Best C Mann Podcasts (2025)

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1424: White Hot Star by W. Todd Kaneko 5:49

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9h ago5:49

5:49

Today’s poem is White Hot Star by W. Todd Kaneko. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem is about fathers and sons, and about loss. It is also about the small, shining parts of our lives that survive us and get passed down to the next generation.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowd…

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1423: Puzzle by Randall Mann 6:07

1d ago6:07

6:07

Today’s poem is Puzzle by Randall Mann. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem is a kind of mirror: the second half matches the first, in reverse. As I was reading The People’s Project submissions from contributors, I felt strongly that this poem should come last, closing the book. Perhaps, when you …

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1422: Dear Delinquent by Ann Townsend 5:42

2d ago5:42

5:42

Today’s poem is Dear Delinquent by Ann Townsend. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “It’s exciting to know that I can dive deep into another human being and never touch bottom. I will never know everything there is to know. If I’m lucky, I’ll get to spend many years with the people I love, learning as much as …

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#484 AI Impact: The Future of Humanity and the Machines | Tony Hughes 44:54

5d ago44:54

44:54

3 big ideas discussed in this episode: BIG IDEA #1: Machine intelligence is changing everything in ways we do not fully understand. BIG IDEA #2: We must become 'a little cyborg' in order to thrive in the 'intelligence revolution' BIG IDEA #3: How can we make AI safe amidst the crazy race by governments and big-tech? Get the show notes for this epis…

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1421: My 1994 by Stephanie Burt 5:52

5d ago5:52

5:52

Today’s poem is My 1994 by Stephanie Burt. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “In 1994 I was seventeen: my daughter’s age! I remember that as a time when I was trying to figure out who I was. But to some degree we’re always trying to figure that out, aren’t we?” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The …

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Happy holidays, and join our free 5-day No-B.S. Health Reset! 4:07

1h ago4:07

4:07

Thank you so much for tuning in to this show! A short holiday message from me, and an invitation to join something exciting: The 5-Day No-B.S. Health Reset, which runs from January 4-8, 2026. Sustainable change comes from small behaviours, not January shame spirals. Learn more and reserve your spot at karinainkster.com/reset.…

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1420: Losing the Band by Ashley D. Escobar 5:52

6d ago5:52

5:52

Today’s poem is Losing the Band by Ashley D. Escobar. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “It’s Christmas, and though I’ll see a lot of people I love today, I won’t see everyone I love. That’s the thing about traditions. They put us in certain places with certain people, and we’re lucky for that, but only so ma…

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1419: Ladies' Arm Wrestling Match at the Blue Moon Diner by Jenny Johnson 5:44

7d ago5:44

5:44

Today’s poem is Ladies' Arm Wrestling Match at the Blue Moon Diner by Jenny Johnson. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem begins with a little advice that made me smile because of its sauciness, and the poem unfolds into such a rich, detailed portrait — not a portrait of a lady, but of ladies, shed…

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NBSV 212: Vystopia: the anguish of being vegan in a non-vegan world, with psychologist and author Clare Mann 54:13

6d ago54:13

54:13

Vystopia is the profound anguish many ethical vegans experience when living in a non-vegan world. Clare Mann explains why this response is normal rather than pathological, how the burden of knowing affects mental health, and why vegans are often misunderstood by families, professionals, and society at large. We explore compassion fatigue, burnout, …

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1418: Whitetail in the Rain Moving About by Melissa Ginsburg 5:35

8d ago5:35

5:35

Today’s poem is Whitetail in the Rain Moving About by Melissa Ginsburg. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem moves quietly and deliberately, the way a cautious deer might walk from the shelter of the woods into a clearing. I love the sounds of this poem, and its pacing.” Celebrate the power of poem…

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1417: My Mother's Love by James Allen Hall 6:19

9d ago6:19

6:19

Today’s poem is My Mother's Love by James Allen Hall. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem is a testament to a mother’s love and courage and fierce protection. Maybe the real measure of a person is what they do for people — or creatures — who cannot do anything for them in return. Love is not trans…

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(8 min summary) The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan 8:26

5d ago8:26

8:26

Send us a text John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come, a profound Christian allegory written in the form of a dream vision, was composed primarily during the author's imprisonment in Bedford jail from 1660 to 1672 (with possible completion in a later shorter stint around 1675) for refusing to cease unlicensed…

