The Fascinating Podcast

Best-selling author Julianna Baggott returns to the show as we explore her trippy new short story collection, I'D REALLY PREFER NOT TO BE HERE WITH YOU. Why did she return to short fiction? What has …

Dr. Emily Friedman returns to the show. Last time (which was admittedly way too many years ago), she was an expert on the way history smells. Now she's become the premier public scholar on the burgeo…

Screenwriter Henry Gayden returns to the podcast to discuss his new film, SHAZAM!: Fury of the Gods. He takes us into the process of writing a superhero movie in a shared universe. How did that skitt…

This installment of the Fascinating Book Club welcomes science-fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky to discuss his new classic space opera series CHILDREN OF TIME. Adrian talks about his writing process…

It's March Madness and that means it's time for our super-sized Bracketology episode! What will win in this year's annual bracket? And, for that matter, who even are the contenders?! Listen up and br…

Author S. B. Divya returns to the show to unveil her latest novel MERU. While most of her work has been near-future, MERU is a far-futuristic space opera with giant humanoid mermaid space-fairies. Ho…

Your hosts review the Best Picture Nominees for the 2023 Oscars, then make predictions. Hey... you already know who won, so it's pure schadenfreude for you!

The new film COCAINE BEAR plays fast and loose with historical events for the sake of entertainment. In honor of the film, we turn to the Bible - what stories from scripture would make good (and loos…

A freak scheduling conflict has thrust our cohosts into the Quantum Realm. You know what that means - a Feral Hog update! Well... not JUST a hog update. Since time moves differently in the Quantum Re…

What's the difference between deconstruction and decolonization? Author and activist Tamice Spencer-Helms joins us to share insights from her new book FAITH UNLEAVENED. How did Tamice meet White Jesu…

The Bachelor turns 21 this year, so we take a deep dive into the world of reality dating. Our guide is reality TV show expert Nguhi Ross, who leads us through the highs and lows of Bachelor Nation. W…

Heather Radke joins us to talk about, well, butts. What is a butt, exactly? Why don't we have a proper term for it? And how did she come to write a whole book about them? We do a deep dive into the B…

Social Media platforms aren't agnostic; they have a particular purpose - one that's often invisible to casual users. Author Jason Pargin joins us to explore the implications of this reality. How do w…

Wakanda Forever is out and the response has been... mixed. This major Marvel release tries to tackle grief head-on. How does it do? Join us as we dive deep into this film and discuss what we loved an…

What is America's fascination with the macab? Author and professor Scott Poole returns to the show to take us into the Dark Carnivals of American Empire. And since we just had an election, we conside…

The US is running out of water. From Tuscon to Flint to Jacksonville, we don't have enough to drink. What does it mean that other countries are buying up our water rights? What is the role of faith i…

It's Halloween, so your Fascinating pals ruminate on what scares us, some of the best spooky movies and books for the season and more! You might want to grab a blanket and a mug of cider... thought t…

After three kids, Carolyn Hays and her husband figured their fourth would be a piece of cake. But almost immediately, their daughter proved to be transgender. A GIRLHOOD is Carolyn's memoir of raisin…

As the war in Ukraine rages on, Alex Shvartsman returns to the show to share his unique perspective on the conflict. Alex is Ukranian-American, and fluent in Russian, Ukranian and English. What does …

A recent deluge of new media - from A League of Their Own to She-Hulk to Little Mermaid have some folks angry that media is getting too woke. What does that even mean? And how should we be thinking a…