Welcome back to Hear Here! This week has been a bit of a downer for me (not including the most excellent Penguin Day). My cat died for one thing (RIP Bosley-Ann) and I’ve been working with people who struggle needlessly because of ideology; it’s all made me very upset. So the next three podcasts are the ones that brought me the most comfort and happiness over the past seven days. Prepare yourself for some feels, people!
How do you solve a century of bloodshed in Colombia? – Global Development
Global Development is the single most understated podcast that the Guardian makes. Each month the team brings you a beautifully constructed and hugely informative episode, exploring the key issues affecting billions of people around the world. This isn’t observing from the comfort of our studios, this is on-location interviews with real people and real stories. This episode, though shorter than most, explores the peace process in Colombia.
I was particularly struck by the interview with Eamon Gilmore, the EU’s peace envoy, who worked on the peace process in Northern Ireland and is now helping Colombia. When asked why the rest of the the world should care about what’s happening there, he immediately says: “Because we all live in the same world,” as if it was obvious. This simple statement is so powerful. In the UK, we’ve become obsessed with division. Them and us. Saboteurs and patriots. Strivers and scroungers. It’s refreshing to hear someone easily talk of unity as the most clear and obvious reason to care for anyone or anything.
Stories of people working to unite communities, to protect and promote their homes, are truly beautiful things to listen to, and it’s a theme that weaves in and out of this podcast. Whether it be Feminism in Africa or Coming of Age in Cuba, this podcast will bring you an audible delight, full of feeling, fact, and fortune.
Griff’s Speech - Here Be Monsters
Adam Pollard got in touch to tell me all about this absolute gem of a podcast. Here Be Monsters is a community of radio producers, artists, and listeners who are interested in pursuing their fears and facing the unknown. And one episode in particular, Griff’s Speech, stood out for Adam:
As the self-employed parent of an increasingly wild toddler, my eight-minute commute to works represents a sizeable chunk of my ‘leisure time’. Sometimes, I prefer to sit to in silence and reflect upon the carnage that was breakfast. But more often than not, I’ll use those precious minutes spent sat in traffic to enjoy the latest instalment of my favourite Podcast: Here Be Monsters.
Last Friday, I was late to work. I hadn’t hit traffic. I hadn’t missed my alarm. In fact, I’d arrived a little earlier than normal. The truth is that I couldn’t leave my car. Not until the podcast had finished.
As a fellow parent, Griff’s ‘speech’ touched me in a way that no other podcast has for a very long time. Griff, son of producer and presenter Luke Eldridge, is a three-year-old boy, and in many ways, a typical one. But unlike other children of his age, Griff can’t talk. The developmental babbling of his early life hasn’t yet evolved into the coherent speech that’s commonplace within his peer group. In just 20 short minutes, Eldridge expertly captures the emotional turmoil, anxiety and pressure of life in an increasingly frustrating situation. The experts agree that things aren’t right. But what they can’t agree on is why.
My biggest take-out from this brilliant slice of podcast wasn’t the anguish of loving parents looking for answers; it wasn’t the demonstration of the lengths to which parents will go to support and nurture their little people. It was the undeniably beautiful relationship between Griff and his older, protective and astoundingly empathetic brother, Ira. So please, whether you’re a parent or not, take a listen for yourself. Meet Griff. You won’t regret it.”
On the Ledge
I love gardening. I mean really love it. I can process everything whist surrounded by real beauty. And while I’m lucky enough to have a big balcony where I can grow a lot, I’ve never quite managed to maintain any plants indoors. So imagine my delight when Leon van Eck emailed in to tell me about On the Ledge, the gardening podcast by the Guardian’s own Jane Perrone. This is what Leon had to say:
I’m one of the growing number of people who are as passionate about plants as we are obsessed with bringing them into our homes. Naturally, I hit the subscribe button the moment I discovered Jane Perrone’s new podcast about houseplants. On the Ledge is the perfect show for those who, like me, have no self-control at the garden centre, or who always find room for “just one more” on a crowded window sill. If you’ve ever given up on a recalcitrant orchid, or fretted over a shrivelling succulent, this is the podcast to turn to for judgment-free guidance on selecting and keeping houseplants.
Although there is plenty of talk about light, water and soil to ease all your plant cultivation anxieties, the podcast is so much more than just advice on ailing aspidistras and failing ferns. It’s about how our lives are improved by growing things, satisfying that strange desire to bring a curated piece of nature indoors.
Each episode takes a deep dive into an indoor gardening topic, from the Victorian origins of the terrarium to the culinary adventures made possible by growing your own microgreens. Perrone also chats to expert guests throughout the show. In episode two, historian Ethne Clarke examines the cultural significance of the Swiss cheese plant and how it came to be so closely associated with the mid-century modern design aesthetic.
In episode three, psychologist Craig Knight reveals the science behind why having a potted plant on your desk makes you more productive at work. By integrating fascinating stories about history, design and science into On the Ledge, Perrone has transformed her geeky gardening podcast into something unique and quite engrossing. I’m obsessively checking for new episodes, and so should you.”
That’s it for this week. If you’ve got a podcast that you love, send your recommendations to rowan.slaney@theguardian.com
