I’m probably a late comer to the podcast world. I confess, I didn’t see the point. Why listen to something that you could read more quickly and probably retain more? And who needs more entertainment distractions in their world? Not me. (See last week’s post on games 😉 )

But about a year ago I was tired of the same music in my car so I subscribed to a few podcasts that sounded interesting or I knew the podcaster from their books or speaking or whatever.

Some of my originals tries are wonderful and I’m still listening. A few more have petered out. And I’ve found a new one, too.

My favorites, in no particular order:

• Relevant Magazine Podcast.
• The TED Radio Hour
• Mike Rowe: The Way I Heard It
• Austin New Church
• Ask Science Mike

The Relevant podcast is related to the Relevant magazine. The publisher and an editor and a couple of guests kibbitz and chat and riff about current events, cultural ephemera, and play clips from interviews and music featured in the magazine. It takes a few weeks of listening to figure out who’s who and to get some of the long running jokes, but it’s always entertaining, frequently thought-provoking, and it’s the podcast I listen to most regularly.

Austin New Church is their Sunday morning sermons. I like that they’re preaching through Scripture, not bouncing around on topics. The speakers rotate, but they’re all excellent. I started listening to this one because Jen Hatmaker, an author and speaker I enjoy, is one of the presenters. Her husband is also in the rotation.

My newest find is Mike Rowe’s The Way I Heard It. It’s kind of a new iteration of Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story. It’s 5-7 minute vignettes about a person and his/her life, then a surprising twist is revealed. Either the person’s name, or a later accomplishment, or how the story ultimately played out. I save these up and Stud Muffin and I listen in the car together. Stud Muffin is a fan.

Ask Science Mike is a new show I discovered through the Relevant podcast. Mike McHargue answers questions about science, faith, and life.

The TED Radio Hour is by NPR and is an amalgamation of TED Talk excerpts and interviews. Each episode is centered on a theme such as Listening, Slowing Down, Fight or Flight, Why We Lie, etc. They are always excellent and thought-provoking.

Maybe the biggest podcast in its short history is Serial. I’ve heard nothing but raves about it. I do plan to listen to it. I just need to find time to slot it in between my regulars. I may need a road trip.