Glad you made it out, Michael.

Schedule note: I’m taking a vacation soon, so I won’t be sending newsletters Aug. 17 and Aug. 24. I will have something else to share, though. Details to come.

7 Pod Takes

1) “It’s always better to have company when you’re a captive.”

Listen: The Joe Rogan Experience: Michael Scott Moore (25:59)

• So says Moore, sharing some bittersweet wisdom learned during the more than two-and-a-half years Somali pirates held him hostage.
• Moore’s making the pod rounds, talking about his horrific experience and his book about it, “The Desert and the Sea.”
• The pod’s currently the No. 1 on iTunes. Fresh Air’s interview with Moore ranks in the top 50.

2) “If you find yourself inexplicably weeping over a plate of huevos rancheros, you’re in the midst of a reckoning.”

Listen: Dear Sugars: Dear Sugars Live: The Great Reckoning (5:47)

• That’s Steve Almond, recounting a time he faced a reckoning in a pod devoted to examining “that long difficult stare back at your mistakes, your transgressions, your delusions.”
• In the reckoning-themed pod, co-host Cheryl Strayed shares her own reckoning, which you may already be familiar with. Heard of “Wild”?
• My take: Great pod about a difficult subject, approached with humility and humor.

3) “Who knew a debate about soil could get so heated?”

Listen: The Thin Layer: Regrowth (1:21)

• That’s Dan Crane, host of a compelling pod about…dirt.
• Crane outlines a struggle around people’s deep connections to land: Why should people who have been managing their land for generations listen to outsiders?
• And from another perspective: “When does convincing someone about science become forcing them against their will?”
• Crane sets the scene by recounting the words of Thomas Sankara, former president of Burkina Faso: “The struggle to defend the trees and forests is above all a struggle against imperialism. Because imperialism is the arsonist setting fire to our forests and savannas.”

4) “Is this a fight for the soul of the Republican Party?”

“No, because the Republican Party has no soul.”

Listen: Pod Save America: “Kochs, votes, and ostrich coats.” (20:49)

• That’s Jon Lovett (question) and Dan Pfeiffer (response), analyzing President Trump’s tweet spat with the Koch Brothers.
• Wired’s Nick Thompson and Jason Kander guest on a typically hilarious and sobering PSA.

5) “You have committed a sin against culture.”

Listen: The Watch: 100 Best TV Episodes of the Century and Mailbag Questions (43:01)

• Sean Fennessey reveals the criticism he and The Ringer received for ranking the pilot episode of “The O.C.” No. 9, one slot above the “Ozymandias” episode of “Breaking Bad.”
• Spoiler: The “Lost” episode “The Constant” ranked No. 1. “The Suitcase” episode of “Mad Men” ranked No. 2.

6) “It’s tattoos or get out.”

Listen: The Sporkful: Confessions of a Ballpark Food Vendor (27:39)

• That’s Ted Berg, the former ballpark food vendor in question, on his Cracker Jack prize preference.
• Berg and host Dan Pashman take a deep dive into the classic ballpark food, aka the food with the greatest product placement in American history via “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
• My take: Cracker Jack is awful.

7) “It’s somehow the right combination of pretty colors and Minecraft and shooting strangers.”

Listen: Culture Gabfest: Fortnite Kegel Storm Edition (26:40)

• So says Dawnthea Price, summarizing the appeal of the game-of-the-summer, Fortnite.

• My take: She’s on the money. Except she forgot the emotes.

Go Deep

1) The American Revolution

Listen: American History Tellers

• Best-selling author Russell Shorto wrote this six-part series on the American Revolution, as told through the eyes of six individuals.
• Binge time: 3 hours, 59 minutes

2) Financial Corruption in the Trump Administration

Listen: The Ezra Klein Show, Trump, Inc.

• Take two excellent deep dives into the financial shenanigans of President Trump and Paul Manafort.
• Klein goes 1 hour, 2 minutes with The New Yorker’s Adam Davidson about the latter’s investigative work surrounding the Trump Organization.
• Trump, Inc. dissects the Manafort trial.

3) “Die Hard”

Listen: The Rewatchables

• The Ringer goes deep into the Nakatomi Tower with John McClane and Hans Gruber.
• Binge time: 1 hour, 27 minutes

4) “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”

Listen: Binge Mode

• Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion continue their summer of Harry Potter immersion with a five-part deep dive into the fourth book in J.K. Rowling’s series.
• Binge time: 6 hours, 59 minutes

Guest Appearances By…

Barnett, Courtney Celebration Rock, All Songs Considered

• Witty musician talks about life on the road, her new album.

Branum, Guy The Gist with Mike Pesca

Bridgers, Phoebe Sound Opinions

Butterfield, Stewart How I Built This with Guy Raz

• Convo with the founder of Slack and Flickr.

Case, Neko Song Exploder

• Singer/songwriter breaks down her tune “Last Lion of Albion.”

Clarkson, Patricia I Think You’re Interesting

de Botton, Alain On Being

Favreau, Jon Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Francesa, Mike The Bill Simmons Podcast

Friedlander, Judah Fake the Nation

Gilligan, Vince Remote Controlled

• Convo with the executive producer of “Better Call Saul.”

Green, Seth Inside of You

Harbour, David Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard

Hill, Jemele The Moment with Brian Koppelman

Hirway, Hrishikesh Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

• Convo with Song Exploder host about songcraft, Solange.

Holmes, Dave R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: Me?

Hughley, D.L. It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

Kilgariff, Karen The Soft Spot

• Co-host of My Favorite Murder talks Champagne, old timey music.

Kunis, Mila WTF with Marc Maron

Lee, Spike Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin

Lords, Traci The Adam Carolla Show

Marr, Johnny This Must Be the Gig

• Convo with the guitar legend about superstitions, his new album.

Milonakis, Andy Curious with Josh Peck

Nance, Terence Fast Company’s Creative Conversation

Newman, Randy Bullseye

Odenkirk, Bob Remote Controlled

Riggle, Rob The Adam Carolla Show

Sepinwall, Alan The PosCast

• TV critic guests to talk about “the best minor television characters of all time.”

Shlesinger, Iliza WTF with Marc Maron

Timberlake, Justin Oprah’s Master Class

Ventimiglia, Milo Remote Controlled

Waka Flocka Men in Blazers

Whelan, Melanie Skimm’d From the Couch

• SoulCycle’s CEO talks community, branding.

Wilson, Casey Comedy Bang! Bang!

Youssef, Bassem Pod Save the World

Notable New Podcasts

1) I, Survivor

• Jenna Brister and Wagatwe Wanjuk tell the stories of “men and women who fought back, who won, and who live rising above the trauma of their experiences.”

2) The Alice Fraser Trilogy

• The Australian comic delivers a comedy pod “about things that are actually sad.” She says, “They’re expecting a comedy show, and what I have to offer is maybe not that.”

3) The Girls: Find Sadie

• The fictional true crime podcast about a missing girl in the style of Serial that doubles as promotion for the YA novel “Sadie.”

4) Offended: The Musical

• Barstool Sports adds a new pod, with Rone and Francis improvising “songs, stories, and scenes delivered straight from their imagination.”

5) The Substack Podcast

• New pod from the writer-friendly newsletter publishing service features “conversations with writers who have earned their independence.”

6) Election 2000: Over/Time

• The pod takes a neat angle on the over-dissected 2000 presidential chaos. “Photographers Callie Shell and David Hume Kennerly reveal exclusive behind the scenes moments and the stories behind their photographs” during the 37-day recount.

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