"I think it’s safe to say that we’re all going at least a little bit stir-crazy right now. But I’ve got just the thing to (at least somewhat) cure your boredom and loneliness--podcasts and audiobooks! Perfect for when you’re putting together that jigsaw puzzle, decide to get into knitting, or just need to hear a voice other than the ones you’ve begun to hear in your head in the last month." --Grace Triantafyllos, 8th Grade
I think it’s safe to say that we’re all going at least a little bit stir-crazy right now. But I’ve got just the thing to (at least somewhat) cure your boredom and loneliness--podcasts and audiobooks! Perfect for when you’re putting together that jigsaw puzzle, decide to get into knitting, or just need to hear a voice other than the ones you’ve begun to hear in your head in the last month. They’re fun, they don’t require you to leave your home, and they’re practically free as long as you have a device on which to listen (and in the case of audiobooks, a library card).
Libby and Hoopla are two great, free apps that allow you to check out a limited (but reasonably large) number of audiobooks every month, courtesy of your local library. All you need to do is enter your library card number and pin, as well as your email. Hoopla is good for when you want instant access to an audiobook, but I prefer Libby because it’s easier to browse books on, and it allows the user to listen to a small sample of any audiobook before placing a hold on it. Also, when using an Oakland Public Library card, it allows 20 checkouts per month, whereas Hoopla only allows 10.
Below is a list of podcasts and audiobooks, along with synopses and mini-reviews. First up: podcasts. I prefer podcasts over audiobooks. They’re less of a commitment, they sound less monotone and annoying than most audiobooks (usually), and I have better luck finding ones that I enjoy. They’re good for people who just aren’t interested in books, or for those who want something more continuous. They’re also perfect for preventing you from thinking about that time you ran straight into a glass door in front of your entire family while you make your PB and J.
Welcome to Night Vale
Libby and Hoopla are two great, free apps that allow you to check out a limited (but reasonably large) number of audiobooks every month, courtesy of your local library. All you need to do is enter your library card number and pin, as well as your email. Hoopla is good for when you want instant access to an audiobook, but I prefer Libby because it’s easier to browse books on, and it allows the user to listen to a small sample of any audiobook before placing a hold on it. Also, when using an Oakland Public Library card, it allows 20 checkouts per month, whereas Hoopla only allows 10.
Below is a list of podcasts and audiobooks, along with synopses and mini-reviews. First up: podcasts. I prefer podcasts over audiobooks. They’re less of a commitment, they sound less monotone and annoying than most audiobooks (usually), and I have better luck finding ones that I enjoy. They’re good for people who just aren’t interested in books, or for those who want something more continuous. They’re also perfect for preventing you from thinking about that time you ran straight into a glass door in front of your entire family while you make your PB and J.
Welcome to Night Vale
Welcome to Night Vale is a fiction podcast presented as a radio show delivering news to the citizens of the fictional desert town of Night Vale. It chronicles all sorts of strange happenings, airs disconcerting advertisements, and educates the little ones in the segment, “The Children’s Fun Fact Science Corner.” I’ve fallen in love with this podcast over the last year, thanks to a recommendation from a friend. It’s oddly hilarious, and full of unique characters that you can’t help but become obsessed with. It currently has over 160 episodes, providing plenty of content to get you through social distancing. I would recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi or is looking for a funny and enthralling listen.
Ologies with Alie Ward
Ologies with Alie Ward
Please note: this podcast contains some swearing.
Ologies with Alie Ward is a science podcast in which writer, actress, and TV host Alie Ward interviews experts on a wide variety of different topics, such as linguistics, hagfish, handwriting, crow funerals, fear, and the apocalypse. It’s the perfect pick for anyone looking to expand their knowledge during social distancing. It’s both fascinating and funny, and it’s got something for everyone. It’ll ensure that your conversations are a little more interesting once we all go out and brave society once again. I’m sure your friends will be super impressed when you tell them all about how hagfish release insane amounts of fiber-reinforced slime from their slime glands in order to defend themselves.
The Magnus Archives
Ologies with Alie Ward is a science podcast in which writer, actress, and TV host Alie Ward interviews experts on a wide variety of different topics, such as linguistics, hagfish, handwriting, crow funerals, fear, and the apocalypse. It’s the perfect pick for anyone looking to expand their knowledge during social distancing. It’s both fascinating and funny, and it’s got something for everyone. It’ll ensure that your conversations are a little more interesting once we all go out and brave society once again. I’m sure your friends will be super impressed when you tell them all about how hagfish release insane amounts of fiber-reinforced slime from their slime glands in order to defend themselves.
The Magnus Archives
The Magnus Archives is a spooky fiction podcast that recounts unsettling witness reports sent to the Magnus Institute, which investigates alleged paranormal encounters. This is for those who aren’t necessarily looking for something lighthearted. I wouldn’t quite describe this as a horror podcast--it probably won’t have you up until the wee hours of morning, but it may creep you out just a tad. Its episodes are only about 20 minutes each, so it’s perfect for those who don’t have the best attention spans or want to slip in an episode while they’re doing the laundry. The narrator, Jonathan Simms, has a pleasant voice, and each account is different from the previous. However! As someone who has made this mistake, please be sure to start from the first episode. Though many of them are devoted to random paranormal encounters, there is an ongoing narrative, so it’s important to listen in order.
