Podcasts I Like: This American Life

Here continues a series where I discuss the podcasts I like to listen to. Because I’m sure you all care a great deal what it is I’m grinning like a kid about while I’m driving down the freeway. Perhaps you’ll find something interesting to listen to that will help you explore the world around you, or maybe just make you laugh.

People tease me sometimes for listening to NPR on my clock radio in the morning. In my own defense, beyond the often-teased demeanor of their on-air personalities, they have some of the best content on the radio waves these days.

Also, I don’t pay much attention to the news on weekday mornings; I’m too tired when I wake up to notice much beyond the general idea of each headline. It’s the weekend content that I enjoy waking up to. And NPR’s crowning moment is Sunday morning at 11, when This American Life comes on.

Granted, I’m generally not paying close attention, but the stories are always intriguing. Ira Glass and company poke and prod the questions we never think to ask (like “what are people doing in the middle of the night while most of us sleep?”), then go find people who have experience and stories to tell about that question.

I recently started downloading podcast episodes more regularly on my Droid, (hence this series) so I’m hearing This American Life in full every week now. I have to say, it’s a highlight that makes my car rides and gym visits something I actually get excited about. Go figure, right?

This American Life is modern storytelling. In our complicated western world, we often lose track of some of the details and personalities behind the scenes of everyday life, and we don’t hear about the vast majority of the strange things that go on around us because nobody is telling the story. Ira Glass and company are here to help us change that.