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Bonus Episode: Maggie Smith on This Old House Radio Hour 7:48

11d ago7:48

7:48

Today, we have a bonus episode for you: an excerpt of This Old House Radio Hour, featuring our very own Maggie Smith. She takes listeners inside the 100-year-old house that has carried her family through every chapter. If you’d like to hear more of “This Old House Radio Hour,” you can listen to past episodes at thisoldhouse.com/radiohour and follow…

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1416: Nursery by Kiki Petrosino 6:35

8d ago6:35

6:35

Today’s poem is Nursery by Kiki Petrosino. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem draws on the language of fairy tales and the strange, sometimes inexplicable things that happen in these stories. After all, strange, sometimes inexplicable things happen in life, too.” Celebrate the power of poems with…

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1415: Elephants Born Without Tusks by Alison C. Rollins 7:04

13d ago7:04

7:04

Today’s poem is Elephants Born Without Tusks by Allison C. Rollins. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “It’s one thing to think about animals that have evolved to adapt to their habitats: maybe they are camouflaged from predators, or they develop physical traits to help them withstand the elements. But what ab…

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1414: This dark is the same dark as when you close by R.A. Villanueva 5:41

14d ago5:41

5:41

Today’s poem is by R.A. Villanueva. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem is one about parents and children, bedtime fears, and the ways we communicate love and safety. It references a lyric from a song I love: ‘Not Strong Enough’ by the band boygenius.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to T…

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1413: On Proliferation by Cass Donish 6:37

15d ago6:37

6:37

Today’s poem is On Proliferation by Cass Donish. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “As a poet, I think one of my personal stages of grief is writing. When I experience deep loss, there is a part of me that needs to try to articulate that loss. I wouldn’t say that writing about loss is healing; writing doesn’t…

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1412: Ledge (ars poetica) (love poem) (true story) by Amorak Huey 5:43

16d ago5:43

5:43

Today’s poem is Ledge (ars poetica) (love poem) (true story) by Amorak Huey. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem calls itself an ars poetica, a love poem, and a true story. That’s a lot of work for one poem to do—a lot of layers of meaning! But this poet does speak to the precarity of it all: writ…

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S22,E11: 12/15/25 (FINALE! Reverend Baron, Cheekface, Charlie Hilton, Nation of Language, Billie Marten, Tame Impala, Chinless Wonder, Morgan Nagler) 52:33

17d ago52:33

52:33

SEASON 22 FINALE! Season 22 Episode 11: December 15th, 2025 Again and Again - Reverend Baron Flies - Cheekface Content Baby - Cheekface Exorcise - Charlie Hilton Illusion of a Door - Charlie Hilton In Another Life - Nation of Language Inept Apollo - Nation of Language Crown - Billie Marten Swing - Billie Marten My Old Ways - Tame Impala Dracula - T…

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[encore] 1376: Laura, I Want You Pulling Your Hair Back by Natalie Dunn 5:52

19d ago5:52

5:52

Today’s poem is Laura, I Want You Pulling Your Hair Back by Natalie Dunn. The Slowdown is taking a week to return to some of our favorite episodes from Maggie’s tenure so far. We’ll be back on Monday, December 15 with new episodes. Today’s episode was originally released on October 17, 2025. In this episode, Maggie writes… A big part of loving some…

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[encore] 1343: /’mīgrent/ by Tiana Nobile 6:14

20d ago6:14

6:14

Today’s poem is /’mīgrent/ by Tiana Nobile. The Slowdown is taking a week to return to some of our favorite episodes from Maggie’s tenure so far. We’ll be back on Monday, December 15 with new episodes. Today’s episode was originally released on September 2, 2025. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem looks at the word migrant and its meanin…

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#483 How to Raise Resilient Kids even if you have a High Conflict or Toxic Co-parent | Tamara Chomiak 19:39

21d ago19:39

19:39

3 big ideas discussed in this episode: BIG IDEA #1: There is a GAP in the Systems: Most advice after divorce assumes both parents want peace, but with a toxic or high-conflict ex, there is One parent thrives on Chaos. This gap in the system leaves kids vulnerable to invisible emotional harm unless the healthy parent learns how to shield them. Leadi…

