Campbell Unclassified

By Andrea Lorenz If you like audiobooks, you might want to try out a podcast.  Podcasts are series of episodes based on a theme.  There are both fiction and nonfiction podcasts and so many to choose from.  Here are some that I’ve enjoyed. For the literary inclined – Check out LeVar Burton Reads. You probably know LeVar Burton better from Roots, Star Trek, or Reading Rainbow.  In his podcast, he invites you to take a break from your daily life and dive into a great story.  He’s a fantastic narrator and his audio producers add sound effects and music that perfectly complement the story and his acting.  Two good episodes to start with: “Kin” by Bruce McAllister and “Chivalry” by Neil Gaiman.

For the science curious – check out Radiolab.  Radiolab has mostly hour long episodes that investigate some strange or interesting fact about our world through the lens of science.  They’ve looked into intelligence, football, how trees communicate, driverless cars, and much much more.   Two good episodes to start with: Patient Zero and From Tree to Shining Tree.

For the true crime fan – If you haven’t already listened to Serial, start with their first season about the disappearance of Hae Min Lee from a Baltimore High School and the conviction of her classmate and ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed.  From there, check out In the Dark.  The first season investigates Jacob Wetterling’s abduction from St. Joseph, MN and the second season is about Curtis Flowers, a man who has been tried six times for the same crime.  

For horror aficionados – look up Tanis. Tanis is a bi-weekly fiction podcast.  The narrator, Nic Silver, undertakes a search to discover what and where the mysterious entity Tanis is.  Tanis blends real-world and fictional events into its story and you’ll soon find yourself knee deep in conspiracy, mysterious creatures, and unexplained phenomenon.  Since this is a story – you’re best off starting at the beginning.

For those missing sports – You MUST listen to 30 for 30.  30 for 30 produces original audio documentaries featuring stories from the world of sports.  I’m a middling sports fan and often find myself sucked into a story about football or basketball that I would never have even imagined would keep my interest.  There are episodes with a self-contained story and some series.  Two good episodes to start with: The Spy who Signed Me and The Loophole.