These are the episodes of Top of the Pods, hosted by Robbie Buck, that I produced and scripted at Radio National. The show was great fun and producing basically meant listening to lots of podcasts from around the world and choosing the best ones to play. In these travels I found a multitude of fantastic pods which I will take the time here to recommend.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/topofthepods/may-22/3945902
In this show:
The Bike Show with Jack Thurston. All about the culture and counter-culture of cycling.
PRI’s Talking Travel. This is a discontinued podcast but was a little gem for people (like me) who wish they were on a continuous round-the-world trip.
For history buffs The History of Rome podcast is a cool find. Many episodes are long and very detailed but this episode, about Roman weddings, was a little slice of ordinary life from the ancients.
In this show:
Spycast, from the International Spy Museum in the US. I was extremely pleased to come across this one. Spy tales, but more nuanced than 007, and actually true.
Londonist Out Loud. I am really not in love with London, but I do like the idea of a rambling tour through the city, with plenty of encountered with local characters. This episode is actually about the life of Florence Nightingale, a very intriguing lady.
SBS Kitchen Conversations. Do you want to know what the Ancient Greeks ate for breakfast? (Hint: yes!)
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/topofthepods/all-about-food/4166544
My all-time favourite episode. Nobody else had produced a show full of food podcasts so I went ahead and did it.
In this show:
Sporkful! Laugh-out-loud, ridiculously detailed tales from the table/couch/picnic rug, or wherever you might find yourself stuffing your face.
Eat Feed, about how food features in, and triggers, memories. A heart-warming, tear-jerking listen.
Kitchen Sync, from Edible Communities, a massive and detailed collection of podcasts about the politics of food production, recipes and everything else to do with our obsession with food.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/topofthepods/decoder-ring2c-servants2c-brazil/4126698
In this show:
The epitome of style and substance, the Decoder Ring Theatre crew from Toronto, Canada create radio drama with an air of mystery and a good sense of the absurd.
The History Chicks are an awesome pair of gals who tell street-level stories from the feminine past. This episode is about the inside of a mansion in the Gilded Age (post-Civil War America).
For little bites of goodness check out Deutsche Welle’s Pulse series. In fact, there are so many different podcasts on DW that it would warrant a few days to check out all of them.
In this show:
Ahhhhh!!!!! RTE’s Doc On One had me almost crying like a baby. LOVE. IS. REAL.
More pods to check out, including ones that couldn’t go on the show:
The Moth – fairly amazing spoken-word performances, recorded and podcasted
Caustic Soda – glimpses of the dark side of pop culture, from a bunch of cool dudes in Canada
The Truth – radio lovers will know that The Truth needs no introduction
And if you are new to the world of pods, you can’t go past this old chestnut.
Lucie Heather Ethel 