Recently I moved my stationary bike up to a corner of the playroom of our house so I could swap out days running and riding (lately my right knee has taken to creaking like the audio of a haunted house in a William Castle movie). An unanticipated bonus to this routine: My rediscovery of NPR (National Public Radio). I don’t drive to work and when I’m in the office, I… well… work, so listening to the radio had pretty much fallen off my plate. But riding my bike for 45 minutes every other day has provided me a great chance to listen to some wonderful radio again.
Considering the list of shows I keep checking out, I realized almost all of them are story-related. Not only that, they routinely feature great stories.
So this week, I thought I’d highlight five NPR shows — some with which you’re almost certainly familiar, others perhaps not — to inspire your creativity, inform your story-crafting ability, and feed your soul.
Monday: This American Life
Tuesday: The Story
Wednesday: The Moth – Live Storytelling Performances
Thursday: Fresh Air
Friday: A Prairie Home Companion
I know there are a bunch of other great NPR shows like “Talk of the Nation,” “From the Top,” “Speaking of Faith,” “Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” and many more. But from a storyteller’s perspective, I think the five above stand out.
While we’re here, what NPR shows do you love?
I am an NPR junkie. I even download the podcasts so I don't miss anything. Great to know there are others out there like me.
My Faves are: Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered, Car Talk, and This American Life.
Garrison Keillor and his writings and radio shows have been a constant throughout my entire life. I shudder to think what I will do when he decides to hang it up for good.
His last trio of novels (Pontoon, Liberty, and Pilgrims) are ALL instant classics.
Stationary bikes are great for that. I usually watch an hour scripted show on Hulu/Netflix (which is really about 45 minutes) because reading on a bike is too hard and I don't work out as well. I get to see something that would not normally be entertainment but that I can analyze the structure. On Hulu, I'll use the 30-60 second commercials for sprints or to crank the tension. I suppose I'd try more radio if we had a better view out the window (apartment next to industrial building. yuk)
Scott, don't forget The Treatment! Every week Elvis Mitchell interviews a screenwriter, director, or actor. Half the time he's interviewing one of the greats, the other half he's interviewing an engaging talent you didn't even know existed. A must-listen.