Today's newsletter is an embarrassment of riches. There's so much to announce and update that I'm just going to get to it!
We've got a few weeks before Halloween, but I've seen a ton of people online asking for spooky podcast recommendations. Here's what I got:
NEW Podcasts to Check Out
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A list of new shows that have recently launched or are about to launch:
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- The Quiet Journeys of Professor Atwood is for those of you who like to listen to a podcast while drifting off to
sleep. It features stories mixed with music and ambient sounds. Zzzzz.
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- Let's Get Lit w/ Blaze Mancillas launched yesterday, and features comedian Blaze Mancillas reading the 1898 sci-fi classic The War of
the Worlds. Mancillas is joined by other comedians, who listen along and interrupt the story to ask questions or make jokes (I'm thinking sort of the same style as My Dad Wrote a Porno...?)
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- Kamala: Next In Line also launched this week, and is all about Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
The podcast is an intimate look at who she is and how she got to where she is today.
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- Appearances is really hard to explain in my own words, so here's a bit from the show's explanation:
"Appearances is a one woman audio show that straddles the line between fiction and truth. [It] brings to life an Iranian American family and community through the real and fantastical mental machinations of Melanie Barzadeh. Melanie is in her mid 30s and desires nothing more than to become a mother. The difficulty of finding the right partner seems to be directly connected to the struggles witnessed in her home throughout her childhood."
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- Brainwashed investigates the CIA from a variety of angles, from the Cold War to today. There are already 4
episodes available to listen to.
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- The Red Note & La Nota Roja are the same podcast; one told in English, the other in Spanish. The show is hosted by Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho, and investigates more
than two decades of the murders and disappearances of women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
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More Podcast News & Updates
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- Modern Love dropped a trailer for it's new season, which starts next Wednesday, October 14. Back in June, the show's longtime host, Meghna Chakrabarti, announced her departure from the
show, as the podcast split from her employer WBUR. I'm interested to hear how the new season sounds.
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- Song Exploder, the podcast hosted by my fave podcaster, Hrishikesh Hirway, is now a series on Netflix.
I've watched one episode so far and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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- RomComPods will drop the first episode of Season 2 on Monday, October 12. I enjoyed Season 1 and wrote about it here.
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- This Is Love with Phoebe Judge returns for Season 5 on Wednesday, October 14.
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- Reply All announced recently that Emmanuel Dzotsi will now be a regular co-host along with P.J. Vogt and Alex Goldman. I have really enjoyed Emmanuel's reporting and think he'll be a great addition to the
show.
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- The Great British Baking Show and the unofficial companion podcast are back! (Jump for joy!!) If you're into The Bake Down/Baking Show, and you're in the US, you have to do a little logistical wrangling to avoid spoilers. Since the US doesn't get the latest Netflix episode until Fridays, you must delay listening to the latest podcast episode (which comes out on Wednesdays). You followin' that? Don't listen to the podcast right
away!
An Audio Book Recommendation
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I've never recommended anything but a podcast in this section of the newsletter before, but I spent part of last week listening to a "podcast adjacent" audio book, and I just have to share it with you.
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Conviction by Denise Mina is a mystery/thriller that has a podcast in the story. Everything is totally fictional. The main character gets caught up in the details of a true crime podcast that happens to be about people from her own past. It's both funny and suspenseful, and it's clear that the author is an avid podcast listener (or else she did some really good
research).
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You can, of course, get the book in print, but the audio version helps bring the podcast parts to life. The story takes place in Scotland, so the narrator has a Scottish accent which might take getting used to for some listeners (it took me about 25 minutes).Â
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While we're on the topic of audio books, Audible Stories continues to have audio books for kids available for free while schools are closed and children are mostly at home.Â
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You can stream free audio books for kids of all ages (from little ones to teens/young adults) from any device. There's no sign-up or sign-in, you just click a button and the audio starts. There are even audio stories in a bunch of different languages, which is great for kids (and adults) who are trying to learn a new language!
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Gift Ideas for Podcast People
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Don't forget to check out the Podcast Gift Guides on the blog when you need a great gift idea. There's something for every kind of listener and podcaster!
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Send me YOUR Podcast Recommendations
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I'll be back in two weeks with more podcast goodness to share. I would love to hear from you and find out what your favorite podcasts are, why you listen to podcasts, and which app/podcast player you use.
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Shoot me an email at podcastmaniac@gmail.com, or leave a comment on a blog post (if you're a podcaster, you are welcome to drop your own podcast in a comment on the blog!)
Don't forget to follow Podcast Maniac!
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