THE PODCAST PANTHEON

A punchy guidebook for the podcast-curious.

“At this point, everybody either makes podcasts, listens to them, or gets FOMO from hearing everyone else talk about them,” journalist Malin writes in his book. While that exaggeration doesn’t account for some stubborn holdouts, his point is well taken: In the more than 20 years since the word “podcast” was coined, these programs have become inescapable. Malin seeks to provide a canon of “the most groundbreaking, beautiful, compelling, experimental, touching, human, artful, and funny works the medium has yet offered.” The book is not intended for superfans of the genre, but more for people whose exposure was limited to hearing everyone around them talk about Serial or Dirty John. Those podcasts are profiled here, along with dozens more, covering genres including comedy, food, history, and storytelling. For each podcast, Malin offers a brief history, insight from those involved, and his argument for why each show should be considered essential. They include the heavy hitters, such as Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Planet Money, and My Favorite Murder, but Malin seems most excited when he writes about ones that aren’t quite as ubiquitous, including The Accessible Stall, “a vector for greater empathy with disabled folks”; Drifting Off With Joe Pera, “a delicate, otherworldly sleep podcast”; and Gender Reveal, which draws from “a vast oral archive that engages gender and its infinite permutations head-on.” The book does not include podcasts that “do more harm than good to the world”: Malin acknowledges the adage that “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it,” but adds, “but I am a podcast critic, not a historian, and The Podcast Pantheon is not a history book. So fuck ’em.” It’s a good example of the wit and good humor he brings to this useful guide.

A fun and informative tour of “the labyrinth that is downloadable audio.”