Terrible, Thanks for Asking
One of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: My favorite podcast discovery of 2021 is Terrible, Thanks for Asking by hosted by Nora McInerny. This episode, Fairplay at Home, is the first in a series that Nora did to start a converation on the care crisis in America today. First up, the topic of how women are leaving the workforce in staggering numbers, buckling under the pressure of managing the responsibilities of the household on top of their work. The guest is Eve Rodsky and what follows is a reexamination of what it means to value care and time in your own household.
Sea Level Rise In Rhode Island, Dave Prescott
Two of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: The episode I am featuring here is one you don’t want to miss! It covers how the Ocean State will be a main stage for sea level rise in years to come. Save The Bay Coastkeeper David Prescott joins the show to discuss sea walls, the history of coastal development and the future of the Rhode Island shoreline. I look forward to meeting Prescott some day and ask him what retreat will look like for residents of South County, RI in the years and decades to come.
The Bold Flavors of Korea with Hooni Kim
Three of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: Milk Street Radio is an award winning hour long podcast with guests from the top of the food world hosted by Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton. In this episode Hooni Kim explains many of the foundations of Korean cuisine (including gochujang), how to make perfect rice, what 135-year-old soy sauce tastes like and why he loves making fermented soybean stew. Plus, you’ll hear the curious story behind America’s most prolific fruit inventor; Bianca Bosker combs through her grandma’s recipe cards; and you’ll learn how to make one of France’s easiest desserts.
Let’s Talk Aging with Jo Ann Allen
Four of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: Death, Sex and Money is an interview-style podcast hosted by Anna Sale that discusses the big questions “often left out of polite conversation.” This episode features the pubic radio broadcaster Jo Ann Allen of the podcast Been There Done That, which is all about the baby boom generation. Jo Ann is into older people (her words, not mine); this podcast dives deep into insightful conversations and topics that most might call “sticky”.
Anne Lamott, Loved & Chosen
Five of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: Life isn’t always bright and shiny, as Kate Bowler knows. Kate is a young mother, writer and professor who, at age 35, was suddenly diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. In warm, insightful, often funny conversations, Kate talks with people about what they’ve learned in dark times. Here is her conversation with author Anne Lamott, Loved & Chosen. Anne Lamott (born April 10, 1954) is an American novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a progressive political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher. … her voice is marked by her self-deprecating humor and total openness.
Clear & Vivid: Alan Alda & Dr. Fauci
Six of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: I’ve love Alan Alda. His character in MASH hinted at what I imagined my father’s life must have felt like as a physician serving in the Vietnam War. Alda is smart and bursting with curiosity. His podcast is a delight, and I listen to it regularly just to hear his voice and geek out on science topics. This episode, The Soldiers of Science is a lively conversation between him and Dr. Anthony Fauci, MD.
Finding Healing, The Summer of Healing
Seven of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: Summer is here. As we enter a new (and hopefully final) phase of the pandemic, Kelly Corrigan asks therapist Karen Moon about her takeaways from thousands of sessions with kids this past school year. Karen’s list of what this year has taken and given will help anyone who is ready to heal through listening. A good listen for anyone with college aged members of their families.
Amanda Gorman on Ted Talk Daily
Eight of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: For anyone who believes poetry is stuffy or elitist, Amanda Gorman — the youngest inaugural poet in US history — has some characteristically well-chosen words. Poetry is for everyone, she says, and at its core it’s all about connection and collaboration. In this fierce talk, she explains why poetry is inherently political, pays homage to her honorary ancestors and stresses the value of speaking out despite your fears.
Doube Date with Marlo Thomas & Phil Donahue
Nine of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue fell in love on live television and wed over 40 years ago. I grew up inspired by the show That Girl, and the aspirational dreams of a young woman focused on a career and independency rather than marriage as the singular pathway ahead. This episode eavesdrops as Marlo’s visit to the home of Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka. I’ve also enjoyed Phil and Marlo dipping into conversations with other famous long-marrieds for intimate conversations about love and all its challenges.
The Capitol Attack of 1861: History This Week
Ten of 10 Podcasts For Curious Minds 2021: February 13, 1861. The city of Washington DC is waiting. Bracing itself. For weeks, there have been threats that this day is going to get violent because pro-slavery voters feel the recently elected president, Abraham Lincoln, is a threat to their way of life. Today, Lincoln is supposed to be affirmed when the electoral votes are counted in the US Capitol building, but on the morning of the count, hundreds of anti-Lincoln rioters storm the building. Their goal: to stop the electoral count. What happened when a mob of anti-Lincoln rioters tried to take over the US Capitol? And how did American democracy handle the test? Hear guest Ted Widmer, distinguished lecturer at the Macaulay Honors College at CUNY and author of “Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington.”

Ann Manion at Charlestown Breachway
I’m Ann Manion, editor of Green Hill Rocks. I like Podcasts. I listen to them on long walks to the breachway, in my kitchen as I tackle a challening recipe, and also when faced with mundane tasks like cleaning a basement. I always learn something new, am entertained, and they help pass the time in a pleasing way.
There are so many podcasts to choose from and I am always on the hunt to discover new voices. If you have a favorite podcast(s), I would love to know about it!! Please drop me your suggestions at ann@greenhillrocks.com.