It's always a good time for a podcast recommendation
It's always a good time for a podcast recommendation
psychology of fiction, fossil fuel corruption, rallying against trauma, pasta history, cookbook publishing, zombie hopepunk, films of 1989
It’s Saturday. Podstack usually comes out on Thursdays. I know what you’re all thinking…
Well, it turns out that being the photographer for your brother’s intricately planned proposal will in fact throw off your week just enough to delay your newsletter. Congrats to the happy couple and on with this week’s recommendations!
Who doesn’t love a sweet stack of podcasts for your Saturday?
ReThinking - The psychology of fiction with Jennifer Lynn Barnes
This episode of ReThinking had me completely captivated. The psychology of fiction feels like something I’ve always wondered about but never looked into. Do you ever watch or read something and think ‘how did they think of this?!’ (in a good way!). Stories are the true gateway into people’s minds. At least, that’s what psychologist and writer Jennifer Lynn Barnes has figured out. After falling deeply in love with reading as a child, she not only wrote several novels, but also studied the psychology of why we enjoy fiction. Both fiction and psychology are ways of understanding people. They cover so many ways fiction appeals to our minds, but one of my favourites was the gossip theory- fiction is just gossip about people who happen to be make belief and our minds enjoy this. As someone who isn’t even that big of a reader, this episode gave me so much more appreciation for reading and the art of writing compelling fictional stories, or any stories really! (transcript)
Amy Westervelt is at it again, telling an incredibly compelling story that illustrates just how powerful and deceptive the fossil fuel industry is and every episode is making me more eager for the next. She’s doing this through an extensive investigation into the oil industry that popped up in Guyana and how promises of economic prosperity were not what they seemed. If you haven’t heard much about the lies of the oil industry and the lengths it will go, this will open your eyes to it. To things like the disinformation practices used in contracts so they can get away with whatever they want, how they built social license so that people of Guyana see them positively, and how they eventually control so much to the point that hotel bookings can mysteriously get cancelled if you’re trying to report on them. If you like the intrigue of investigative podcasts, you’ll love this. The show is great at bringing in different characters, finding lots of interesting supporting clips like content from YouTubers, press conferences, or ads that highlight moments of Guyana’s history with Exxon. It keeps you engaged without making you feel overwhelmed by any of the legal language. Amy is the perfect guide for explaining the case without diminishing the stakes or information. It’s economics, it’s legal, it’s climate. The more sneaky and shady things that are revealed about how the oil industry rips people and places off, the more I get invested and can’t stop listening. In a way, this is like a scam podcast of epic proportions, with true crime intrigue, but the victims are our planet and a place that is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The Daily Rally - Tara Roberts Is No Longer Afraid of the Past
I was already a fan of Tara Roberts because her series Into the Depths is so good. So I jumped on her episode of The Daily Rally to hear more about her story of overcoming the fear she felt about diving in the history of Black folks and the slave ships they sailed on, which is what Into the Depths documents. Whereas some episodes of The Daily Rally may involve a physical struggle or injury, Tara’s is very much the emotional and mental kind. And the moment she describes how she got past the fear of learning too much of the trauma is so beautiful. It really captures what this show is made to celebrate. Instead of a daily show about news, it’s about inspiring stories of human resilience in the face of big challenges and unexpected adventures. It’s hosted by the amazing Cat Jaffee but it really focuses on the storyteller and guiding you through their journey. The music and subtle sound design pull you into the story even more and keep you captivated. Plus, the episodes are usually around 10 minutes long, perfect for your morning coffee or afternoon pick-me-up.