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[encore] 1368: Do You Consider Writing to be Therapeutic? by Andrew Grace 5:29

21d ago5:29

5:29

Today’s poem is Do You Consider Writing to be Therapeutic? by Andrew Grace. The Slowdown is taking a week to return to some of our favorite episodes from Maggie’s tenure so far. We’ll be back on Monday, December 15 with new episodes. Today’s episode was originally released on October 7, 2025. In this episode, Maggie writes… “The next time I’m asked…

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NBSV 211: Strength at 72 — Vegan powerlifting nun Pat Farrell and Coach Katya Gorbacheva 44:33

16d ago44:33

44:33

At 72, Pat Farrell is turning heads in the powerlifting world. Pat is a Dominican sister, a longtime advocate for social justice, and a dedicated vegan who has recently taken the strength community by storm. She joins me to share her journey into competitive powerlifting, her rapid progress in training, and what it feels like to become known as the…

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[encore] 1332: Tea by Leila Chatti 6:03

22d ago6:03

6:03

Today’s poem is Tea by Leila Chatti. The Slowdown is taking a week to return to some of our favorite episodes from Maggie’s tenure so far. We’ll be back on Monday, December 15 with new episodes. Today’s episode was originally released on August 18, 2025. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Maybe the ultimate self care is learning to give yourself the …

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1364: Hiking Moraine State Park by Violeta Garcia-Mendoza 5:43

23d ago5:43

5:43

Today’s poem is Hiking Moraine State Park by Violeta Garcia-Mendoza. The Slowdown is taking a week to return to some of our favorite episodes from Maggie’s tenure so far. We’ll be back on Monday, December 15 with new episodes. Today’s episode was originally released on October 1, 2025. In this episode, Maggie writes… “A big part of loving someone, …

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(9 min summary) A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 8:57

20d ago8:57

8:57

Send us a text Charles Dickens wrote and published A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas in December 1843, completing the manuscript in just six weeks. Prompted by urgent financial pressure and a deep anger at the widespread poverty he had recently witnessed (especially among children working in tin mines and the London poor)…

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1411: Amalgam by Rebecca Foust 6:50

26d ago6:50

6:50

Today’s poem is Amalgam by Rebecca Foust. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I have a hard time not using metaphors and analogies in everyday conversation. My kids sometimes tease me about it: “Look out, the poet has entered the chat!” my son recently laughed. Maybe it is a poet thing, but I think we all natu…

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1410: Go by Kathleen Ossip 6:17

27d ago6:17

6:17

Today’s poem is Go by Kathleen Ossip. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Other poems are like strands of pearls, long and lustrous and nearly impossible to gather into your hands all at once.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today. Every donation makes a difference: https://tinyurl.co…

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1409: Sal, 1950 by Paula Colangelo 5:45

28d ago5:45

5:45

Today’s poem is Sal, 1950 by Paula Colangelo. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem explores PTSD as experienced by a POW, or prisoner of war. I admire this poem for the way it speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. I sometimes find myself in awe of what humans can survive, and what trauma su…

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1408: Noah's Nameless Wife Takes Inventory by C.T. Salazar 6:15

29d ago6:15

6:15

Today’s poem is Noah's Nameless Wife Takes Inventory by C.T. Salazar. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “In many of the stories I grew up with, the men are named but their wives and daughters are not. That makes it pretty clear who the main characters are, doesn’t it? For example, in the story of Noah’s Ark, …

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1407: At the Base of the Mountain by Amanda Hawkins 6:53

1M ago6:53

6:53

Today’s poem is At the Base of the Mountain by Amanda Hawkins. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I’m not a religious person, but I think everyone has places that are sacred to them—places we might return to as pilgrims, as seekers. I think of how people visit the graves of their ancestors, or the places wher…

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S22,E10: 12/01/25 (XMAS! Fran Alexandre, Marissa Nadler, Hidden Cameras, Remington Super 60, Bleachers, Pelts, Yearning, Daniel Zott, Freedom Fry, Dean & Britta, Holly Macve, Sy Mann, Trapp Family Singers ... 54:45

