{"id":17804,"date":"2018-12-18T14:33:14","date_gmt":"2018-12-18T22:33:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/?post_type=blog&p=17804"},"modified":"2019-09-26T10:34:34","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T18:34:34","slug":"favorite-nonfiction-podcasts-that-will-keep-you-glued-to-your-headphones","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/favorite-nonfiction-podcasts-that-will-keep-you-glued-to-your-headphones\/","title":{"rendered":"Favorite Nonfiction Podcasts That Will Keep You Glued to Your Headphones"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Brooke Shelby Biggs<\/strong><\/p>\n

We nonfiction nerds who are compulsive documentary watchers are usually also public radio listeners and magazine readers. Who among us doesn\u2019t have a closet full of tote bags attesting to this? <\/span><\/p>\n

And, if you\u2019re like me, all of this means we\u2019re suckers for podcasts. Since the moment I first discovered Radiolab<\/a> in 2009, I\u2019ve been addicted. Road trips, long commutes, those early hours at work before the meetings start \u2014 these are my podcast sweet zones. So many styles and subjects and perspectives to choose from. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bonus: No driveway moments necessary, because my earbuds go with me wherever I go. Downside: I\u2019ve been known to stay up until 2 a.m. on a school night to find out what happened in a podcast (I\u2019m looking at you, S-Town<\/em><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Podcasts borrow from experimental radio forms that put storytelling and narrative up front, but bring an a la carte selection and infinite mobility to the audience, and no FCC limitations to producers. Shows such as This American Life<\/em> weave character and plot into engrossing audio tableaux. Serial<\/em><\/a>\u2019s insanely detailed examination of a murder case riveted millions of people. Publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker<\/em>, and Slate have invested in podcasts that permit them to go beyond the confines of the written word to tell a story. <\/span><\/p>\n

Radiolab\u2019s Jad Abumrad recently produced a magnificent companion podcast series \u2014 called UnErased<\/em><\/a>\u00a0\u2014 to accompany the new Nicole Kidman film\u00a0Boy Erased<\/em>.\u00a0 Unlike film, podcasts demand both more and less of the audience \u2014 more work in constructing the visual elements in their mind\u2019s eyes, but less captivity to a screen.<\/span><\/p>\n

What follows is an unscientific and entirely biased<\/span> list of the best nonfiction\/documentary podcasts available on common podcast apps.<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Radiolab<\/a> \u2014 Skewing toward science-centric stories, this podcast uses inventive audio techniques for its philosophical deep-dives into the mysteries of the universe. Cohost Robert Krulwich\u2019s childlike awe and curiosity will hook you.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best Episode: “Parasites<\/a>“<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hQGjCEsIwGc<\/p>\n

2. Reveal<\/em><\/a> \u2014 A meaty offering from the Center for Investigative Reporting, Reveal dives into the human stories behind the headlines, and often covers stories no one else is. They won a duPont for the episode linked below.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best episode: “Inside a Rehab Empire<\/a>“<\/span><\/p>\n

3. The Daily<\/em><\/a> \u2014 This weekday podcast hosted by Michael Barbaro takes about 20 minutes with a story in that day\u2019s New York Times, interviewing reporters and subjects. A great way of getting the implications of breaking news on your morning commute.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best Episode: “The Business of Selling Your Location<\/a>“<\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0This American Life<\/em><\/a> \u2014 The granddaddy of them all from WBEZ, this one created the form that in the 1990s critics dubbed \u201cradio v\u00e9rit\u00e9.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best Episode: “The Problem We All Live With<\/a>“<\/span><\/p>\n

5. More Perfect<\/em><\/a> \u2014 A Radiolab spinoff, this podcast is all about the Supreme Court, its major decisions, and how it came to be the divided and unpredictable force it is now.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best Episode: “The Gun Show<\/a>“<\/span><\/p>\n

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6. Hidden Brain<\/em><\/a> \u2014 A neuroscience eargasm. Hosted by Shankar Vedantam, the podcast explores human behavior through the social sciences.<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u2022 Best episode: “Switchtracking,<\/a>” about the way people change the subject after getting feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n