Table of Contents
Selections of the week
Peppa Pig podcast to play together
Audible, all episodes are now available
The queen of chirping has been an icon for young children around the world for 20 years, so it’s about time she entered the world of podcasting. Kids and their parents can play along with Peppa Pig as she explores deep feelings, long car journeys and what to do when you’re not tired at bedtime. As you’d expect from the author of hits like Peace and Harmony, there are catchy songs and, of course, spoofs of Daddy Pig. Hannah Verdier
Hysterical
Wondery+, weekly episodes
When a group of girls at an upstate New York school began exhibiting mysterious symptoms, including twitching and shaking, doctors were baffled. Was it all just an imaginary thing? Or was social media to blame? Now Dan Taberski (the late Richard Simmons) investigates the outbreak, dubbed “mass hysteria,” and connects the dots with other unexplained events. High voltage
Pop Culture Debate Club
BBC Sounds, weekly episodes
If you’re still missing Call Your Girlfriend, enjoy Aminatou Sow, who pits two pop culture fanatics against each other to lightheartedly debate important issues. Would you be better off spending time with the cast of New Girl or Community? Are Space Jam or D2: The Mighty Ducks the better sports movies? Sow has the last word. High voltage
Coatbridge: The disappearance of Moira Anderson
Audible, all episodes are now available
In 1957, a snowstorm leads to the disappearance of eleven-year-old Moira Anderson from the small town of Coatbridge, near Glasgow. Journalist Rachael Revesz encourages Moira’s former neighbour, Sandra Brown, to share her memories. What begins as feelings of sadness for a missing classmate unravels as Brown’s unease about her own father and the uncovering of a web of abuse. High voltage
Teacher: The accusations against Neil Gaiman
Turtle, all episodes are now available
This disturbing four-part series uncovers two women’s sexual abuse allegations against the author. It juxtaposes the accusers’ testimony with Gaiman’s denials and his contradictory account of events (based on consensual relationships) to create a story that is head-spinning and, at points, difficult to listen to. Alexi Duggins
There’s a podcast for that.
This week, Ammar Kalia choose Five of the best poetry podcastsfrom an exploration of classic works to current writers on the secrets behind their craft.
The exchange of poetry
Sometimes the easiest way to get into poetry is to simply listen to it, analyze it, and explain it. Lovely and short series Interesting people reading poetry It does exactly that, featuring artists and writers who share their favourite poems and briefly talk about their emotional resonance. If you want to dig a little deeper, also try this engaging podcast, in which hosts Fiona Bennett and Michael Shaeffer first invite their guests to share a meaningful poem before delving into its personal meaning and importance to readers. Hear everyone from actors Brian Cox and Andrew Scott to poet Salena Godden talk about the power of verse in their daily lives.
Vulgar
Leaving aside the magic of the poems themselves, this long-running series from writer Rachel Zucker interviews poets about their craft and how everyday encounters influence creativity. Through conversations that can often last more than two hours, Zucker offers insight into life and ways of living, thanks to questions about everything from writers’ morning routines to how much sleep they get. Poets interviewed include former U.S. presidential candidate Eileen Myles; best-selling author Maggie Nelson; and U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. A perfect listen for long drives and lazy mornings, Zucker’s enthusiasm for art in all its forms is fascinating.
A breath of air
If you crave detailed analysis of a university lecture, look no further than poet Mark McGuinness’s series, A Mouthful of Air. Mixing interviews with contemporary poets about their writing with his own exploration of classic works by authors such as Chaucer, Emily Dickinson, and D.H. Lawrence, McGuinness doesn’t shy away from textual analysis, instead explaining concepts to listeners to unfold a myriad of meanings from the page. For even more comprehensive insights, The Poetry Foundation’s series Poem talk The podcast is also rigorous in its roundtable discussions, with a group of academics and writers dissecting classic works and forgotten greats.
Poetry off the shelf
Focused on contemporary poetry, this Poetry Foundation series is full of fantastic work from living writers you’ve probably never heard of. Striking the perfect balance between analysis and free-flowing conversations about writers’ lives and inspirations, host Helena De Groot’s episodes include everything from interviews with writers to in-depth reviews of new anthologies to eulogies for recently deceased poets. With over 100 episodes to choose from, choice entry points include translator Emily Drumsta on rhythm in different languages, Hawaiian poet No’u Revilla on the importance of land in her writing, and Mahogany L Browne on the attempted censorship of her children’s book, Woke: A Young Poet’s Call to Justice.
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The slowdown
Running just five minutes per episode, The Slowdown has created a genre of its own over its 1,000 episodes. Part ASMR relaxation and part poetry lesson, each daily show features a reading of a new work from host and poet Major Jackson, as well as a brief exploration of its themes. Straying from the usual suspects of the Western canon, Jackson instead takes a broader view of global literature. Reading in his soothing baritone voice, the episodes can be so relaxing that they put you in a meditative state – but thankfully, since they’re also so short, you can easily replay them to gain their refreshing insights.
Why not try…?
From Jameela Jamil to former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, there’s an interesting mix of guests on Rylan Clarke’s new BBC podcast. How to be the center of attention.
The Economist’s new series Boom! Examines how baby boomers have influenced politics, including the current US presidential race.
With England in this weekend’s Euro 2024 final, it’s the perfect time to listen to the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast, which has become Football Daily for the duration of the competition.