If you’re into podcasts, your cup runneth over these days. There are so many out there, it’s hard to keep track of them all.
Allow me to direct you to one of them. I’ve said that Read Beat, a podcast dedicated to mostly recently-published non-fiction (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1950812) is my lifetime learning class. It’s a pretty basic podcast: no fancy production, no music, no commercials—just authors talking about books that hold some interest for me and, hopefully, for listeners.
We did 51 interviews in 2024—almost one a week. Some were posted right here on Substack but, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take the opportunity to review some of those exchanges. After all, if I don’t, who will?
Here then a few highlights:
Hedged (Jan. 5)—Margot Susca provides a detailed summary of how private investment companies destroyed the great American newspaper.
An American Banker in Paris (Jan. 11)—William Engelbrecht sheds light on a great American from Elmwood, Illinois, Nelson Dean Jay.
Godzilla (Jan. 19)—Jeffrey Angles, the translator of the original Godzilla story, talks about the monster that will not die.
Beaverland (Jan. 26)—Leila Philip bestows credit on the industrious beaver, the unsung star of the wetlands.
The Chaos Agent (Feb. 15)—In the first of two visits in 2024, Mark Greaney, the prolific author of the Gray Man series, explains how he goes about his craft. (We’ll talk with Mark again this February.)
Mathematic Radio (Feb. 16)—You don’t have to be a math whiz to enjoy Paul Nahin, who loves radio from both a technical and artistic point of view.
Galloping Gourmet (Feb. 29)—No, it’s not about Graham Kerr but Buffalo Bill. Steve Friesen talks about a man who loved life, the Old West and food.
1898 (March 13)—Taina Caragol provides a history lesson involving U.S. interests in the Philippines, Hawaii, Guam and Cuba.
Skies of Thunder (April 25)—Caroline Alexander talks about the U.S. pilots who flew over the Himalayas during WWII.
Mike Donlin (April 26)—The great baseball player that you never heard of is brought to life by Steve Steinberg.
D-Day Girls (May 9)—Sarah Rose examines the women who put their lives on the line as saboteurs in occupied France during WWII.
The Mind of a Bee (May 23)—Lars Chittka details the amazing journey that little bees make on a regular basis—finding nectar and then their hive.
Native Nations (June 20)—Kathleen DuVal puts to rest the notion that native Americans were outfoxed by European colonists.
Hammett in Hollywood (July4)—Another visit with author and Mark Twain impersonator Mark Dawidziak who reviews the work of Dashiell Hammett.
A Mysterious Something in the Light (July 23)—Tom Williams talks about Raymond Chandler, the other great writer of American film noir.
A Season of Shattered Dreams (August 1)—Eric Vickrey takes us back to professional baseball’s greatest tragedy: the bus accident that derailed the Spokane Indians in 1946, killing nine.
A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men (Sept. 4)—Shannon Monaghan takes us behind the scenes with some dangerous Britishers including Ian Fleming's older brother, the purported model for the character we know as James Bond.
When Women Ran Fifth Avenue (Sept. 13)—Julie Satow talks about classic department stores of the 20th century and the many contributions made by women.
Kingmaker (Oct. 4)—Sonia Purnell profiles a woman, Pamela Churchill Harrington, whose career as a persuader spanned from WWII to the Biden Administration.
The Golden Age of Red (Oct. 7)—Doug Villhard’s take on Red Grange, the Galloping Ghost who played at the University of Illinois when football was young.
Petrochemical Fantasies (Oct. 9)—Daniel Worden reminds us that the very first comic books, available at gas stations, were produced by oil companies.
In the Shadow of the Big Top (Oct. 27)—Maureen Brunsdale explains why Bloomington-Normal is a circus city.
Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior (Nov. 6)—David Cone, author of How Fast Did T.rex Run?, is back with more dinosaur facts.
Carl Barks’ Duck (Nov. 21)—Peter Schilling talks about the Hall of Fame cartoonist whose name never appeared on the many Donald Duck comics he created.
Most Honorable Son (Nov. 22)—Gregg Jones profiles Ben Kuroki, the Japanese-American who fought for the U.S. in WWII .
Jeep Show (Dec. 19)—Robert O’Connor talks about the Jeep shows, live shows for frontline troops during WWII led by entertainers like Mickey Rooney.
What Works in Community News (Dec. 20)—Dan Kennedy, a journalism professor at Northeastern University, outlines the many efforts today being made to provide much-needed local news.
Wonderful roundup! I smash the Pledge Button every so often, seeking to offer financial support. Please consider offering a subscription option in 2025, sir. Evan a "Buy Me a Coffee" option would be nice in the meantime. Best Wishes and continued success on your weekly reads that are definitely hard to beat.