heard yet, the ones that have been lost, the under-told. This is not a recipe show. And this is not a show about celebrity chefs or what they like to eat. Proof goes beyond recipes and cooking to investigate the foods we love (tiki drinks) and don't love (the grain bowl); ask the big questions (where do food cravings come from?); and uncover the hidden backstories that feed your food-obsessed brain.
My Thoughts
Who knew the secret popular history of celery or the neuroscience behind fair food?Fascinating stories that are easy to sprinkle into lunchtime convos.
#14
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The Memory Palace
Short, surprising stories of the past, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often a little bit of both.
My Thoughts
What fun little stories. The host tells them so well; so far I haven't been able to be half as interesting as I've tried to retell them to friends and family.
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10 Things That Scare Me
10 Things That Scare Me is a tiny podcast about our biggest fears. In each episode, one person talks. Alone in a room. It could be anyone. It could be you. It’s someone driven by fears that keep them up at night, that define their lives, and inform their choices. This is a podcast about them, about you, about us, and the world we inhabit together.
My Thoughts
The premise is thought provoking, but listening to too many of these in a row put me in a pretty negative headspace.
#12
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Motherboard
Conversations with mothers in tech.
My Thoughts
Being a double minority working-mom in tech, it's wonderful to hear other's stories. Unfortunately, while the host was often forthcoming about her own struggles, most of the guests didn't get into really any challenges, which is too bad.
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LeVar Burton Reads
The best short fiction, handpicked by the world’s greatest storyteller. In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Reading Rainbow, Roots, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story.
My Thoughts
There is so much nostalgic pleasure listening to a bedtime story, let alone from such a gifted actor & sound designer. Even when I haven't loved the story, I've loved the experience.
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Last Seen
It remains the most valuable — and confounding — art heist in history: 13 artworks stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Twenty-eight years later, not a single piece in a haul worth half a billion dollars has surfaced.With first-ever interviews, unprecedented access, and more than a year of investigative reporting, "Last Seen" takes us into the biggest unsolved art heist in history.
My Thoughts
A very perplexing case with lots of exciting nuance. While the first few episodes were engaging, I lost interest after a while. The level of detail without the payoff of a reveal at the end (still unsolved) lost me.
#9
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Code Switch
Ever find yourself in a conversation about race and identity where you just get...stuck? Code Switch can help. We're all journalists of color, and this isn't just the work we do. It's the lives we lead. Sometimes, we'll make you laugh. Other times, you'll get uncomfortable. But we'll always be unflinchingly honest and empathetic. Come mix it up with us.
My Thoughts
A wonderful variety of perspectives and stories. They don't shy away from the tough stuff, but encourage deep empathy, with lots of real world application.
#8
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Mythology
Myths endure for a reason. This episodic audio drama brings ancient myths to life for the modern audience. Each episode presents exciting stories and analysis of each myth's history and origins, giving insight into how our ancestors saw the universe.
My Thoughts
Relatable tales from ancient history. The storytelling is immersive and the modern application is novel.
#7
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Technically Iowa
Technically Iowa is a podcast featuring Iowa women tech entrepreneurs and leaders hosted by the Technology Association of Iowa. Technically Iowa highlights thought-leaders, game-changers, and all-out rockstars innovating in Iowa.
My Thoughts
I want to love this podcast. It features awesome women doing amazing work. However, I wish it dug a bit deeper into advice or lessons to apply to my own career.
#6
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The Daily
This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, ready by 6 a.m.
My Thoughts
An engaging story on a current topic. I know this podcast is really popular, but for some reason getting my news via podcasts still isn't my cup of tea.
#5
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36 Questions
In this three-part podcast musical, a couple attempts to bring their marriage back from the brink of divorce using 36 revealing questions designed to make strangers fall in love.
My Thoughts
If you like Rent or Dr Horrible you have to try this podcast. It is beautiful and intriguing and is over to soon.
#4
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Armchair Expert
Hi, I’m Dax Shepard, and I love talking to people. I am endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and I find people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles and shortcomings to be incredibly sexy. I invite you to join me as I explore other people’s stories. We will celebrate, above all, the challenges and setbacks that ultimately lead to growth and betterment.
My Thoughts
Interviews with celebrities rarely speak to me. But this is different. Dax gets these highly successful people to open up in a way that is so candid and human. The end segments sometimes get a bit rambly but each one I've listened to leaves me with something to think deeply about.
#3
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Dark Tank
Dark Tank is a podcast where white people try their best. In each episode of Dark Tank, Yedoye Travis asks a melanin deficient guest to undo the mistakes of the past by pitching solutions to pressing minority issues--to a panel of people of color. We're solving racism, one white ego at a time.
My Thoughts
Feels like a fun discussion with friends. Doesn't get super deep, but is a great way to get multiple perspectives on some tough issues.
#2
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Not Craft
Not Craft is a design podcast about all the soft skills you need to be successful in your design career—from the people that have learned them first hand.
My Thoughts
Great guests with intriguing perspectives. Two tricks and a warning format is succinct way to get actionables across quickly. Interview style is a bit rough, but there are only a few episodes so far.