2023 in podcasts

My podcast app showed me how much I've spent listening to podcasts this year ... it's a lot guys. Almost 17 days. Yelp.

As a Professional Recommender (it should be a job title, truly), here is the truffle mayo to my fries, complete with a few recommended episodes. If you're into science, writing, and the tech industry, there might be something that suits you.

Science vs

It's educational and funny, what more can you ask of a podcast? Wendy Zuckerman brings a lot of personality to the show, and while it's entertaining, she also doesn't shy away from asking uncomfortable questions (like the Huberman episode).

Listen to: MDMA: Can Ecstasy Cure Your Agony?, Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

Hard Fork

I got hooked by the end of the summer and now I frantically update my podcast app every Friday morning until the latest episode pops up. Casey and Kevin are a match made in heaven as podcasts hosts, and Casey's hate towards blockchain and crypto is the cherry on top.

Listen to: Their AI coverage is probably what I sent to most of my friends, like the All Gas, No Brakes in A.I.. But since it's covering current events, I'd just pick a recent episode and see if it resonates.

If Books Could Kill

Michael and Peter take bestselling airport books (business and pseudoscience) and dig into the research behind them. I love this pod even when they crack down on books I enjoyed, like the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. My favorite quote is when they dissected The 4-Hour Workweek and called it "the Bay Area tech bros' eat pray love".

Listen to: The 5 Love Languages (if you or people around you like to bring up their love languages, please listen to this one), Rich Dad Poor Dad, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, The Secret, ok, I could go on and on, just listen to whatever captures your attention.

The Ezra Klein Show

Ezra Klein is a calm voice in the public discourse, and I always find his thoughts on current events and the world interesting.

Listen to: Boundaries, Burnout and the ‘Goopification’ of Self-Care, How My Conversations on Israel-Gaza Have Shaped My Thinking.

How to fail

Elizabeth Day talks to interesting people about their failures and it's a lot more fun than it sounds like.

Listen to: Gillian Anderson on sex, body image and rebellion, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (old episode, but Phoebe Waller-Bridge is the coolest woman in modern history, so I'll always recommend it) (also, watch Fleabag if you haven't).

Hidden Brain

About the human mind and what shapes it. If I could have a book club about a podcast, this would probably be the one.

Listen to: How We Live With Contradictions, When You Need It To Be True.

Longform

Interviews with journalists and non-fiction writers. I have such respect for the Longform team as interviewers. They are knowledgable about their guests and their work, they ask thoughtful questions, give their guests space to elaborate, and every episode feels like an intimate and authentic conversation.

Listen to: #520: Delia Cai, #559: Craig Mod.

In Writing

Hattie Crisell interviews all kinds of writers about their craft, background, and the space they write in. If you're interested in any form of creative writing, this is worth your time.

Listen to: George Saunders, short story writer and novelist, Hugo Rifkind, columnist, Meg Mason, novelist.

The Shakespeare and Company Interview Podcast

Another interview podcast focused on writers – there is a theme here.

Listen to: Naomi Klein on Doppelgangers, Conspiracy Theories, and the Shadowlands we all inhabit, I put the book on my must read list instantly.

Writing Excuses

The hosts (and sometimes guests) of Writing Excuses have fun conversations about writing, and often gets into the nuts and bolts. Currently on season 19, meaning there is a huge backlog of episodes to go through.

Listen to: The NaNoWriMo series in season 18 is helpful, but go through the archive and pick a subject that intrigues you.

Hope you found something interesting!