In the last two years, I have become obsessed with podcasts. I’ve curated subscriptions to nearly a hundred different podcasts, but most of my favorites are either book or history related. Here are five of my favorite podcasts for all things bookish.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week!

What are your favorite podcasts?

1. What Should I Read Next by Anne Bogel

This is a no brainer, and I’m sure you’re all too familiar with this one. Anne from Modern Mrs. Darcy is a whiz when it comes to book suggestions. She’ll analyze each of her guest’s reading picks and break down their ulterior motives for reading – her technique is truly akin to book therapy if there were such a thing. If you’re struggling to find a good read, her show is good place to start!

2. Slate’s Audio Book Club by Slate Magazine

The Audio Book Club has been one of my favorites for a while. If you’re looking for a more formal review on a specific book, this might be a good place to look. I don’t always agree with their readings, but that’s why I like it. They often have several guests on the panel so there’s a wide range in view points on any given subject – offering a unique perspective on the novel at hand. I particularly enjoyed their discussion on Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See.

3. The 12th Story by The Mercantile Library

The Mercantile Library was founded in 1835 in Cincinnati, Ohio and is still maintaining a massive collection of historic texts. As part of their public outreach and library events, the Mercantile started The 12th Story podcast, and I’m so glad they did! One of my favorite episodes recently was on City On Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg.

4. Overdue by Andrew Cunningham and Craig

The Overdue podcast updates every Monday with a new discussion on a book they’ve recently read, from classic literature to contemporary novels to the obscure and outlandish, they cover it all. They always give a little back story on the author and a sometimes quick summary of the novel, and then, they get down to the good stuff. It’s pretty hard to pick a favorite episode, but if I had to choose, I guess it would be their discussion on The Martian by Andy Weir. But warning, fans of J.R.R. Tolkien might not want to listen to their episodes on LOTR.

Also, Overdue is supported by the Headgum network formed by Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld. If you haven’t heard of it, check it out. They have some great podcasts, such as The Gilmore Guys and That Was Us.

5. History Extra Podcast by BBC History Magazine

Okay, so this isn’t necessarily about books, but each episode they interview a historian on a new book they’ve recently published. So for all lovers of history, this is an excellent resource to vamp of your non-fiction TBR list. Last year they interviewed Helen Castor on her new biography Joan of Arc: A History. It read like a novel and presented a new direction in studying Joan of Arc’s life – since not much is really known about her, Castor delves into the Hundred Years War in a way that truly brings her story to life. Her interview reveals a great passion for her subjects and it is equally matched by her writing.

What are your favorite bookish podcasts?