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Looking for a blog post with a potpourri of podcast recommendations? You’re in luck: this is that post!
If you’re a regular reader of Podcast Maniac, you know that my posts are usually themed, providing podcast recommendations for people who like X or Y, or even Z.
Today is not one of those posts. Also, it’s my first post in three weeks, which is also not the norm (I usually post every Wednesday).
Truth be told, I’m still playing catch-up after prepping for - and dealing with the aftermath of - Hurricane Irma in Florida.
My husband and I were lucky in regards to the storm; we didn’t have much damage to our home or business, and our family and friends were also safe. But I’m not gonna lie: a week without electricity had us at the ends of our ropes.
My heart goes out to the people still suffering the effects from the many recent natural disasters (Houston, Mexico, Puerto Rico, too many other islands to name).
With everything going on, I have been unable - and a little unmotivated - to stick to my schedule of themed podcast recommendation.
Instead, I’ve been listening to a whole bunch of stuff. Some old, some new. Some shows that I subscribed to weeks ago and to which I still hadn’t listened to Episode 1. (I think a lot of you can relate to this!)
In addition to my steady diet of Reply All (back from summer break!), I Hate My Boss, By The Book, Conversations with People Who Hate Me, and The West Wing Weekly (to name just a few), here are the shows I've been listening to lately that are worth a recommendation.
My Latest Podcast Recommendations
The Rate and Subscribe Podcast
I almost didn’t listen to this show because the show description is super generic and lacking in detail (a pet-peeve of mine).
And then I listened to the first episode, burst out laughing, and got the joke.
This podcast is a totally satirical take on podcasts and podcast hosts. The truly podcast-obsessed will get the jokes and the references. There’s even a fake sponsor, based on a real sponsor, and it’s really well done.
Listen: The Rate and Subscribe Podcast
The Other F Word
A podcast about failure. Because celebrating success is great, but you can find inspiration in failure, too!
I only started listening to this podcast recently. I like the concept (and I admit: I thought the cover art was cute). The format of the show is an interview with someone notable who has also had their fair share of failures.
After scrolling through the titles in the feed, I chose to listen to episode 46 first. Instead of an interview, the hosts chat about what they’ve learned so far from doing the podcast (spoiler alert: there are failures!) It was the perfect episode to get acquainted with the three hosts.
Listen: The Other F Word
Global Dispatches
This podcast about foreign policy and world affairs is hosted by the editor of the United Nations blog (a job title that I find impressive all on its own).
On the podcast, he interviews policy makers, academics, influencers, and the like to help explain complicated world events.
The episode about the recent escalation of attacks on Muslims in Myanmar helped me to understand a situation that I’ve always had trouble wrapping my head around. There's also a recent episode about the aforementioned hurricanes in the US (which is full of interesting and thought-provoking info).
I really like this podcast because it provides in-depth coverage of important international topics that most American media outlets do a poor job of reporting on.
Listen: Global Dispatches
The Bright Sessions
I discovered this show late in my podcast-listening career (aka, earlier this year) and I still haven’t finished Season 1 (it’s already in Season 4).
But it’s so good! In fact, it's currently in development as a television series.
This is a science fiction podcast about a therapist and three of her patients. Each patient is trying to get a grip on the fact that he or she has a supernatural power, and every episode is a recording of their latest therapy session.
Episodes are about 12-15 minutes, and you need to listen to them in order from the very first one. Episode 1 ends in a cliffhanger, which is a pretty solid way to start a podcast series!
Listen: The Bright Sessions
[Related Post] Podcast Review: The Truth
This is Actually Happening
This long-running podcast releases a new episode every month, and you never know what you’re going to get.
Each episode features someone giving their first-hand account of a difficult, sometimes traumatic, event in their life. Instead of the typical host-guest interview format, you hear only the person telling the story. The show is very well-produced.
Not every episode will be your cup of tea; I say this from experience. But if you like StoryCorps or Strangers, then you’ll probably enjoy many episodes of This is Actually Happening.
Listen: This is Actually Happening
That's all for this week! I'm currently on vacation, practicing and studying Spanish in Spain, so I'm planning some travel podcast recommendations for next week!
If you're looking to practice or start learning Spanish, check out my post 3 Best Podcasts for Becoming Fluent in Spanish
Do you have any recent podcast recommendations? Are you a podcast host who wants to recommend your own show? Leave a comment below to share with other readers!