Welcome back to the Best of 2023, Podcast Edition! I listen to far too many podcasts, ranging from news and politics to pop culture and humor. I listen when I’m getting ready for the day, while I’m walking to and from the subway, when I’m cooking or folding laundry, and whenever else I can find time. I like to alternate short and long episodes to manage my attention span, and I listen at 1.5x speed to make sure I get to as many as I can [and to make those hour long episodes a wee bit shorter].
The episodes listed below are the best of the best that I listened to last year. They’re the ones I still think about, the ones I still talk about, and the ones I think are really important. Some are funny, many are serious, all are worth a listen if you’re in the right mood. I’ve done my best to trim the list as best I can, and these are the ones that really stood out — it’s essentially all of my “if you only listen to one” recommendations from the whole year in one place. Enjoy!
podcasts.
Fighting For Equity In Sports [Fresh Air] — an interview with Lauren Fleshman, a distance runner who wrote an excellent book about how the sports world is still built for men’s bodies.
Episode 59: Bill Russell, King of the Court [This is Love] — Bill Russell was a great human who also excelled at basketball, and I love listening to reminiscences of him.
The value of good teeth [Planet Money] — all about the different ways having good - or bad - teeth can impact your life and your earning power.
HIBT Lab! Saysh: Wes and Allyson Felix [How I Built This with Guy Raz] — Allyson and her brother Wes talk about the journey that led to founding their own shoe company and how it has impacted their lives. And ps, if anyone has a connection to Wes, please feel free to let him know I am also single :)
‘Ted Lasso’ Actor Brett Goldstein [Fresh Air] — it’s an interview with Roy Kent, of course I loved it and recommend others listen.
Why the Cult of Achievement in Schools is Making People Miserable [Plain English with Derek Thompson] — how high school and college are teaching us the wrong lessons around achievement and personal progress.
Save a Life, or Commit a Felony? [First Person] — an interview with a physician in Nashville about how the Dobbs decision has impacted her work, and how she is continuing to offer care to her patients. ny times gift link
Episode 63: Sampson and Baylor [This is Love] — y’all. This episode. It’s about two golden retrievers who used to spend their days on a hiking trail and the impact they had on the people they encountered. It’s so sweet and I think everyone should listen to it. And you can watch the 16-minute film about the dogs here.
James Marsden on ‘Jury Duty’ [Fresh Air] — James Marsden has been one of my favorite actors for two decades at this point, and he only seems to be getting better with age.
Mental Health: The Power of Grandmothers and Community [A Slight Change of Plans] — how Dr. Dixon Chabanda utilized grandmothers as mental health workers in Zimbabwe and what the results were. Fantastic episode.
Humorist Samantha Irby [Fresh Air] — she’s one of my favorites and she has a new book out and it’s great.
Zarna Garg: Stand-Up Comedian and Screenwriter [Second Life] — I love listening to interviews with Garg on her life and career, and this one is no different.
Gender Euphoria: What Happens When We Support Trans Kids? [Into the Mix] — the answer: they thrive.
The Infrastructure of Community [How to Talk to People] — a really interesting episode about how American efficiency culture has impacted how we connect with others in public.
The poetry of everyday language | Julián Delgado Lopera [TED Talks Daily] — rethinking what “proper” English sounds like in a world that is becoming more and more blended.
Roxane Gay is Not Concerned About Age [Going Through It] — my eternal favorite Roxane Gay talks about the many different ways we childless adults can parent.
“I Will Never Leave You” [A Slight Change of Plans] — Lucy Kalanithi, widow of Paul Kalanithi [who wrote the beautiful When Breath Becomes Air] talks about how his death transformed how she lives.
Hrishikesh Hirway [The Great Creators with Guy Raz] — I love every podcast that Hrishi makes, and I loved listening to his recounting of how his career has gotten to where it is.
Elliot Page [Fresh Air] — just a really great conversation. I’m so excited to read Page’s book once I’m back from my trip.
So Long, Farewell [What Would Ted Lasso Do] — I appreciated this podcast because it wasn’t just a Ted Lasso rewatch but a look at the show through the lens of positive psychology. I miss having this series in my queue.
Barbara Kingsolver Thinks Urban Liberals Have It All Wrong on Appalachia [The Ezra Klein Show] — I think the title speaks for itself.
Master the Art of Empowered Refusal (Vanessa Patrick) [The Next Big Idea Daily] — for all of my fellow people pleasers who struggle to say no.
Conversation with Jennifer B. Wallace — What do Do About Toxic Achievement Culture [The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway] — such a great conversation about the toxic culture we have created and how we can change it.
