Podcasts: 2017 edition

2 minute read

Same procedure as every year: after 2015 and 2016, I want to share an updated list of my favorite podcasts of 2017. While the year isn’t over yet, we all know that Christmas is approaching fast!

Photo by Jason Rosewell

Podcasts appear to have a stimulating influence on my thinking and writing, only second to another passion of mine: reading. Consequently, I continue to devote many hours per week to them.

Unsurprisingly, I still enjoy listening to podcasts using Overcast on my now dated (but perfectly fine) iPhone 5. I stopped doing it on my commute to the office though, for the simple reason that I’ve been working remotely for the better part this year. These days, I mostly devour podcasts while going for a run, during breaks from work, or when doing household chores (the latter being a supposedly rare event).

Anyway, here’s the list.

The Tim Ferriss Show. This one is still my absolute favorite. Tim is a brilliant interviewer. He asks questions like no one else does, always in search of the best tactics and tools of world-class athletes, writers, entrepreneurs, and other performers.

I also recently read one of his books, The 4-Hour Workweek. The hype around it turned out to be entirely justified as it provides some of the best career advice I’ve ever received (the 80/20 analysis alone is gold). Tim has built a media empire and his podcast, The Tim Ferris Show, is second to none.

Recommended episodes: Jamie Foxx, Derek Sivers, Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Art of Manliness. AoM is dedicated to uncovering “the lost art of being a man”. It’s serious and philosophical and practical and fun – all of these things and more. With over 350 episodes in the back catalog, it’s hard not to find something compelling.

Recommended episodes: The Art of the Side Hustle, Why Boredom is Good for You, Tools of Titans

You Are Not So Smart. This superb show explores the many ways we tend to develop an undeserved confidence in human perception, motivation, and behavior. If words like “bias”, “effect”, or “fallacy” excite you, then you’re going to love You Are Not So Smart.

Recommended episodes: The Illusion of Knowledge, Survivorship Bias, The Benjamin Franklin Effect

PreAccident Investigation Podcast. I try to make sense of things the best I can. When it comes to understanding and improving human performance, there’s no better podcast than this one by Todd Conklin. I find it fascinating to see how the principles of workplace safety are relevant to web operations as well.

Recommended episodes: Sidney Dekker and The End of Heaven, Beyond Blame - Dave Zwieback, All Safety Moments

Cinemaholics. An entertaining podcast that reviews movies and TV shows – perfect to learn more about upcoming titles or something I’ve already watched.

Recommended episodes/movies: Thor: Ragnarok, It, Get Out

Software Engineering Radio. This year, I probably only listened to a handful of SE-Radio episodes that piqued my interest. However, they were so good – especially the interview with John Allspaw – that I decided to include the show here.

Recommended episodes: John Allspaw on System Failures, Michael Feathers on Legacy Code, Florian Gilcher on Rust

Other podcasts worth checking out:

As always, happy podcasting!

Photo credits: Unsplash


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