My top picks from podcasts I discovered last year. As always, they may be old, but my listening was brand new in 2022. In no particular order. Links are mostly in the podcast name.
Episodes from history, viewed through great works of art. No pre-reqs required! New episodes every month.
Hosted by Amanda Matta, art historian.
Every so often I go looking for a good podcast on art. This one combines two of my favorite things, explaining the meaning of a painting beyond my cursory knowledge ("hey, I like that one!") and going in-depth into the history that prompted the art in the first place.
Every so often I go looking for a good podcast on art. This one combines two of my favorite things, explaining the meaning of a painting beyond my cursory knowledge ("hey, I like that one!") and going in-depth into the history that prompted the art in the first place.
Every week: two new books and an irresistible distraction.
Sure,
you have important things to do. But it takes just a 10 minutes or so
to learn about two upcoming book releases and something fascinating
about the world.
The
Library of Lost Time is a weekly podcast where we share two new book
releases at the top of our TBR, then celebrate a fun book- or
travel-related distraction.
This podcast is short and sweet, with a wide range of books and distractions offered. I've discovered a lot of new things thanks to the Library of Lost Time.
This podcast is short and sweet, with a wide range of books and distractions offered. I've discovered a lot of new things thanks to the Library of Lost Time.
Lay Catholic evangelists Michael Gormley and Dave VanVickle bring you a podcast series that teaches you how to confidently share your Catholic faith with your family members, friends, co-workers, and the strangers you meet on airplanes. Every episode, Mike and Dave give you five steps you can take each week to become an instrument God uses to spread the Gospel, heal hearts, and renew his Church. Be inspired by stories of miraculous conversions and be reminded that God still powerfully intervenes to transform people's lives.
This is a podcast about how to evangelize, which always brings up memories of Hyde Park. No thank you. Then my daughter Rose, who listens to such things to help with RCIA conversations, recommended it. And she was right! The hosts have good chemistry and are fun to listen to. They understand the things that make most of us cringe away from evangelizing and have a lot of helpful tips — some of which I've actually used. Definitely give this one a try.
The Podcast about Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In each episode, professor Briana Lewis comments on a section of the book, to make it a bit less daunting, and hopefully help you enjoy it a bit more. This podcast is created with a non-academic, non-expert, non-French-speaking audience in mind--that is, anyone who'd like to dive into this classic!
Briana Lewis truly makes Les Miserables accessible and I especially enjoy the way she will read various French phrases, translating them herself, to make points. If you have ever struggled with Les Mis, and I'm one of those people, then this is a chance to make your way through the novel with help by your side.
Briana Lewis truly makes Les Miserables accessible and I especially enjoy the way she will read various French phrases, translating them herself, to make points. If you have ever struggled with Les Mis, and I'm one of those people, then this is a chance to make your way through the novel with help by your side.
Sticky Notes
Sticky Notes is a classical music podcast for everyone. Whether you are
a beginner just looking to get into classical music but don't know
where to start, or a seasoned musician interested in the lives and ideas
of your fellow artists, this podcast is for you.
The host is a professional conductor but he could easily be a popular teacher because his love of music is infectious. He never forgets that most of us (me, anyway) don't know even the basics about music or what it's like to live around the classical music world. So I've learned that The Nutcracker Suite has a lot of marches in it that don't sound like marches. That the Schubert Cello Quintet was ignored until 50 years after it was first written. That film music began as the solution to cover up the really noisy film projectors. And much more.
Opera for Everyone
Opera for Everyone makes opera understandable, accessible, and enjoyable for all. Pat Wright hosts the show, inviting guest co-hosts for lively discussions of operas. Music soars. Epiphanies abound. Hilarity ensues.
I never figured I'd keep listening to this one but Pat Wright makes even a 2-hour opera podcast fun. Each opera's story is described so that the pieces of music we hear (all in order) make sense. It includes history, musical information, and a lot of good humor.
Unspooled
Each episode of Unspooled covers a single film and analyzes its artistic, thematic, and historical significance. It has been described as a "book club where we are watching movies once a week." — Wikipedia
I came across this when looking for reviews of RRR, which I was surprised to see getting so much coverage in the podcast world. Paul and Amy seemed to have the best take overall, as well as the most enjoyment. Among all those I tried this is the one that stuck with me through the year as I listened to them talk about other films. I especially like the the hosts' give and take as they talk over elements they disagree on. They cover both old and new so it's easy to find something you like.
The Symbolic World
Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the very world we encounter.
Pageau looks at symbolism in our culture (ancient and current) and shows us meanings that we had long forgotten but that make real sense. Any reader of Scripture will recognize the way he dives through layers of meaning and pulls out the essence for us to consider. He'll also do interviews ranging from Jonathan Peterson, Bishop Barron and many more. Simply fascinating. He does both videos and podcasts.
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