Year’s end is probably as good a time as any for review and reflection on the past. In this case, I thought I would look back at a previous post and see if I have anything new or different to say. In February 2008, nearly three years ago, I wrote about the podcasts I had discovered on iTunes, shortly after I bought my first iPod (yes, I’m on my second now). So, did I make good choices? Am I still as enthusiastic about the concept of podcasts? Yes and yes! I’m a faithful listener to the same four podcasts,
- Girl Meets Girl by Makena
- Science Talk by Scientific American magazine
- This American Life with Ira Glass
- A Way With Words with Martha and Grant
and I also quickly found a few more about which I can say, “I’m a fan.” These are
- New Yorker Fiction, hosted by Deborah Triesman
- Nature, hosted by Kerri Smith, Geoff Brumfiel, and Geoff Marsh
- The Moth, hosted by Dan Kennedy
- Intelligence Squared US, hosted by John Donvan
- Stuff You Should Know, hosted by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant
You can find all of these by searching the iTunes Store, or you can click on the links above. Here’s a quick summary of each podcast:
- New Yorker fiction – A writer reads and discusses a short story published in the magazine, 30-45 minutes, monthly
- Nature – Roundup of science news, 30 minutes, weekly
- Moth – True stories told live without notes, 15 minutes, weekly
- Intelligence Squared – Oxford-style debating brought to America’s shores, 60 minutes, monthly
- SYSK – Stuff you should know (really), 30-45 minutes, weekly
Did I mention that these are all free? They are, though of course contributions are welcome, especially if the podcasts are produced and distributed by non-profit organizations.
More recently, in fact, only about a month ago, I discovered that I can download audiobooks from the Jones Library website; using Overdrive Media Console software, I can transfer the titles to my iPod and listen to unabridged books that way (you need to have a C/W Mars library card to access the digital catalogue). There are hundreds of titles available, in many different categories, including literature, history, biography, mystery, romance, and science fiction. It’s a great convenience not to have to drive to downtown Amherst, find a parking spot, and then try to find a book to check out before my parking meter expires. Since I still commute many miles to and from work, this may become my preferred way to listen to audiobooks. The books aren’t formatted as 45-minute sides to a cassette tape, but I’ll adjust. Stay tuned!