Blessed day. The sun is out, I’ve got the type of hangover that is actually pretty pleasant once you make your peace with it, and this week I listened to the best podcast I’ve heard all year.
Series
Will Be Wild (Pineapple Street Studios/Wondery)
So here it is: The Best Podcast I’ve Heard All Year. It was released on Monday and I had listened to the whole thing by lunchtime. Only two episodes out on Spotify so far, but if you still have your Audible subscription or Amazon Prime you can listen on Amazon Music. Thank you once again to close personal friend of this Substack, Amazon.
Will Be Wild tells the story of the background to the Capitol insurrection. Just a brilliantly sourced podcast - perfect guests. Top level interviews with former government officials exposing what a shitshow all the major departments covering national security were at the time. In depth and sensitive interviews with some of the rioters and their families. Just really top level stuff. Feels a bit like someone rammed together How It Happened and Finding Q and it really works.
Or: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Will-Be-Wild/dp/B09XJKCWNR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ZASW2XMUQLS&keywords=will+be+wild&qid=1651329080&sprefix=will+be+wild%2Caps%2C298&sr=8-1
Episode
LOVE, The 11th (Pineapple Street Studios)
Man, Pineapple Street Studios are doing some good stuff at the moment. So many podcasts are about the extremes of humanity (see above) and so this is a real delight as a break from that.
The story of a long distance relationship, told through the couple’s voice notes to each other and audio diaries. Wonderful in its normality and intimacy.
Something Topical
Why Florida is fighting with Walt Disney World, The Journal (Gimlet Media and The Wall Street Journal)
A great rundown of one of those news stories that makes you go ‘I’m sorry what?’. A nice reminder that the world is big and wide and full of weirdness.
(Email a bit shorter than usual this week I must say. Probably shouldn’t have admitted to the hangover in the intro. Ah well, you live and learn.)