audiobooks and podcasts

In any given month my audio listening time on my iPhone is divided into two segments: audiobooks and podcasts. On the tenth of each month I receive my Audible credit and select an audiobook, which I listen through to completion. Since an unabridged audiobook might be anywhere between eight and fifteen hours long, the portion of the month spent listening to audiobooks varies greatly. From the time I finish my audiobook until I receive my next Audible credit I listen to podcasts. I write here regularly about my audiobooks, but I haven’t said much about podcasts. I thought my podcast listening deserved some attention.

One of my two favorite podcasts is Word Matters, produced by the good folks at Merriam-Webster. It’s all about language from the perspective of the dictionary. In early August, after their one hundredth episode, they announced they were going to take a break. I thought they would be back after Labor Day, but here it is the end of September and still no new episodes. I’m disappointed.

The other podcast on my top two list is Lexicon Valley, produced by linguist John McWhorter. McWhorter discusses all things linguistic, and since moving to his current podcast home at Booksmart Studios he has delved into matters political as well. Also enjoyable is Lingthusiasm, hosted by linguists Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne. They can get fairly academic, but I do like listening to their podcast. Staying in the realm of language, Mignon Fogarty’s Grammar Girl podcast is much lighter weight, but informative and worth listening to.

As a foodie I must of course have my food podcasts. Food Network has its official Food Network Obsessed podcast, and Ellie Krieger has her independent One Real Good Thing podcast. Both are very listenable.

In the realm of religion I am awaiting season two of Amy Frykholm’s In Search Of podcast from The Christian Century. I have just started listening to the Jewish Chutzpod! podcast, appropriate because we are right now in the midst of the High Holy Days.

If I don’t have an audiobook to listen to I have plenty of podcast choices.