Things I Like: Podcast Edition

It’s probably well documented on this blog that I like podcasts. More often than not, I fill my drive to work or survive Nashville traffic on the way home with a podcast as my sidekick. I listen to a wide variety of podcasts, from ones that are designed to help me grow in my profession to quiz and game shows to longer form stories.

But there’s one playlist in my podcast app (I use Overcast, we’ll talk about that sometime, too, probably) devoted entirely to history podcasts. I’m a longtime listener to “Stuff You Missed In History Class,” and last Friday I discussed my love of “Slow Burn.” But I was served an ad while listening to “Slow Burn” that led me to a new favorite, “Backstory.”

“Backstory” is a weekly podcast hosted by historians. The talk together for some of it, and there are interviews and guests. The hosts describe the podcast as going beyond the headlines to examine how today’s current events can be shaped by American history.

For example, for President’s Day, the hosts tackled the lives of presidents after they left office. I learned things about President Grant that I had never known.

I’m a big history nerd. I recognize that, but I’ve always been intrigued by the way the past informs the present and the future. This podcast delivers on that. It’s as if I’m sitting down with the hosts and having a conversation about history. Granted, they know way more than I do, but I feel smarter and entertained at the same time.

So, if you’re a fan of history, try it out. I’ve only listened to a few episodes, but it’s a refreshing take, and you’re sure to learn something along the way!

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Check out their latest episode: “Life After the Oval Office: Presidential Legacies.”