I'm a big fan of podcasting, and one of my favorite topics is to talk about what my favorites are and hearing what others' favorites are. I thought it'd be cool to share the ones I listen to the most, and if you have suggestions for others that I'm missing out on, leave them in the comments!




THE NOD
The Nod is an incredible podcast about Black culture. I recommend EVERYONE listen to it, even if you aren't the intended audience. Why? One is because you'll be exposed to stories about Black cultures that are important and woefully underrepresented in wider culture. Two is because it's important to hear different voices represented in the media, and diversify where and from whom you're getting information because "vocal styles communicate important dimensions of human experience." And three is because Eric and Brittney are THE BEST - two folks who are truly delightful to listen to, and funny. Eric has the funniest, most contagious laugh (it reminds me a bit of Ernie from Sesame Street...seriously!), and Brittany has one of my favorite voices in podcasting. Good episodes to check out: Saving Grace, about a woman who builds a Sim of her beloved grandmother; and this episode on Moooo and Oink, a famous Chicago supermarket chain.





OLOGIES
This one is new-ish to me, but I'm officially hooked! In this podcast, host Alie Ward geeks out on a different "ology" every week - volcanology, cosmology, orthinology...you name it. She asks all the random questions you'd want to know answers to, interviews truly fascinating people, and does it with a whole lot of humor and wonder. Check out: this episode on Cosmology, the study of the universe, then be sure to check out Part 2!





OH NO ROSS AND CARRIE
Ross and Carrie are brave, brave souls! Their podcast investigates all things fringe - religions, science, medical treatments - to find out how they work, IF they work, and what the deal is. This means they do absolutely bonkers shit like join Scientology, drink their own urine, and try ayahuasca. It makes for fascinating, funny, and sometimes eerie stories. Where to get a taste of the show: the episodes detailing Ross' experience on taking ayahuasca in Costa Rica (twelve episodes - holy CRAP!), and their (nine part!!!) series on joining Scientology, which starts here. (Warning: like Eric over at The Nod, Ross has a truly contagious laugh!)





REPLY ALL
Reply All is a podcast about the Internet that's not at all techie (believe it or not), which leads it down all sorts of interesting and weird rabbit holes. Hosts Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt have really great chemistry, and they're really good at investigating things that seem un-investigatable. What to check out: this episode, about a woman who's Snapchat account was hacked, and this one about a scam call that turned into a much bigger deal than anyone could have anticipated!





ASTONISHING LEGENDS
Anytime I want listen to in-depth, honest investigations about weird or spooky shit, I turn to this podcast. Scott and Forrest go IN on things like hauntings, UFOs, and cryptids. Their shows are often long and take place over a series, so if you're not into this stuff it may not be for you. But I find it fascinating! Episodes I've loved include: the Sallie House episodes in which Scott got way more than he bargained for; and the series on the Dyatlov Pass.




READING GLASSES
Reading Glasses - hosted by Brea and Mallory - is all about book life, book culture, reading habits...basically some of my favorite things of ever! Just about every episode features interviews with people in the book industry, from authors to librarians to book sellers. The podcast is also a great place to pick up recommendations for your next read. It's hard to pick a favorite with this one, since each episode offers up a wealth of fun, so just poke around their website and listen to whatever topic interests you the most.





MY FAVORITE MURDER
There's not much I can say about this true crime/comedy podcast that hasn't already been said. Some people love it, but others hate the overly-long and chatty nature of it. I for one, am on team love. I find Karen and Georgia (especially Karen) hilarious, and the stories they tell are fascinating. One of my favorites? Coincidence Island - in particular, the Galapagos Affair portion because it is BONKERS!





RED HANDED
IF My Favorite Murder is a little too chatty and less well-researched than you like, Red-Handed may be more your speed. These two Brits tell compelling true crime stories, get straight to the point, and seem to do a fair amount of research about each case. Their coverage on the mysterious murder of Kanika Powell was particularly chilling.

And, WHEW! That's it! Any recommendations of other podcasts I should be listening to? What are your favorites?