Best Peculiar Book Club Podcasts (2025)

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You'll wonder what we're on when we talk to Sam Kelly and Human History on Drugs 28:39

6d ago28:39

28:39

A lively, hilarious, and entirely truthful look at the druggie side of history’s most famous figures, including Shakespeare, George Washington, the Beatles, and more Did you know that Alexander the Great was a sloppy drunk and William Shakespeare was a stoner? Or how about the fact that Steve Jobs believed taking LSD helped him create the Apple com…

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What Have We Got in our POCKETSES? Find out with Hannah Carlson! 1:03:01

6d ago1:03:01

1:03:01

Featured : HANNAH CARLSON, Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close Okay, million dollar question: Who gets pockets, and why? It is definitely peculiar and frankly, I have a lot of questions. Why do men’s clothes have so many pockets and women’s so few? And why are the pockets on women’s clothes often too small to fit phones, if the…

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We're using our outer voice to tell you about Elizabeth Greenwood and Everyday Intuition 29:52

23d ago29:52

29:52

A captivating and insightful deep dive into the world of human intuition, exploring the power of this elusive phenomenon and how it can be harnessed to better know and trust ourselves.We rely on our intuition, even though we don’t fully understand what it is, how it works, or if we can even trust it. In this fresh, mind-opening book, Elizabeth Gree…

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It's the perfect Match with Aisha Saed and The Matchmaker (Peculiar Mystery Club) 19:55

30d ago19:55

19:55

A society matchmaker realizes she’s in danger when her clients' weddings are sabotaged in increasingly disturbing ways—an utterly original mystery from New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed.Nura Khan is a third-generation matchmaker in Atlanta and business has never been better. Her exclusive clientele benefits from her impeccable track rec…

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We'll bring you some relief with Tom Zeller and The Headache 30:34

1M ago30:34

30:34

"Required reading for anyone with a head."—Mary Roach, New York Times bestselling author of Stiff and Fuzz"Absorbing, incisive. . . Zeller captures the profound human and scientific costs of medicine's neglect of these common conditions that affect millions of people—especially women—and points the way toward a more hopeful future."—Maya Dusenbery,…

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We promise we've scripted nothing with Matthew Goldman and The Murder Show 25:26

1M ago25:26

25:26

The Murder Show is a pulse-racing novel about secrets, old friends, and how the past never leaves us by New York Times bestselling and Emmy Award winning author Matt Goldman!Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with The Murder Show, a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for th…

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We have a sense you'll like this conversation with Sam Kean and Dinner with King Tut 25:47

2M ago25:47

25:47

From “one of America’s smartest and most charming writers” (NPR), an archaeological romp through the entire history of humankind—and through all five senses—from tropical Polynesian islands to forbidding arctic ice floes, and everywhere in between.Whether it’s the mighty pyramids of Egypt or the majestic temples of Mexico, we have a good idea of wh…

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We're Fighting Disinformation with Annalee Newitz and STORIES ARE WEAPONS 1:04:57

2M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Featured : ANNALEE NEWITZ, Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American MindJoining us for a second time, Annalee Newitz, best-selling author of Four Lost Cities, returns with a critical look at NOW—and the way Stories have become WEAPONS. How have disinformation, propaganda, and violent threats—the essential tool kit for psychologic…

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You'll really dig our conversation with Elle Cosimano and Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave 23:56

2M ago23:56

23:56

From New York Times bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave—the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet . . . but at least there's not a body in her backyard. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyschillace.com/p…

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Fight for Science and Transgender Rights with Brandy Schillace! 1:18:34

2M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Featured : BRANDY SCHILLACE, The Intermediaries: A Weimar StoryIt’s me! Bringing you the fascinating history of a daring team of sexologists who built the first trans clinic in the shadow of the Third Reich. Set in interwar Germany, The Intermediaries tells the forgotten story of The Institute for Sexual Science, the world’s first center for homose…

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You're in the club with Christopher Yates and The Rabbit Club (Peculiar Mystery Club) 25:20

2M ago25:20

25:20

The author of Black Chalk, "the smart summer thriller you've been waiting for" (NPR), returns with a mesmerizing new novel about a dangerous secret society at Oxford University, and the first-year Literature student whose life begins to unravel in its shadow.When Ali McCain, an eighteen-year-old from Los Angeles, is accepted at Oxford, it’s a chanc…

