My Favorite Podcasts and Books of 2024

Check Out These Podcasts

Hard Fork
Hard Fork is a podcast that delves into the latest developments in technology, exploring how they shape our world. Each week, the hosts analyze current tech trends, offering insights into the innovations and issues that are transforming society.

In a recent episode, hosts Kevin Roose and Casey Newton examined the resurgence of prediction markets—platforms where individuals can wager on future events. They discussed the history of these markets, their association with the Rationalist movement, and their potential applications in various fields, including media. The conversation also touched on ethical considerations, such as the role of insider information in prediction markets.

Dateline NBC
Dateline NBC is a renowned true crime podcast that presents current and classic episodes from the television series, reimagined for audio listeners. Each episode offers in-depth investigations into real-life mysteries, combining compelling storytelling with meticulous journalism.

In the Dateline NBC podcast episode titled “Other Side of Paradise,” correspondent Keith Morrison investigates a cold case in Hawaii that remained unsolved for nearly a decade. The episode centers on a father’s unwavering quest to bring his daughter’s killer to justice, despite numerous challenges and setbacks.

Check Out These Books

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
My favorite book this year was Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. This memoir, told in McConaughey’s distinctive voice, is an inspiring journey through his life. It blends honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction. Part memoir, part self-help guide, Greenlights offers inspiration to pursue a life of authenticity.

Matthew reflects on his life experiences and imparts wisdom, urging readers to turn obstacles into opportunities. This is a book about how to catch more yeses in a world of nos and how to recognize when a no might actually be a yes. It’s all about catching greenlights and realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green.

– Lori Page, Director of Administration

 

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
Although it originally won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1967, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress remains a relevant and thought-provoking read. The book explores themes such as:

  • The nature of artificial intelligence and consciousness
  • Political revolution and self-determination
  • The relationship between technology and social change
  • Privatization of space (specifically the moon)

The story follows a penal lunar colony that, with the aid of a self-conscious AI, overthrows Earth’s control to become an independent state. The title reflects the harsh conditions of lunar life, both physically and metaphorically. Colonists must adapt to the moon’s low gravity and unforgiving environment, which shape their society and culture. I found it both a fun and thought-provoking read.

– Spencer Richman, President