Back on track with Podcast Reviews

Within 12 hours:
- The End of Hegemony: The Open Source podcast speaks with Parag Khanna and Eric Hobsbawm about failing US, upcoming China and whether Europe plays or not.

Within 36 hours:
- History 5 about absolute rule and absolute knowledge
- The Word Nerds's double issue about Rhetorics

In the coming days
- OVT
- Irvin Yalom (on KQED and Wise Counsel)
- Susan Yacoby (The Age of American Unreason)
- Shrink Rap Radio (Mindmentor and others)
- Simek interviews Jaap van der Zwan
- Something about the Roman Empire

In New podcasts on trial we have March as a history podcast month with a wide range of candidates:
American History before 1870
Hank's History Hour
History of Rome
History 106B
Podcasts on Medieval Texts
Redborne History Podcast
Teaching American History Podcast
History 2311
Tudorcast

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You can let your preferences (I'd love get new podcast recommendations) know by commenting on the blog or sending mail to The Man Called Anne at: Anne Frid de Vries (in one word) AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk

Podcast reviews; I am not alone

Persistent searches on the net keep giving me the idea that a blog on podcast reviews is a rare creature. I have run into a handful of blogs that either do the occasional review, or have been concentrated on podcast reviews but were abandoned with little content accumulated. What has sprung up rather recently are two podcasts that review podcasts. As podcasts go they have their websites and as such can be viewed also as blogs. Kindred spirits.

That Podcast Show started this December and has released thirteen episodes by now. The show is presented by Daniel and Jana Sellers from the US and tends to give three reviews per show. The podcasts are chosen throughout the spectrum of what is out there. The hosts discuss their impressions and ideas each in their own style creating a very personal atmosphere; Daniel is relaxed and laid back as opposed to Jana who seems to be with her eyes on the ball all the time. It makes you feel being informed by your peers. Eventually the review is allotted a rating in a five star system. Even though this is one rating all aspects of a podcast are discussed: is it informative, entertaining, of good audio quality and such.

A more recent starter is Podwatch by host 'Tom' from Australia. Tom evaluates the podcasts on entertainment value, quality of content, production quality, rates those each on a scale of 10 and then concludes with an overall rating on the same scale. His reviews are intelligent and detailed and in addition to the reviews he also talks of technology and other subjects. His choice of podcasts to review seems to be poised also towards science and technology, but there are also some podcasts of other tastes. He has accomplished five shows by now resulting in some 10 podcast reviews.

I am very glad to have found these colleagues in cyberspace. I recommend checking them out, either in the blogs (all reviews appear in writing as well) or on podcast. So far you cannot compare us as none of us has reviewed a show another has touched. The pond is large and the fishermen are still very few.

Let Battle Commence! - Celtic Myth Podshow #2

The children of Danu engage in battle with the fearsome Bolg. One have mighty spears the other splendid fighting sticks. A hundred thousand perish. One can't say the Irish mythological cycle starts with a whimper - rather with a bang. The Celtic Myth Podshow brings it to us.

The great thing with the hosts of this podcast is that they are very receptive to feedback. I found it hard to keep track of all the names in the tales they tell and so they listed them. I suggested the names could do with some introduction or explanation and it seems they are seeing into this. Apart from being so user friendly, we see here yet another great quality of podcasting: they way it interacts with the audience and Gary and Ruth of the Celtic Myth Podshow understand this only too well.

My next item on the wish list is to get some framework around the myths. For all I know the Celts dwelt in Europe from before Roman times. I take it, at some point they even ransacked Rome, way before Julius Ceasar defeated Vercingetorix. And it makes me curious about the sources for the myths. There must have been an oral tradition, but then at some point, the legends must have been written down. Possibly this was done by Christian monks, implying there might be some censorship, or even alteration. Along there must be a history of recounting, retelling, discovery and rediscovery. Such fascinating added dimension to these tales. According to Gary's reply to my comments, he surely intends to have the Celtic Myth Podshow pay some attention to the reception of the Celtic Myths. Great going.

