Monday, June 20, 2016

8 Literary and Library Podcasts to Get You Through The Summer



Through audio books (especially like the ones the library provides through Overdrive) you can get your books right into your ears while you sit on the beach or drive to your vacation destination. But what if you want to hear people talk about books and give you some recommendations or great interviews?

Enter podcasts.

After the breakout success of Serial, podcasts have become a legitimate way to spend your time learning or being entertained. Like audio books, they can be downloaded to your smartphone and taken with you. Below are eight free podcasts that give book recommendations, interviews with authors, readings of works, all of the above and even some advice. Enjoy!

NYPL Podcast
A beacon of books, ideas, and education in a city described as the cultural capital of the world, the Library hosts more than 55,000 programs annually. Listen to some of the most engaging and memorable recent programs, discover new ideas, and celebrate the best of today’s culture.

The Librarian Is In
The Librarian Is In is the New York Public Library's podcast about books, culture, and what to read next. Every other week, Gwen Glazer and Frank Collerius discuss the books they're reading, pop culture and the literary zeitgeist, and the world of libraries—and welcome special guests.

ALOUD Podcasts
These podcasts are recorded live in Los Angeles Central Library's Mark Taper Auditorium as part of the award-wining ALOUD at Central Library speaker series presented by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. ALOUD podcasts are updated on a weekly basis.

Library of Congress podcasts
Discover the treasures of the Library through its experts and special guests

Book Riot Podcasts
While the standout for this website's list of podcasts are the titular Book Riot Podcast and the reader's advice podcast Dear Book Nerd, all of them are worth at least a listen if you love books.

Penguin Podcast
Richard E. Grant invites authors, comedians, musicians, historians, actors, business leaders and philosophers to join him in the Penguin studios with five objects that inspired and shaped the writing of their latest book.

Okay, this one's a little more like an audio book, but hear me out. Each of the 135 chapters (plus epilogue) of Herman Melville's classic are read by actors and professional entertainers such as Tilda Swinton and Stephen Fry. If you always wanted to say that you have read Moby Dick, now you have no excuse.

(Caution: This podcast contains strong language and topics that some may find inappropriate. This podcast is recommended for adults.)
Nate Corddry loves the written word. But he also loves the spoken word! So he brought them both together in a single podcast. It’s a literary variety show of sorts! Reading Aloud presents some of the best live renditions of some of the most interesting works of literature of our time.

What are your favorite podcasts? Let us know in the comments!

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