pplpod

pplpod

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends. Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

  1. 10 HR AGO

    Samuel Beckett: Resistance, Cricket, and the Theatre of the Absurd

    In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Samuel Beckett, the Irish novelist and playwright widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. We trace his journey from a cricket-playing youth in Dublin—becoming the only Nobel laureate to play first-class cricket—to his time in Paris as a confidant of James Joyce. Discover how a near-fatal stabbing and his service in the French Resistance during World War II shaped his worldview, earning him the Croix de Guerre for what he humbly called "boy scout stuff". We discuss his artistic "revelation" in 1945, where he embraced ignorance and impotence as creative forces, moving away from Joycean knowledge to create his own stripped-down style. We also delve into his masterpiece, Waiting for Godot, a play famously described by critic Vivian Mercier as one in which "nothing happens, twice," and examine his role as a key figure in the "Theatre of the Absurd". Finally, hear the surprising story of his friendship with a young André the Giant, with whom he bonded over a shared love of sports while driving him to school.

    39 min

  2. 10 HR AGO

    Tennessee Williams: Desire, Dysfunction, and the "Catastrophe of Success"

    In this episode of pplpod, we explore the turbulent genius of Tennessee Williams, the man who, alongside Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, stands as one of the three foremost playwrights of 20th-century American drama. Born Thomas Lanier Williams III, he adopted his pen name to acknowledge his Southern roots, eventually mining his own dysfunctional family history to revolutionize the theater. We discuss: The Autobiographical Art: How Williams used writing to break free from his puritan upbringing and an unhappy home life, modeling characters in The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire after his mother, his violent father, and himself.The Tragic Muse: The heartbreaking story of his sister Rose, whose diagnosis of schizophrenia and subsequent lobotomy haunted Williams and inspired the character of Laura Wingfield.Success and Decline: His "sudden fame" at age 33 and the pressure that followed a string of massive Broadway hits like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.Love and Loss: His exploration of his homosexuality and his 14-year relationship with Frank Merlo, whose death in 1963 triggered a spiral of depression and drug dependence that Williams never fully overcame.Join us as we examine how the man who claimed theater was the "only thing that saved my life" navigated a career defined by extraordinary critical acclaim and profound personal loneliness.

    26 min

  3. 10 HR AGO

    Arthur Miller: The Playwright, The Witch Hunt, and Marilyn Monroe

    In this episode of pplpod, we examine the life of Arthur Miller, widely considered one of the greatest dramatists of the 20th century. From a childhood in Harlem to a family financial collapse during the Wall Street crash of 1929, we trace the origins of the man who redefined the American stage with classics like All My Sons and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Death of a Salesman,. Join us as we discuss the political firestorm that nearly derailed his career, including his refusal to "name names" before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)—a stance that ended his friendship with director Elia Kazan and inspired his most frequently produced work, The Crucible,,. We also delve into his highly publicized marriage to film icon Marilyn Monroe, exploring how their relationship unraveled during the filming of The Misfits,. Finally, we look at the complex legacy of his later years, from his leadership at PEN International to the family secrets regarding his institutionalized son, Daniel,.

    36 min

  4. 11 HR AGO

    Jules Verne: Bad Translations, "Extraordinary Voyages," and the Invention of Science Fiction

    In this episode of pplpod, we dive 20,000 leagues into the life of Jules Verne, the French author who ranks as the second most-translated writer in the world, sandwiched between Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. While often remembered as the "father of science fiction," we explore why Verne viewed himself as a man of letters and how his true literary legacy was obscured in the English-speaking world for decades. Join us as we discuss: From Law to Literature: How Verne defied his father's wish for him to become a lawyer, choosing instead to write plays and eventually the "Roman de la Science" (novel of science).The Hetzel Era: The pivotal and sometimes contentious relationship with publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel, who launched the Voyages extraordinaires series but also sanitized Verne’s work—including altering the backstory of Captain Nemo to protect sales in Russia.The Translation Trap: Why Anglophone readers have historically received "clunky" and butchered versions of his novels, leading to the misconception that Verne was merely a writer of simple children's books rather than a stylist.The "Prophet" Myth: We debunk the idea that Verne was a technological psychic predicting the future, revealing how he was actually a diligent researcher who compiled vast amounts of data from the Bibliothèque nationale.Tragedy and Influence: From the "Hermione complex" developed after a failed romance to the tragic 1886 incident where his nephew shot him, leaving him with a permanent limp.Tune in to understand the man whose work inspired the Steampunk genre and why Ray Bradbury declared, "We are all, in one way or another, the children of Jules Verne".

