Here are a few of my more recent favorites. As always, if you have any you'd like to recommend, let me know (thank you Sarah Downs for recommending War of the Worlds!!!).
Enjoy!
40 Years Later, What We Learned From Jonestown, by Fresh Air
On Nov. 18, 1978, an itinerant preacher, faith healer and civil rights activist named the Rev. Jim Jones led more than 900 of his followers to kill themselves by drinking cyanide-laced Flavor Aid at their Jonestown settlement in the jungle of Guyana. 40 years later, questions still linger regarding the Jonestown massacre and the man who inspired it. Journalist Jeff Guinn details how Jones captivated his followers in the book 'The Road to Jonestown.'
War of the Worlds, by Radiolab
It's been 80 years to the day since Orson Welles' infamous radio drama "The War of the Worlds" echoed far and wide over the airwaves. So we want to bring you back to our very first live hour, where we take a deep dive into what was one of the most controversial moments in broadcasting history. "The War of the Worlds," a radio play about Martians invading New Jersey, caused panic when it originally aired, and it's continued to fool people since--from Santiago, Chile to Buffalo, New York to a particularly disastrous evening in Quito, Ecuador.
The Room of Requirement, by This American Life
My whole family thoroughly enjoyed this one. The summary doesn't do it justice so I deleted everything but the opening sentence.
Libraries aren't just for books.
So, so good.
Feminism in Black and White, by Scene on Radio
Most of December was dedicated to this podcast series entitled, "MEN." It's a newer podcast, with only it's third season available, and as one might imagine, the first season isn't great. The third one, however, is very good. I appreciated just about every episode, but this one was exceptional.
The struggles against sexism and racism come together in the bodies, and the lives, of black women. Co-hosts Celeste Headlee and John Biewen look at the intersections between male dominance and white supremacy in the United States, and the movements to overcome them, from the 1800s through the 2016 presidential election.
Enjoy the day, and happy listening.
For more on . . .