Books Unbound
Books Unbound
Books Unbound is a podcast that is... (you guessed it) all about books. The hosts, Ariel Bissett and Raeleen Lemay, who are both content creators within the online reading community, discuss what they’re reading, news in the book world, and respond to listener recommendation requests. This is the cheeriest listen on this whole list: good for people who want to take their minds off of the current situation. For the most part, it’s just nice little chats about books. The hosts are good friends, which makes their banter enjoyable. They have a nerdy sense of humor, which brings me a lot of joy--I love hearing them just talk about books. It’s obviously not for everyone; it depends on what kinds of books you like, if you like them at all, and if you enjoy the podcast’s nerdy, cozy vibes.
Next: audiobooks. I’ve only recently gotten into audiobooks, thanks to Libby, but I’ve been enjoying them so far. There are so many books I want to read, but I often don’t have the time. Listening to some of the books on my bucket list while I clean out my chicken coop has been a lovely experience so far, and one that I recommend to all of you (I mean, not specifically the coop cleaning part, if birds aren’t your thing). Here are the books that I’ve listened to and loved so far.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Next: audiobooks. I’ve only recently gotten into audiobooks, thanks to Libby, but I’ve been enjoying them so far. There are so many books I want to read, but I often don’t have the time. Listening to some of the books on my bucket list while I clean out my chicken coop has been a lovely experience so far, and one that I recommend to all of you (I mean, not specifically the coop cleaning part, if birds aren’t your thing). Here are the books that I’ve listened to and loved so far.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Where to find it: Libby
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a young adult coming-of-age novel about two teenage loners who form a life-changing friendship and discover themselves in the process. It’s an emotional story about the exploration of personal identity that manages to switch from hilarious to heartbreaking and back again in an instant. This is one of my all-time favorite books, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s narration makes the audiobook even better than reading a hard copy. It’s a story that everyone can relate to on some level, and it especially hits close to home right now--much of the book centers around isolation, albeit a different kind.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a young adult coming-of-age novel about two teenage loners who form a life-changing friendship and discover themselves in the process. It’s an emotional story about the exploration of personal identity that manages to switch from hilarious to heartbreaking and back again in an instant. This is one of my all-time favorite books, and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s narration makes the audiobook even better than reading a hard copy. It’s a story that everyone can relate to on some level, and it especially hits close to home right now--much of the book centers around isolation, albeit a different kind.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Where to find it: Libby or Hoopla
Coraline is a children’s novella that follows a young girl who has just moved, along with her mother and father, into a new house, in which she discovers a strange door that leads her to a world very similar to her own. At first, it seems even better... but things quickly go downhill. Even though it’s meant for a younger audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It’s very short for an audiobook--only about three hours--and narrated by the author. In my opinion, it’s difficult to find audiobooks narrated by people with voices that are easy on the ears, but Neil Gaiman’s is very nice. To be honest, I started listening to this book because I’d heard (from Books Unbound, actually) that he does a terrific job of narrating. He narrates a lot of his own books, so if Coraline doesn’t appeal to you but you still want that smooth voice, you can check out Stardust, The Graveyard Book, or The Ocean at the End of the Lane, to name a few. (I haven’t read those, though, so I can’t explicitly recommend them.)
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Coraline is a children’s novella that follows a young girl who has just moved, along with her mother and father, into a new house, in which she discovers a strange door that leads her to a world very similar to her own. At first, it seems even better... but things quickly go downhill. Even though it’s meant for a younger audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. It’s very short for an audiobook--only about three hours--and narrated by the author. In my opinion, it’s difficult to find audiobooks narrated by people with voices that are easy on the ears, but Neil Gaiman’s is very nice. To be honest, I started listening to this book because I’d heard (from Books Unbound, actually) that he does a terrific job of narrating. He narrates a lot of his own books, so if Coraline doesn’t appeal to you but you still want that smooth voice, you can check out Stardust, The Graveyard Book, or The Ocean at the End of the Lane, to name a few. (I haven’t read those, though, so I can’t explicitly recommend them.)
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Where to find it: Libby or Hoopla
Content warnings: child abuse, sexual abuse, pedophilia
Sadie is a young adult novel that follows a 19-year-old girl of the same name as she tries to track down her little sister’s murderer. We also hear the perspective of podcaster West McCray as he hunts for clues to Sadie’s whereabouts and learns about her life before her disappearance. This book is the heaviest recommendation on this list by far, so be sure to read the content warnings listed above before you listen. Hearing Sadie’s story unfold is captivating and emotional. The book keeps a good pace and only gets better as it continues. The best part about this book is getting to know its characters--you’ll find yourself invested in the protagonists by the end. It takes a lot for a book to make me tear up, and this one did. You’ll keep thinking about it for a while after it’s over.
I hope that these recommendations will help you cope during this difficult time, and that you gain a new appreciation for eel-like, slime-spewing sea creatures. Please stay safe, and if you can, stay home.
Content warnings: child abuse, sexual abuse, pedophilia
Sadie is a young adult novel that follows a 19-year-old girl of the same name as she tries to track down her little sister’s murderer. We also hear the perspective of podcaster West McCray as he hunts for clues to Sadie’s whereabouts and learns about her life before her disappearance. This book is the heaviest recommendation on this list by far, so be sure to read the content warnings listed above before you listen. Hearing Sadie’s story unfold is captivating and emotional. The book keeps a good pace and only gets better as it continues. The best part about this book is getting to know its characters--you’ll find yourself invested in the protagonists by the end. It takes a lot for a book to make me tear up, and this one did. You’ll keep thinking about it for a while after it’s over.
I hope that these recommendations will help you cope during this difficult time, and that you gain a new appreciation for eel-like, slime-spewing sea creatures. Please stay safe, and if you can, stay home.