THE 5 PODCASTS YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO RIGHT NOW!

featured post

I might be a little bit late to the podcast party, but I’m making up for lost time now.

I became obsessed with these audio recordings a few months ago; I was completely redecorating the 13-year-old’s bedroom and needed something to distract me from the monotony of painting. Usually I’d put something light and frothy on Netflix, but I found myself constantly stopping to watch what was happening on the screen.

I realised I needed something to entertain me without taking my attention away from the job at hand. It dawned on my that a podcast was the perfect solution. More dynamic than audio books, podcasts are designed to be absorbed audibly, which means the descriptions are rich and full, and encourage your mind to visualise the story as its being told.

Unlike a book, which you have to stop and read, or a television programme, which loses impact when you can’t also see the screen, a podcast delivers everything you need, straight to your ears.

I wasn’t really sure of where to start, so chose a true-life story I was already familiar with – the incredible tale of Elizabeth Holmes, a supposed American inventor who fooled investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars for medical technology that didn’t even exist. The eight episodes not only saw me through the entire room makeover, they got me well and truly hooked!

Since then, I’ve been devouring podcasts – everything from shocking true-crime tales and first-person survival stories, to documentary exposés and travel and language tutorials.

What I love is that they’re so easy to listen to – you can listen to a podcast while you’re getting ready for work, picking the kids up from school, getting dinner ready or lying in bed. Because it’s just audio you’re not being bombarded with sight and sounds, which – for me – makes it more relaxing than watching television.

The voices and words encourage you to activate your brain and explore your own imagination. I even find that, because I’m focusing on one sense and really soaking in the words, I tend to absorb the information better. For that reason, podcasts aren’t just entertainment, they can teach you things too – everything from current events to criminal psychology.

With the enthusiasm of the newly converted, I wanted to share with you some of the podcasts that I’ve recently listened to and loved, and a couple on my ‘listen-next-list’.

THE 5 PODCASTS YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO RIGHT NOW

NOLAN INVESTIGATES:

If you’re confused by the whole ‘trans-row’ and wondering why feminists are so up in arms about topics such as single-sex spaces and gender neutral language, this podcast will tell you everything you need to know. Be warned – you’ll be equal parts flabbergasted and infuriated. Prepare to be ‘peaked’ (you’ll understand what this means by the time you get to the end…).

LEFT TO DIE:

I listened to this while I was working on the back garden, and wow – what an emotional rollercoaster! It tells the shocking story of how South African contractors, including two brothers and their father, were abandoned when a Mozambican town was overrun by Islamic militants. What they endured – and the fear the local people are still living under to this day – is utterly terrifying.

VOICES OF BELL’ITALIA:

I fell in love with the Italian language the first time I visited Rome, 25 year ago. I took lessons for a while and did a bit of online learning during lockdown, but that fell by the wayside once life returned to its new normal. However, I’ve just discovered these Babbel language podcasts that recreate typical Italian situations and immerse you in the ‘real’ language of the locals. You get a real sense of the true way Italians talk and the cadence of the conversations, which helps you absorb and learn the language (you can read more about how this works in the infographic ‘What can a Podcast Teach You?‘).

HARSH REALITY: THE STORY OF MIRIAM RIVERA:

I actually watched the series ‘There’s Something About Miriam’ when it came out in 2004. It was a jaw dropper back then, but looking back now the bad taste of the production is simply unbelievable. Who thought it was a good idea to film a gaggle of macho British men dating a stunning Mexican woman, without revealing she’d been born as a male? This podcast revisits all the drama we saw on screen as well as revealing all the behind-the-scene bombshells unknown up until now.

FAKE HEIRESS:

This is ready and waiting to be my next listen – it’s the story of Anna Delvey, who managed to dupe the creme de la creme of New York society into believing she was a European millionaire. It’s an incredible tale of ‘fake it til you make it’ that netted her over a quarter of a million dollars before she was rumbled.

Those are the podcasts you should listen to right now… what would you add?

Photo courtesy of Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to site top