Quartz Obsession - Pasta: A global staple
Why is pasta so popular? Did Marco Polo really bring it to Italy? This is a perfect 20 minute summary of pasta’s history and influence. You learn about how its popularity first started and how it grew with industrialization and dried pasta. And I never knew there was such drama around penne pasta! Looking to the future of pasta, you learn how it could also be impacted by climate change and there’s a Canadian connection to an important ingredient in dried pasta. Could there be a time when pasta becomes less of a staple and more of a specialty item? The guest expert, Annalisa Merelli, who is also Italian, had some hilarious takes on American pasta choices. I also just keep listening to episodes of this show because they’re not too long and they’re pretty interesting topics that I can just soak up some more information about. (transcript)
Code Switch - The Women Who Influence How America Eats
The publishing industry and the food media world have so much power over whose recipes and stories get told. This episode is an excellent look at the ways people of colour, specifically women of colour, are treated differently when it comes to working in food media. Getting a cookbook deal is already a challenging feat but not every author is held to the same expectations. You hear from cookbook authors and food reporters about what has happened over the years of food writing and cookbook publishing. Authors of colour are taught a different way to talk about their food and there’s so much more focus on just making it accessible, whereas white authors aren’t often questioned as much if their recipes aren’t “easy” for everyone. Publishers have even gone so far as to say things like “we’ve already published a Indian cookbook”. As if one is enough?? I love that they point out how in every cuisine there are quick, easy recipes and there are project recipes. But non-western recipes always get put in the second category, no matter what. This evolves into such a bigger discussion around authenticity in food, how it changes over time, and why all of these factors matter. There is so much history in our food that we don’t realize and it is such a reflection of our world. (transcript)
The pitch I received for this show was too intriguing not to check out. Seriously, I can’t articulate it better than this: “Where most shows like this slide into dystopia and despair, Hannahpocalypse considers itself 'hopepunk', daring to hope and love despite things not being all that great”. You know my Ted Lasso-loving heart couldn’t resist something called ‘hopepunk’. And it’s a fun listen! It’s a comedy/horror audio drama, although I’m on episode nine and so far it’s light on the horror and that’s coming from someone who scares very easily. I don’t watch or listen to much zombie-themed content but this one sounded different and more my style. Plus the Canadian references in the first episode made me happy and next thing I knew I was four episodes in. It follows living dead girl Hannah; a zombie ‘living’ her best life long after the zombie apocalypse has come and gone. On the outside, Hannah is a zombie and doesn’t really speak anymore but you hear her internal monologue which is a pretty relatable character. So it’s like learning the thoughts of a person in a zombie body, trying to reconcile the zombie things she’s doing. And then there’s Cali, not a zombie. She’s a scout for a settlement who crosses paths with Hannah. The thing is, Hannah and Cali have an unexpected bond or connection that takes both of them by surprise. All episodes are out now so you can easily enjoy the whole show! (transcript)
The Class of 1989 - Ladies First and Last
Yet again, listening to episodes about movies I haven’t seen but I have zero regrets! Class of 1989 is analyzing six films about race that came out in 1989 and marked a shift. All of these films had a lasting impact on Hollywood in different ways and I was so curious to hear how one year could change so much. It’s hosted by Len Webb and Vincent Williams, who also host the acclaimed Black cinema podcast The Micheaux Mission. The first episode covered the experiences and portrayals of women in that year and the surrounding time period. It’s a look at how they were treated and what it reflected of the time. As the episode begins, they try to understand why Black women might’ve been portrayed the way they were. Maori Holmes notes how “artists, unless they work really hard, are going to make work that is reflective of the culture in which they exist”, and she explains the relationship between these films and patriarchy/misogyny of the time. As Len and Vincent point out, this might be a generous way of putting it, but it sets the scene for how some may explain why women were treated the way they were. But that doesn’t stop you from feeling frustrated and sad from the stories in this episode. The events and films mentioned are impacted by gender, race, and class in varying degrees and they do a great job of explaining the complicated intersections. The second episode analyzes the films of Eddie Murphy and Spike Lee and the different ways they were received. Between these two episodes, it’s such a strong start to this six part series.
More sweet treats
Shreya Sharma also released something special today and it’s a beautiful love letter to sighs.
Some advice for your podcast spring cleaning.
A reminder to tell the shows you love how you feel.
More proof of how amazing and thoughtful every aspect of Ted Lasso is (from this week’s episode)
Thank you for reading! If you listened to something this week that made your heart sing, your imagination wander, or your brain ponder, I’d love to hear about it!