Siddhartha Khosla - Only Murders in the Building (Main Title Theme) [Song Exploder] — one of my favorite Song Exploder episodes this year and a great listen if you also enjoy the music in Only Murders in the Building.
Vacation, and why the U.S. takes so little of it [Planet Money] — our country has terrible vacation practices [see above re: toxic achievement culture], and we leave so much unused vacation time on the table. I am very passionate about using your time off, so feel free to get in touch if you’d like to take my seminar.
Passenger Planes Nearly Collide Far More Than You Know [The Daily] — this one is a little anxiety-inducing but also a very important listen.
Gloria Steinem [Design Matters] — just a lovely conversation between two amazing women.
A Tale of Two Tribal Nations [Throughline] — the story of how two neighboring tribes have different ownership of their respective reservations.
The Rested Brain [Chasing Life] — Sanjay Gupta says napping is good, so I feel very validated.
America’s First Ladies: Their Changing Role and Influence | Beyond the Scenes [The Daily Show: Ears Edition] — a very interesting look at how the role of First Lady has evolved over the years and how different women have made it their own.
The Science of Recharging on Weekends and Vacations [WorkLife with Adam Grant] — it’s not just about having time off, but actually making your time off more restorative. I listened to this after 3 weeks of travel and conferences, and it was exactly the reminder I needed to rest.
Growing Up (with Judy Blume) [You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton] — is there anything better than listening to Hillary Clinton interview Judy Blume? Because I say there is not.
The Big Dig [99% Invisible] — I am forever fascinated by the Big Dig and will listen to any podcast about it because it truly blows my mind.
The flight attendants of CHAOS [Planet Money] — this was a fun story about why you shouldn’t mess with unions.
Work has changed. Why haven’t resumes? | Nicos Marcou [TED Talks Daily] — there’s little evidence to show resumes impact application processes, so Marcou offers tips on how we can adapt with the times.
Black Power Salute at the 1968 Olympics: A Conversation with John Carlos [ESPN Daily] — Dr. Carlos shares what led to this historic moment, and the impact it had on his life and the world around him after.
Hamas Took Her Son [The Daily] — this is a very difficult listen and a very important one.
The Doctors of Gaza [The Daily] — also a really tough listen, but if you can stomach it this insider account of what it’s like to be a doctor in Gaza right now is very good.
A Reporter’s Journey Into Gaza [The Daily] — yet another difficult but important listen.
The Dating Brain in the Digital Age [Chasing Life] — how our brains have adapted to dating in modern times.
Underdogs, Training Montages and Buzzer-Beaters: When Sports Movies Got You Through It* [Death, Sex & Money] — all about the sports movie favorites we turn to when we need to be uplifted. If ever there was an episode made for me, this is it.
Ending Roe Was Supposed to Reduce Abortions. It Didn’t. [The Daily] — what the statistics say all these months later.
How U.S. Unions Took Flight [Throughline] — how airline unions in the U.S. have brought intersectionality into their work and the ripple effect of their efforts.
New Front Lines: How Med Students are Adapting to a Post Roe Future [Into the Mix] — medical students interested in becoming abortion providers are having to think deeply about how much they want to follow that path and how the choice will impact where they can practice.
Why do doctors still use pagers? [Planet Money] — when cell phone technology improves every day, why are pagers still so ubiquitous in hospitals? The answer is very interesting.
Audie Cornish [Design Matters with Debbie Millman] — Audie Cornish in conversation with Debbie Millman and Roxane Gay? Sign me up and let them talk forever.
India Is Transforming. But Into What? [The Ezra Klein Show] — this episode provides great historical context for India and discusses where it is now and what’s to come for the country; a very interesting listen ahead of my trip!
The Woman Who Fought the Texas Abortion Ban [The Daily] — Kate Cox talks about her predicament and how she’s feeling going forward. And if Kate’s situation infuriates you as much as it does me, consider donating to your local abortion fund and make sure you vote in every election for which you are eligible.
Why More Black Moms Are Choosing Home Births [The Assignment with Audie Cornish] — Black maternal health is a real crisis in the United States, and many Black women are choosing home births where they have control over who is in the room with them to ensure their needs are being met.
Foo Fighters - The Teacher [Song Exploder] — listening to Dave Grohl talk about the song he wrote for and about his mother as she was dying is truly memorable.
818: Stand Clear of the Closing Doors [This American Life] — how NYC is adapting to the over 150,000 migrants who have come to the city in the last year.
Are there any I didn’t include that you think should be on this list?
xx
in case you missed them: 2023 books // 2023 movies + tv shows
* all ny times links are gift links