Walnut Grove
Phoebe Judge
Criminal
rating: 3
A disturbing examination of symbosis between a corrupt prison and a the small town it supports. The last moments of this episode hint at crime on a larger, societal scale — profit off of the private prison system.

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The Promise
Nate DiMeo
The Memory Palace
rating: 5
A fascinating tribute the Hazel Scott and a bit of a cross over, for me, to another beloved podcast, Nerdette. The host first heard of Hazel Scott from Rad American Women from A to Z. The author of Rad American Women has been a guest on Nerdette.

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A Henry Sky
Nora McInerny
Terrible (Thanks for Asking)
rating: 5
McInerny interviews Colleen Barton who discusses her experiences with delivering a stillborn son and infertility. Insightful, emotional, and thought-provoking look at parenthood and infertility.

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Margot Lee Shetterly, Andy Cohen And The Best Podcasts Of 2016
Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen
Nerdette
rating: 4
The highlight of the episode was Bobeda and Johnsen’s interview with Margot Lee Shetterly, the author of Hidden Figures. There quite periodic laughter peppered a conversation on women in STEM fields, how far we’ve come, and how far we have to go.

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Lose Lose
Robert Krulwich
RadioLab
rating: 4
Highly entertaining look at whether or not sports can be turned inside out to make losing the object of the game. Enjoyed the brief cameo by Chuck Klosterman. Would have given this one a five, but I wandered off and forgot I was listening to it for days so it obviously didn’t grab my attention enough.

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Unbroken
Nora McInerney
Terrible, Thanks for Asking
rating: 5
This is an amazing episode about Sarah Super, founder of “Break the Silence” and sexual assault survivor. As McInerney said (paraphrasing), the point of this podcast is that all cry. And yes, I cried. Not just during the harrowing recounting of Super’s experience but about her triumph in finding her own way to continue on rather than kowtow to others notions of recovery.
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Didn’t We Solve This One?
Ira Glass
This American Life
rating: 5
Glass is right when he warns parents with small American children that this episode will not make them proud to be Americans. The TAL team’s investigative reporting into the visa and immigration system for Iraqis and Afgani’s who work for American forces during the war is maddening, illuminating, and memorable.

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name: The Reversal
PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman
Reply All
rating: 5
Dr. Richard Bedlack’s X-Files obession is so charming that it makes the entire episode.

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Boobs
Hillary Frank
The Longest Shortest Time
rating: 3
Although both of Frank’s guests were funny, personable, and weaved great stories, I don’t think I’ll be able to recall this episode a year from now. A middle of the road affair. Super Boob deserves a comic book though.

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Slanguage
Shankar Vendantam
Hidden Brain
rating: 4
I’ve already started recommending John McWhorter’s book, Words on the Move, based off of this entertaining episode alone.

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Tracy Clayton is Speaking Things into Existence
Anna Sale
Death, Sex, & Money
rating: 3
Clayton is a frank, likable guest on this episode of Death, Sex, & Money where she shares her aspirations for the new year that hit on two out of three of the themes of the show (Sex & Money)