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The summit is in sight with Sherpa (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:08:03

2M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Tap Dancing on Everest, we are reviewing our first documentary Sherpa. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this real life tragedy. We'll discuss the themes of…

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We're shuffling the deck with Krisit Belcamino and Queen of Spades (Peculiar Mystery Club) 21:45

3M ago21:45

21:45

From the dark underbelly of Sicily's Mafia to the heart-pounding streets of America, Eva Santella's tale is one of betrayal, vengeance, and an unquenchable thirst for justice.Once a fearless Mafia boss, Eva's world shattered when rival Sicilian families betrayed her. With a bounty on her head, she fled to America, seeking refuge in shadows and anon…

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It's Time to Get Your Dancing Shoes (and Climbing Gear?) with Mimi Zieman 1:03:39

3M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

Featured : MIMI ZIEMAN, Tap Dancing on EverestWe humans are a risky bunch. It seems part of our make-up, or at least the make up of one small expedition of four climbers. Their mission: attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, summitted only once before. That’s not all, thou…

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It's a long way down with Matthew Gavin Frank and Submersed 22:57

3M ago22:57

22:57

An exquisite, lyrical foray into the world of deep-sea divers, the obsession and madness that oceans inspire in us, and the story of submarine inventor Peter Madsen's murder of journalist Kim Wall—a captivating blend of literary prose, science writing, and true crime. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyschillace.com/peculiar/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsle…

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Come Dig Up Some Flora-Fossils with Riley Black and Bethany Brookshire 1:11:36

4M ago1:11:36

1:11:36

Featured: RILEY BLACK, When the Earth Was Green: Plants, Animals, and Evolution's Greatest RomanceA favorite author returns! Once again featuring the marvelous Riley Black, author of The Last Days of the Dinosaurs, whose latest book takes a long look at prehistoric plants! It’s so rare that we see this type of book, one that gives us the actual lan…

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We're all a buzz about The Fly (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:12:01

4M ago1:12:01

1:12:01

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Humans: a Monstrous History, we are reviewing the classic monster movie from 1986 The Fly. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this body horror classic. We'll…

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We're giving credit where credit is due with Allison Tyra and Uncredited 26:05

4M ago26:05

26:05

Uncredited proves that not only have there been hundreds of ground-breaking women in all professions, but that their accomplishments have been overlooked, denigrated, or downright repressed by their male colleagues or historians. Uncredited explores why women have not been properly acknowledged for their accomplishments, both historically and today…

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There are Monsters Among Us with Surekha Davies and HUMANS 1:03:44

4M ago1:03:44

1:03:44

Featuring : SUREKHA DAVIES, Humans: A Monstrous HistoryGuess what? We are featuring one of our own! Surekha Davis, long time peculiar, debuts a book on monsters. I mean on humans. Well. I mean both. Why do humans make monsters, and what do monsters tell us about humanity? Davies reveals how people have defined the human in relation to everything fr…

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We've got a long climb with Chuck Wendig and The Staircase in the Woods (Peculiar Mystery Club) 26:03

4M ago26:03

26:03

A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents. Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://brandyschillace.com/peculiar/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://eepurl.com/ixJJ2Y⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https…

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We're making a splash with Free Willy (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:16:14

5M ago1:16:14

1:16:14

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The Killer Whale Journals, we are reviewing a movie from our childhoods, 1993's Free Willy. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this childhood favorite. We'll…

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We're having a sobering discussion with Abbi Waxman and One Death at a Time (Peculiar Mystery Club) 23:30

5M ago23:30

23:30

When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager t…

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Join Us for a "Killer" Show about WHALES! We're on the Seas with Hanne Strager 1:04:23

5M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

Featuring : HANNE STRAGER, The Killer Whale Journals: Our Love and Fear of OrcasORCA! It’s about time one of our Book Club shows featured these fascinating animals! When Hanne Strager, then an intrepid biology student, volunteered to be the cook on a small research vessel in Norway's Lofoten Islands, she couldn’t know the trip would launch a decade…