1M ago54:45

54:45

SPECIAL "CHRISTMAS MUSIC 2025" EPISODE! Season 22 Episode 10 Christmas Everywhere - Fran Alexandre All Love Must Die - Marissa Nadler The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - The Hidden Cameras A Folksy Christmas Song - Remington Super 60 Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call - Bleachers Merry Christmas from North California - Pelts I Just Wanna Hold You…

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1406: Paperweight by Ryan Teitman 6:53

1M ago6:53

6:53

Today’s poem is Paperweight by Ryan Teitman. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem charmed me immediately with its imagination and its restraint. It’s a poem that makes me ask, “What if?” It’s also a poem I want to read again as soon as I finish it.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The S…

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1405: Entry by Chet'la Sebree 6:22

1M ago6:22

6:22

Today’s poem is Entry by Chet'la Sebree. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “It's human nature to want to know for oneself, not only to trust in the knowledge of others. It’s human nature to want to make decisions for oneself, not only to trust in the decisions of others. It’s human nature to want to see for o…

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1404: Before Lunar New Year, Our Mothers Go Missing by Uyen Phuong Dang 5:54

1M ago5:54

5:54

Today’s poem is Before Lunar New Year, Our Mothers Go Missing by Uyen Phuong Dang. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem references the Lunar New Year, which happens in February, but it’s a timeless, seasonless poem. It has me thinking about the relationship between mothers and daughters, and betwee…

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NBSV 210: Minimal time, maximum strength — Coach Matt Taylor on training that fits your life 55:02

1M ago55:02

55:02

In this episode, I'm joined by strength coach Matt Taylor to talk about what it really takes to get stronger when life is busy. We dig into the concept of bare-ass minimums: the essential actions that keep you progressing even during chaotic weeks—and how to build a training routine that fits into real life. Matt shares how he coaches lifters to ma…

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1403: Echo by Pura López-Colomé, translated by Forrest Gander 6:54

1M ago6:54

6:54

Today’s poem is Echo by Pura López-Colomé, translated by Forrest Gander. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I also think that all literature is translation, in a sense. We are taking what is in our minds and translating that into language—and that’s true in any language. I think there is always a gap between …

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1402: Gloria Mundi by Michael Kleber-Diggs 5:33

1M ago5:33

5:33

Today’s poem is Gloria Mundi by Michael Kleber-Diggs. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “I have sort of an odd confession: I have a funeral playlist—a list of songs I want played at whatever my memorial service turns out to be. Occasionally I add to it, and now and then I remove songs once they’ve lost their …

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1401: LeaveTaking by Rita Dove 7:03

1M ago7:03

7:03

Today’s poem is LeaveTaking by Rita Dove. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “Today’s poem dreams its way into an imagined scenario: finding oneself on this planet, an alien, a stranger, and doing one’s best to be seen as belonging, so as to stay.” Celebrate the power of poems with a gift to The Slowdown today…

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(9 min summary) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 8:39

1M ago8:39

8:39

Send us a text Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, first published in 1818 when the author was only nineteen, emerged from a famous ghost-story challenge issued during a rainy summer in 1816 at the Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva, where Shelley, her lover (later husband) Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori spent n…

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1400: The Eulogy I Didn’t Give (I) by Bob Hicok 5:27

1M ago5:27

5:27

Today’s poem is The Eulogy I Didn’t Give (I) by Bob Hicok. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes … “I’m here, and you’re here, so I’d call us “poetry people.” But even people who don’t think of themselves as “poetry people,” people who don’t spend time with poetry each day, do turn to poems when they’re grieving o…

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1399: Alarm Clock by Jennifer Maier 5:57

1M ago5:57

5:57

Today’s poem is Alarm Clock by Jennifer Maier. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes … “When I travel away from my kids, I have to coordinate our calls, which means demystifying the difference between my time and their time. “I’m three hours behind you in California” or “I’m seven hours ahead of you in Greece.” Al…

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1398: A dead whale can feed an entire ecosystem by Rachel Dillon 5:43

1M ago5:43

5:43

Today’s poem is A dead whale can feed an entire ecosystem by Rachel Dillon. The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Maggie writes… “To ask, “What can a poem do to help?” is to gesture toward a bigger question: “What can art do?” What can literature, or music, or film, or performance, or visual art do for us, particularly when we …