Previously:
The Celtic Myth Podshow - first review

On admirals and more - Historyzine

Two admirals and girding your loins feature on the latest Historyzine podcast, but there is more. I have noticed this trend in podcasting and we are certainly going to see more of it: the podcast episode consists of several rubrics, making it a listen like a regular radio show. In the case of Historyzine, there was also an interview.

Host Jim Mowatt knows his guest from the forums on Dan Carlin's site (from Hardcore History). Many people have been inspired by Dan Carlin and feedback I get on my blog, also shows Dan hits a chord. So did he with Mowatt and also the interviewee: Tony Cocks from Binge Thinking History Podcast. This is a fascinating interview possibly more so for those who are familiar with BTHP as it offers a wonderful additional insight together with the podcast alone.

After that Mowatt explains the expression "girding one's loins" with its biblical history, going back to Paul. Then he tells the story of Admirals Byng and Rooke - two unrelated stories. It just so happens two admirals feature on this show. Together with some whirling Beethoven music (is that podsafe?), this podcast episode is yet another great production by Mowatt.

More Historyzine:
18th Century Warfare - Historyzine,
Spanish Succession and History Podcasts.

More Binge Thinking:
Battle of Britain - BTHP podcast review,
The American Constitution's British roots.

More Dan Carlin's Hardcore History:
Assyrians,
Nazis,
Depression,
Succession in Macedon,
The Plague.

Het vraagstuk van de handlangers - OVT

OVT begon afgelopen zondag met een onthulling uit de nieuw verschenen Den Uyl biografie van Anet Bleich. Ik dacht nog dat het over Lockheed zou gaan, maar het was een onthulling die nergens op sloeg. Bleich maakt zich in de studie terecht boos over de koppen die dit opleverde (zie ook Elsevier). Joop den Uyl zou in een opstel dat hij als vijftienjarige schreef sympathie voor Hitler en Duitsland hebben getoond. Bleich haast zich te zeggen dat Den Uyl ook toen al de kwade kanten zag en verder helemaal goed was in de oorlog - toen het er echt om ging. Kortom het is niet meer dan een pikanterie, zoals je wellicht uit de opstellen van elke puber kan halen.

Dan gaat het programma over naar In Europa en komt aan de orde wat al die tijd onvermijdelijk dichterbij kwam: de holocaust. De banaliteit van het kwade wordt nog weer eens aangetoond. Handlangers van de shoah zijn de ovenfabriek Topf die de crematoria leverde en de plantsoenendienst van Minsk die de camoeflage van het dodenkamp verzorgt. Natuurlijk speelde hier geen ideologie, dus hoe voorkom je dat het gewone handelen een gruwelijk daderschap oplevert? Misschien moeten we ongewone mensen zijn, is de opmerking die de presentator uitbrengt.

Ook de andere rubrieken waren weer zeer de moeite waard. Er is een serie begonnen over de Boerenpartij, bijvoorbeeld. Daarbij de column van Nelleke Noordervliet en de recensies van boeken en zelfs een film. Het is een groot goed dat dit radioprogramma als podcast uitkomt. Voorgaande uitzendingen worden uit de feed genomen, maar zijn nog wel on line in de stream te beluisteren. Mijn advies aan de liefhebber is om altijd ongezien te downloaden en te bewaren. Je blijft luisteren.

Eerdere besprekingen van OVT in dit blog:
1933 - Fellow Travelers.
1936 - Spanje,
1938 - Hitler en Holocaust,
1939 - Patriotten tot landverraders,
1940 - Heesters, Petain, Leopold achteraf.

