Listens We Can’t Stop Talking About

A Collection of our Tribe's Favorite Podcasts

As of January 2022, there are over 2,000,000 podcasts and over 48 million episodes. With statistics like this, it's nearly impossible to narrow it down to the best of the best. Don't fret. We've got you. We have an obsession with not only devouring podcasts and audiobooks, but then subsequently talking about them, and we've curated this collection just for you. A collection we've affectionately named "Listens We Can't Stop Talking About." Enjoy.

As difficult as this is to admit, I once accidentally confused DC for Marvel and the rest of my family (full of judgement) was quick to right my mistake. How could I?? They're in the midst of watching all the Marvel movies in consecutive order and not being that into comics I have bowed out gracefully. I mean, Marvel and DC are interchangeable right? Wrong. Their horror prompted me to listen to Business Wars, Marvel vs. DC. This 7-episode series is basically a crash course about how Marvel and Stan Lee created a magic that DC has been chasing for decades. Now I can, with confidence I might add, have a conversation about how Marvel has dominated.

We're well into the winter season and our crock pots have been working overtime, so we had to know who to thank for this time-saving, magical kitchen gadget. We turned to the Nice Try! podcast, as their entire second season highlights the lifestyle products that promise domestic self-improvement and convenience. If you can believe it, the story of the crock pot is actually fascinating and we can thank Irving Naxon, Sabbath and stew. The beanery, as it was originally named, forged its way to the GOAT kitchen gadgets turning out chilis, soups and the nectar of the gods . . . queso. Yummmmmmm!

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Brené’s first viral (57M views) Ted talk, along with this book, catapulted her from the college campus to the cultural zeitgeist. This is one of those books we like to revisit every couple of years. The direct message of courage and vulnerability – embracing your imperfections and accepting yourself for who you are – is still as relevant as ever. Maybe even more so. We love all things Brené so hearing the content delivered in her friendly Texas accent made us feel as if we were having an intimate conversation with a friend – a wise friend who happens to have decades of research to back up the advice she’s giving you! FYI - She’s also launched an accompanying podcast that goes deeper into the content and a hub of resources for the book on her website.

The namesake of this novel is a dense, rum-soaked Caribbean fruit cake that weaves together the generational stories told in this story. We found ourselves on a journey from present-day Southern California to 1960s Caribbean where two siblings come together to learn about their late mother’s true origin story. We loved how this book immerses you in the history of these characters and breathes life to their story. This novel is an examination of identity drawn from the past; who we think we are based on what we’ve been told and how that changes when we learn our real history. Ancestry.com here we come!

If you loved the first season of Serial, I’ll be Gone in the Dark, and Only Murders in the Building, then this is your next must-listen. It’s a psychological suspense tale whose protagonist, Elle, uses her true crime podcast “Justice Delayed” to investigate and solve cold cases. We were hooked right out of the gate. We loved the pacing and revelations of this book while listening to the Justice Delayed podcast episodes come to life. Girl, 11 explores ethical questions around the proliferation of true-crime podcasts and armchair investigators. Which hit a little too close to home.

This six-episode masterpiece from Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times, observes the 400th anniversary of American history and highlights the contributions of Black Americans at the center of our national narrative. This podcast and audiobook are a must-listen with 5,000+ five star reviews on Amazon. We could not agree more with the accolades. Each episode is impeccably researched, filled with powerful emotion and gives us hope for the future. Listen and share.

Talk of Dr. Death dominated the first 30 min of our Buderflys all-staff meeting, because it's THAT GOOD. Here's the deal, we can all agree that in general, doctors are highly respected, super smart and passionate individuals who endure years and years of schooling and residency. We said "peace" to schooling after 4 years of college. These are people who dedicate their lives to helping others and following Hippocrates’ Oath, right? Well, the Dr. Death series uncovers the stories of doctors who don't fall into this category. Specifically, Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, the brilliant and handsome surgeon who was once thought of as the Miracle Man, pushing the boundaries of medicine and saving people's lives with synthetic tracheal transplants. Journalist Benita Alexander recounts her intimate tangled web with this brilliant doctor.

Radiolab is a constant in our rotation of podcasts and when you hear this episode, you'll understand why. But we can't give you much description here (don't google it) because in the opening segment, you think you're moving in one direction and then BAM - you're on a totally different road. This twist adds so much to the story and the storytelling is incredible. All we can say is that this episode is about a gentleman named Oliver Sipple and how an instant can change the trajectory of your life. In fact, if this situation had happened in 2022? Things would be VERY different.

Sit back, relax and prepare for a thrill with this three-hour audio drama by James Patterson. This listen is truly a performance. The premise is about a famed playwright, Osmond Box, known for his completely surprising Broadway plays. Nothing is known about the story, the setting, the premise, or even the actors involved. The first people to discover the truth will be the lucky ones sitting in those seats opening night. Phones are collected, doors are locked. Hours later, half of the audience will be applauding wildly. The other half will be fleeing the theater in mortal terror. Talk about a story with an instant hook. The different characters and voices throughout were simply magical, and you just can't go wrong with John Lithgow as the lead.

Recommended by a great friend, this audiobook is an action-packed story of courage and survival. It follows the stories of three adolescent refugees from different parts of the world during different political climates. You have Josef fleeing Germany in 1938, Isabella fleeing Cuba in 1994 and Mahmoud fleeing Syria in 2015. The themes of family, loss and perseverance are inspiring. We listened to this with our kids and they couldn't believe that these characters were their age. It opened conversations about refugees, bigotry and entitlement. A must listen.

Speed & Scale by John Doerr: A Global Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now

#1 Best Selling author, John Doerr, thoughtfully brings together the world's foremost change-makers to develop a high-stakes action plan to cut emissions in half by 2030. Above and beyond that initiative, this book provides great insight into how individuals, entrepreneurs and investors can drive change. What makes this book such a game-changer is that it lays out a simple yet powerful action plan to conquer humanity's greatest challenge; climate change. It is exactly what we all need to know.

With the Beijing Olympics right around the corner, Torched is exactly the podcast you need to get in the spirit. They've only released the first few episodes, which is even better, so we can listen in tandem while we watch the big air jumps, triple axels and a little curling over the next few weeks. With so much on the line on the world's stage, things are bound to go awry. Host Molly Bloom, of the notorious Molly's Game movie, dives into these stories. The premiere episode, Three Seconds on the Clock, tells the story of the 1972 Olympic basketball game that resulted in medals sitting unclaimed in the vault at the bank of Switzerland. The on-court battle was certainly heated, undoubtedly controversial and perhaps even a conspiracy? You be the judge.