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We'll All Be Faithful Unto DEATH with Paul Koudounaris 1:17:13

6M ago1:17:13

1:17:13

Featuring : PAUL KOUDOUNARIS, Faithful unto Death: Pet cemeteries, animal graves, and eternal devotionWhen a little dog named Cherry died in 1881, his owners arranged for a grave in a nearby gatekeeper's garden in London. At this time, the idea that a pet, even one that had lived as a family member, might be given a dignified burial was considered …

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We'll bring the road trip snacks with Sarah Kendzior and The Last American Road Trip 29:29

6M ago29:29

29:29

The New York Times bestselling author of They Knew, Hiding in Plain Sight, and The View from Flyover Country navigates a changing America as she and her family embark on a series of road trips, in a book that is part memoir, part history, and wholly unique. It is one thing to study the fall of democracy, another to have it hit your homeland -- and …

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You're Getting a BRAND NEW appreciation for the Female Body with Cat Bohannon and Eve 1:09:42

6M ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Featuring : CAT BOHANNON, Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human EvolutionYou loved Rachel Gross’s VAGINA OBSCURA? Of course you did. Then you MUST join us for this myth-busting, eye-opening landmark account of how humans evolved—answering questions like what IS the female body? How did it come to be? How does this evolution stil…

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We're Killing it with Deanna Raybourn and Kills Well with Others (Peculiar Mystery Club) 27:58

6M ago27:58

27:58

“Much like fine wine, battle-hardened assassins grow better with age.” #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner Four women assassins, senior in status—and in age—sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation Killers of a Certain Age. After more than a year of la…

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We will seek out new life with Star Trek: The Next Generation (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:19:50

6M ago1:19:50

1:19:50

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The Possibility of Life, we are stepping away from the movie world and into the TV world with 3 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. They are: season 3 episode 2 "The Ensigns of Co…

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Slow down, take a breath with Carl Zimmer and Air-Borne 32:14

6M ago32:14

32:14

The fascinating, untold story of the air we breathe, the hidden life it contains, and invisible dangers that can turn the world upside down Every day we draw in two thousand gallons of air—and thousands of living things. From the ground to the stratosphere, the air teems with invisible life. This last great biological frontier remains so mysterious…

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We'll Discover the Possibility of LIFE with Jaime Green! 1:05:49

6M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Featuring:JAIME GREEN, The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the CosmosOne of the most powerful questions humans ask about the cosmos is: Are we alone? While the science behind this inquiry is fascinating, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is a reflection of our values, our fears, and most importantly, our endur…

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We'll have you believing in Lydia Kang and Pseudoscience 32:48

7M ago32:48

32:48

From the authors of Quackery, a visual and narrative history of popular ideas, phenomena, and widely held beliefs disproven by science. From the easily disproved to the wildly speculative, to straight-up hucksterism, Pseudoscience is a romp through much more than bad science—it’s a light-hearted look into why we insist on believing in things such a…

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Our minds and bodies will be linked with Pamela Ryckan and Candace Pert 1:07:24

7M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

I loved this book so much that I wrote the Wall Street Journal review for it! It’s an absolutely madcap and unexpected take on history I thought I knew… But I hadn’t yet encountered Candace Pert. This amazing scientist stood at the dawn of three revolutions: the opioid crisis, the AIDS crisis, and the mind-body movement. A troubled genius, beleague…

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We've got the optics on The Invisible Man (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:09:12

7M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Invisibility, we are doing the 2020 reboot of The Invisible Man. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this inventive horror/thriller. We'll discuss the themes …

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You might struggle to see us with Gregory Gbur and Invisibility 1:03:16

8M ago1:03:16

1:03:16

It’s like that Monty Python Sketch… There are good reasons to know how not to be seen, and Gregory Gbur is ready to tell us all about the SCIENCE. Come now, you say, it isn’t really possible to be made invisible! Or is it? You’ll be surprised! In this book, science writer and optical physicist Gregory J. Gbur traces the science of invisibility from…

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We've got some real bite with Interview with the Vampire (Peculiar Movie Club) 55:35

8M ago55:35

55:35

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Bite, we are doing the 1994 horror/romance film Interview with the Vampire Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this 90's classic. We'll discuss the themes of …