100 podcasts reviewed

UPDATE: we now have 217 podcasts reviewed. (link)



It is the first of the month again and so I post in alphabetical order all podcasts I reviewed linked to the last post and relevant labels:

1. 12 Byzantine Rulers, history podcast


2. Africa (Stanford Travel), geography


3. Africa Past and Present, geography


4. Arizona, University of: Introduction to Language, language


5. BBC History Magazine, BBC history podcast



6. Bike Radar, tour


7. Binge Thinking History, history podcast


8. Bioethics podcast, science, law and society


9. the Biography Show, history podcast


10. Biota Podcast, science


11. Bommel Hoorspel, NL radio


12. British History 101, history podcast


13. Car Talk,


14. Celtic Myth Podshow


15. CFR Podcast, law and society


16. Dan Carlin's Common Sense,


17. Dan Carlin's Hardcore History, history podcast


18. David Kalivas' World History, history podcast


19. Distillations, history podcast science


20. the Economist,


21. Engines of our Ingenuity, science


22. English 117S, language


23. Exploring Environmental History, science, history podcast


24. F1Cast


25. Fresh Air (NPR)


26. From our own Correspondent, BBC geography


27. Geography 130, geography


28. Geography of World Cultures (Stanford), geography history podcast


29. Hannibal (Stanford), history podcast


30. Haring Podcast, NL radio


31. Historical Jesus (Stanford), history podcast יהדות


32. History 167B, Berkeley history podcast


33. History 181B, Berkeley history podcast


34. History 4A, Berkeley history podcast


35. History 5, Berkeley history podcast


36. History 7B, Berkeley history podcast


37. History according to Bob, history podcast


38. History Network, history podcast


39. History Podcast, history podcast


40. Historypod, history podcast


41. Historyzine, history podcast


42. ICT Update,


43. In Our Time, In Our Time BBC (science) history podcast


44. In the Media (WNYC)


45. Inspired Minds (Deutsche Welle)


46. Interview Vrijdag, NL radio


47. Irving Poetry podcast


48. ITV, tour


49. Jung Podcast, psychology


50. KMTT, יהדות


51. KQED Forum


52. Librivox: History of Holland, history podcast


53. Marathon Interview, NL radio


54. Matt's Today In History, history podcast


55. Medieval Podcast, history podcast


56. Midwest Writer, language


57. Military History Podcast, history podcast


58. Missing Link, history podcast science


59. My Three Shrinks, psychiatry


60. Napoleon 1O1, history podcast


61. National Archives Podcast, history podcast


62. NRC FM,


63. Only in America, history podcast יהדות


64. Open Source


65. OVT, history podcast NL radio


66. Oy Mendele!, יהדות


67. PACS 164A, Berkeley
    
    


68. Parnell's History Podcast, history podcast


69. Physics for future Presidents (Descriptive Physics), Berkeley science


70. Philosophy 103, philosophy


71. Philosophy Bites, philosophy


72. the Philosophy Podcast, philosophy


73. Prosperity show


74. Radiolab (WNYC), science


75. Rav Dovid's, יהדות


76. Rpgmp3


77. Sex History Podcast, history podcast


78. the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe, SGU science


79. Šimek 's Nachts, simek NL radio


80. Social Innovation Conversations,


81. Sonic Society, creative writing


82. Speaking of Faith, יהדות


83. Shrink Rap Radio, shrinkrapradio psychology


84. Stanford U History, history podcast


85. Sunday Sundown


86. Talking Robots, science


87. TdF London, tour


88. TED Talks, vodcast


89. Times Talks,


90. The Word Nerds, TWN language


91. UCLA Israel Studies, Israel


92. University Channel Podcast, science


93. Volkskrant Podcasts, tour


94. What is Judaism?, יהדות


95. Wise Counsel, Wise Counsel psychology


96. the Writing Show, Writing Show language


97. Wynyfryd's meditation room


98. Your Purpose Centered Life


99. zencast


100. zoem, psychology
     
     

If you know of interesting podcasts that you think should be reviewed, please let me know through the comments page. Or send me mail...

Thanks in advance,

Anne Frid de Vries (in one word)

AT

Yahoo DOT co DOT uk