Choices of the week
It’s getting dark.
BBC Voices, daily episodes from Monday
Award-winning actors Harriet Walters and Toby Jones star in this immersive Susan Cooper 1973 fantasy novel, best listened to with headphones for a 3D audio experience. It tells the story of young Will (Noah Alexander), who discovers that he is part of a group of old, time-travelling beings captured in the war, perfect for a little escape at Christmas. Holly Richardson
Red Elvis
Widely available, classes every week
LA resident Ramona Reed’s father was a star – Russia during the Cold War. This emotional personal story sees her investigate the death of US émigré Dean Reed, AKA “Johnny Cash of Communism” or “Red Elvis”. It’s an eye-opening listen, from the tear-soaked recollections of the funeral to her mother’s flashbacks to her rejection of a foul play. Alexey Duggins
Working
Widely available, all episodes are out now.
The largest trial of this four-day workweek visited four of the 70 participating institutions. The Financial Times’ Emma Jacobs focuses on companies including a games development firm, a fish and chip business and a telecoms company. It is a light, pleasant manifestation. A.D
Before me
Widely available, classes every week
When Lisa Phu’s mother left Cambodia in 1980, she didn’t know where she was going or what she was going to do. When Fu gave birth to her first child, her mother came to help and spent those three weeks telling her daughter more about her life. It is heartbreaking to hear of the brutality the Khmer Rouge inflicted on her family. Hannah Verdier
i-Dentity
Widely available, classes every week
Style meets music in the i-D podcast with a look at cultural scenes including hip-hop and the Tokyo district of Harajuku. First up: How the jungle turned brutal, host Osman Ahmed talks to key players including Saul “Chase” Milton and Chantelle Fidi about the atmosphere, dress code and rivalry of the movement. HV
There’s a podcast for that.
This week, Ann Lee picks five of the best. Podcasts to lift your spiritsfrom a surprising news roundup to a romantic celebration in every form
Wonderful!
It’s great to listen to Rachel and Griffin McElroy’s weekly chat about all the things they’ve found in life. They bring such genuine, unbridled enthusiasm to topics like your favorite tropical fruit and the best music about bad boyfriends, that it’s hard not to get swept up in the wave of positivity. But what brings a smile on your face and much needed happiness in your heart is the happy interaction of the married couple with each other.
is this love
Hosted by a real-life criminal and Phoebe Judge, this romance gently explores the subject of love in many different ways. There are heartwarming stories of love, friendship and family that show how meaningful and deep relationships can be. Each episode reaffirms your faith in humanity. Many of them, like the one who befriended Maggie as a child in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, will probably make you cry.
Burial movies with Brett Goldstein
Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein offers an intriguing idea: Ask celebrity guests (like Bill Hader, Barry Jenkins and Maisie Williams) how they’ll die and what movies they’ll take to their graves. As morbid as it sounds, there’s something life-affirming about listening to people face their mortality in such an honest and simple way. Also, everything is very funny. Goldstein knows how to get the best out of his interviewers, teasing some fantastic stories about movie fans and gently nudging them to talk about their beliefs in the afterlife.
banana
If the current state of the world is getting too hard for you, tune in to Bananas for a more humorous approach to news. Comedians Scotty Lands and Kurt Braunohler – along with celebrity guests such as Charlize Theron and Phoebe Bridgers – explore weird and outrageous stories from around the world. These include a Russian who was “arrested” on a reality show in China after joining a boy band, a soccer player who was fired for fighting too much and a woman who let a baby bird live in her hair.
The wolf and the owl.
There is no format for this show. Instead, we get an hour of random music, funny stories and advice from hosts Tom Davies and Romesh Ranganathan. It’s basically two couples chatting, joking and answering emails from listeners. There is great chemistry and genuine warmth between Davis and Ranganathan. The comedy duo are laughing so hard they often struggle to contain themselves – and once you start listening, you will too.
Why don’t you try…
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