What podcasts I’m listening to..

I have the world’s easiest DC commute through the leafy suburbs of Virginia. Just a few stoplights, 3 turns, and mostly 45 mph the whole way, without much stop and go, 22 min each way even during prime rush hour. Perfect for long phone calls or podcasts. I’m also trying to reduce my screen time at night, so rather than look at email, or read on my iPad, I’m listening to long form podcasts, listed below.

• Constitutional, a narrative series about the revolutionary figures who formed and shaped America’s story. EP1 “Framed” about the hot Philadelphia summer drafting that amazing document — the basis of our great American experiment, puts you right there in the combative action, with tremendous clarity on some issues, others remaining vague and ambiguous. Without giving the plot away with spoilers, there was one contentious issue the Framer’s punted on — and I can only seem to put three of my five lily white fingers on it.
• Garden and Gun’s Whole Hog, I love this print publication, and they’ve done a wondrous job with their iPad app (sold separately). Confusing selling model not withstanding, this podcasts celebrates all the good things of the South, food, architecture, travel, beaches, whisky, dogs, and sport.
• Financial Times: Everything Else. The financial newspapers are necessary evils, enjoying for what happened in the past, horrid at predicting the future, but they do a marvelous job of finding and describing product and experiences — the epitome of “how to spend it”. This is a cheeky audio description of various cultural maladies, from “love summer, love lowbrow” to art, philosophy, travel, and sculpture.
• NPR Story Corps: This is the perfect commuter podcast, 15–20 min stories reminiscent of NPR’s famed “driveway moments”, where a story was so good, you stayed in the car once you arrived home to hear the remainder of the yarn.
• The Ivy Podcast — I’ve been involved with this organization since its founding, and been supremely impressed with the quality of both the staff, clientele, and quality of events. From book readings, author series, art gallery viewings, sport, and entrepreneurship, Ivy as evolved from the ashes and implosion of the old aSW as the premier social and networking organization of this decade. Have to confess I’m probably aging out, but they strive for continuous inclusion and improvement.
• Radio Atlantic, as a long time subscriber to their print publication, how could I pass on their podcast series? This is their flagship product hosted by Jeff Goldberg and Mark Thompson. This is a weekly sit-down with the leading voices to explore what’s happening, how things became the way they are, and where they’re going next. A living embodiment of the Latin phrase from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Rerum Cognoscere Causas (to know the causes of things)
• Snap Judgment — storytelling with a beat. I’m back to NPR and storytelling, because the content is so damn good and compelling. And I love stories, they bring empathy and humanity to those that live in a bubble. Or as they phrase it … “Snap’s raw, musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another.”
• The Economist Audio Edition — another long time print subscriber, their iPad, Windows App, and Audio editions are magnificent. Why the audio you ask? This is a long weekly newspaper, and difficult to carve out time to consume it in one sitting. Better digested in 10–20 min chunks over the week, and even more delectable? Listening. The Economist selects a mix of narrators — some young, some old, male and female, posh and poor, from a variety of English speaking regions. But since the Economist covers global issues, pronunciation of foreign names, lands, and concepts can be challenging. The Narrators will ensure you don’t butcher “Ack-Mah-Din-I-Jad” at your next cocktail party.