    38 min

  5. 11 HR AGO

    H. G. Wells: The Father of Sci-Fi & The Man Who Saw Tomorrow

    In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of H. G. Wells, the prolific writer often hailed as the "father of science fiction". Join us as we trace his journey from a miserable apprenticeship at a draper’s emporium to his studies under T. H. Huxley, where a background in biology helped shape his revolutionary "scientific romances". We dive deep into his most iconic works, including The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The War of the Worlds, examining how he used "the plausible impossible" to ground the fantastic in reality. Beyond fiction, we discuss Wells’s uncanny legacy as a futurist who predicted the advent of tanks, aerial warfare, the atomic bomb, and even a precursor to the World Wide Web he called the "World Brain". We also uncover the complex man behind the myths: a vocal socialist and Fabian Society member who interviewed Stalin, and a "freethinker" in his personal life who maintained an open marriage while engaging in high-profile affairs with figures like Rebecca West and Moura Budberg. Tune in to understand why George Orwell declared that the modern world would be "perceptibly different" had Wells never existed.

    36 min

  6. 11 HR AGO

    "The First of a New Genus": Mary Wollstonecraft, Reason, and Revolution

    In this episode of pplpod, we explore the tumultuous life and enduring legacy of Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th-century writer and philosopher who declared her ambition to become "the first of a new genus". Regarded today as a founding feminist philosopher, Wollstonecraft is best known for her groundbreaking 1792 treatise, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. We discuss her central argument that women are not naturally inferior to men, but only appear so because they have been denied education, and her vision of a social order founded entirely on reason. Join us as we trace her journey from a difficult childhood—where she often protected her mother from a violent, squandering father—to her immersion in the political upheaval of the French Revolution. We examine her "unorthodox lifestyle," including her ill-fated affair with American adventurer Gilbert Imlay, which resulted in the birth of her first daughter, Fanny, and two suicide attempts following his betrayal. Finally, we cover her relationship with the philosopher William Godwin and her tragic death at age 38, just days after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley, who would go on to write Frankenstein. Tune in to learn how Godwin's scandalous Memoirs inadvertently destroyed her reputation for a century, and how the rise of the modern feminist movement eventually restored her place in history.

    40 min

  7. 11 HR AGO

    The Power Couple Era: Taylor Swift’s Showgirl Release, Travis Kelce’s Records, and Their 2025 Engagement

    Join us as we explore the massive cultural footprint of the "supercouple" Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who announced their engagement in August 2025,. We break down Swift's historic achievements, including the $2 billion-grossing Eras Tour and the release of her chart-topping 2025 album, The Life of a Showgirl,. Discussion includes her finalized purchase of her masters in May 2025 and her status as the music industry's first billionaire based primarily on songs and performances,. We also analyze Kelce's continued NFL dominance as a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs and his recent franchise record for total touchdowns set in October 2025,. Finally, we cover Kelce's expanding entertainment portfolio, from the hit New Heights podcast to his role hosting Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?,.

    51 min

  8. 11 HR AGO

    Simone Weil: The Revolutionary Mystic on Affliction, Attention, and the Need for Roots

    In this episode of pplpod, we explore the intense life and uncompromising philosophy of Simone Weil (1909–1943), a figure Albert Camus once called "the only great spirit of our times". A French philosopher, mystic, and political activist who died at the age of 34, Weil’s legacy is defined by her radical empathy and her concept of "decreation"—the undoing of the self to make room for truth. We trace Weil’s journey from her youth as the "Red Virgin"—a radical teacher and trade unionist—to her time working on factory floors to directly experience the "affliction" (malheur) of the working class. We discuss her brief, clumsy, yet courageous participation in the Spanish Civil War with the anarchist Durruti Column, and her eventual work for the French Resistance in London. Key topics covered in this episode include: The Philosophy of Attention: Why Weil believed that the capacity to truly pay attention to a sufferer is a "miracle" and the rarest form of generosity.Gravity and Grace: Her dualistic view of the world where "gravity" pulls us toward selfishness and force, while "grace" offers a counter-balance of light and justice.Roots vs. Uprootedness: Her diagnosis of modern spiritual alienation in The Need for Roots, where she argues that connection to community and the past is a vital need of the human soul.The Christian Outsider: Her mystical encounters in Assisi and her refusal of baptism, choosing to remain on the threshold of the Church out of solidarity with "outsiders" and non-believers.Finally, we examine the controversy surrounding her premature death, ruled a suicide by starvation, as she restricted her food intake in solidarity with those living in Nazi-occupied France. Join us for a deep dive into the mind of a thinker who lived her philosophy until the very end.

    56 min
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About

pplpod is a podcast about people, places and lots of other stuff. Each episode takes a deep dive into the lives, choices, and legacies of fascinating figures from history, culture, music, and beyond. From icons who shaped entire generations to hidden stories that deserve the spotlight, pplpod brings you closer to the people behind the headlines and the legends. Thoughtful, engaging, and story-driven, pplpod explores what makes these lives extraordinary—and what we can learn from them today.

Information

  • Creator
    pplpod
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.6K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © pplpod
  • Show Website
    pplpod

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