Strong Sense of Place

4.9 (524)
BOOKS
UPDATED WEEKLY

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One lifetime is too short to visit everywhere and meet everyone. That‘s why we love books with a strong sense of place — they let us travel the world in our imagination. In each episode of our Strong Sense of Place podcast, we explore one destination and talk about what makes that place different from everywhere else. Then we recommend five books that took us to that place on the page. Every other week, we share The Library of Lost Time, a mini-pod that features two new books and our Distraction of the Week. We‘re on a trip around the globe, one great read at a time. Please join us!

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TRAILER

ep 0: Introducing Strong Sense of Place!

A well-told story can transport you to places you've never been. And if you enjoy books and travel, you will love our podcast Strong Sense of Place. We're Mel and Dave. Every two weeks, we get curious about one destination and discuss five great books that took us there on the page. We start with an overview of what makes that place different than anywhere else on Earth. And then we tackle a round of 'Two Truths and a Lie' to explore stories behind that place. But the heart of the show is our book recommendations. We share why we love each title — with NO SPOILERS. Each episode is a new bookish adventure. Take an imaginary trek with us through Iceland, sip Ouzo in Athens, or virtually ride the rails on an epic train adventure. The Strong Sense of Place show drops every other Monday. On Fridays, we release a mini-episode we call 'The Library of Lost Time.' We tell you about two new books we think belong on your TBR. And we share a Distraction of the Week. That's something reading- or travel-related we think will delight you. Strong Sense of Place was recommended on Book Riot and featured in Apple's Top 10 podcasts for the Arts. If you love books and travel, come with us. Listen to Strong Sense of Place on your favorite app or visit strongsenseofplace.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

01/10/2020

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2 min

Undertow is Realm’s premier showcase of original audio horror. Hosted by audio horror pioneer and creator Fred Greenhalgh, each season presents a spooky standalone story, so you can dive in anytime... if you dare! Current Season: Trio of Nightmares Three novellas from Maine-based creators of horror: Chris Bernier, Katherine Silva, and Morgan Sylvia. Brought to life by naturalistic performances and immersive sound design, this season will bring you to a funeral for the magical dead, an estate in Northern England haunted by an accursed art collection, and a world ravaged by unearthly beings after genetic experiments go wildly wrong. Craving More Frights? Explore Past Seasons: Season 1: Simpson Falls - A reporter awakens malevolent forces in his haunted hometown. Season 2: Blood Forest - Every 20 years, werewolves descend for a night of horror. Starring Jack Falahee. Season 3: Dark Tome - A teen unleashes a terrifying story from a spooky bookshop. Season 4: The Well - Family secrets resurface, setting loose horror from an old well. Season 5: The Pulse - A meteorite awakens animalistic instincts in a group of treasure hunters. Season 6: The Sisters - True events inspire a chilling tale of occult & possession. Starring Mae Whitman. Season 7: Last Call - A hustler gambles for his life against the Grim Reaper. Season 8: Narcosis - A rescue dive turns deadly beneath the waves. Season 9: The Harrowing - A barbaric crime heralds the rise of an ancient evil. Season 10: Hovering - A police officer is pulled into unimaginable circumstances when he starts investigating calls about an object in the sky. Binge Ad-Free & Early! Subscribe at realm.fm.

4.2 (719)

DRAMA
Welcome to Geek & Sundry’s hub for all things RPG! Each week, our collection of deeply nerdy storytellers take you on epic journeys across the multiverse in our critically acclaimed actual play podcasts that use tabletop role-playing games to tell ever-evolving, improvised stories, including the complete collection of Critical Role’s Campaign 1. Current Season: Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode Three monstrous minions find themselves in charge for once when the evil necromancer they serve mysteriously disappears. Will they remain in the dungeon or venture into the light to tell their own tale? Find out on Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode with gamemaster Amy Vorpahl and cast members Jason Nguyen, Danielle Radford, and Dan Casey. And stay tuned for a look inside the episode each week on Quests N’ Answers, our exclusive Goblin Mode after show! Craving even more adventures? Past seasons include: Critical Role Campaign 1 | Vox Machina (C1E1-C115): A band of eight unlikely heroes, find themselves on a quest to save the realm of Exandria from dark magical forces in this epic saga starring Matthew Mercer, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, and Sam Riegel. The show that inspired Prime Video’s The Legend of Vox Machina animated series. Critical Role Campaign 2 | Mighty Nein (C2E1-C2E19): Set 20 years after the events of Campaign One, a group of seven adventurers coalesce on the continent of Wildemount where they discover ancient evils, sinister plots, and far more than they bargained for. Experience the rest of the story on CriticalRole.com. Relics & Rarities Created by Deborah Ann Woll (Daredevil, True Blood), this bold episodic fantasy story transports you to a world of magic, murder, and monsters. In a story guided by Woll, using Dungeons & Dragons as a core narrative mechanic, a crew of bold players embark on a quest to stop an unholy prophecy from coming to fruition. Special guests include Matthew Lillard, Kevin Smith, Charlie Cox, and more. Plus, we have a plethora of one-shot adventures under our CelebriD&D banner, with guest stars like Vin Diesel, Joe Manganiello, and many more! Video versions and more information available on https://www.geekandsundry.com

4.7 (1932)

GAMES
Bodies are piling up in the strange town of Springfield, and forensic pathologist Jonathan Spacer intends to find out why. But, Jon isn’t without his own secrets… He can talk to the dead, for starters. A full-cast serial fiction podcast for mature audiences. Available now on all podcast apps. Find us on Patreon for premium content, including bonus episodes and early access: https://www.patreon.com/HowIDied

4.7 (626)

SCIENCE FICTION
When anyone asks Audrey why she moved to Alaska, she tells them for a fresh start. But a lot of the people in Alaska are hiding from something. And Audrey is no different. When she journeyed to Alaska, she found something even more dangerous. Maybe we feel the uncanny valley because long ago, we had to fear something that pretended to be human.

4.6 (582)

DRAMA
Station 151 is Antarctica’s first and only astronomical radio observatory. Built by the Telders Corporation at an estimated cost of $200M USD, the station promises to reveal the darkest secrets of the universe. Join Astrophysicist Wayne Robertson at the bottom of the world as he sets off on the adventure of a lifetime (and possibly his last). Station 151 is a science-fiction podcast written by Andy Scearce and Steven James Scearce. It is produced by Bear Weiter and Pale Matter.

4.6 (588)

SCIENCE FICTION
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Scott Sigler comes a tale of murder, madness, and an unspeakable evil lurking beneath the streets of San Francisco. San Francisco homicide inspector Bryan Clauser is losing his mind. How else to explain his dreams, dreams that mirror — with impossible accuracy — gruesome murders drenching the city in blood? How else to explain the feelings these dreams provoke in him? Not disgust, not horror, but excitement. As Bryan and his longtime partner Pookie' Chang investigate the killings, they learn that things are even stranger than they initially seem. The victims are all enemies of an ostracized teenage boy, a boy gripped by the same violent, prescient dreams that haunt Bryan. When Bryan and Pookie dig deeper, they uncover disturbing details of a mysterious cult known as “Marie’s Children,” and of San Francisco’s secret history of serial killers, a history that their superiors — from the mayor to the police chief and on down — seem desperate to keep hidden. Featuring a dazzlingly plotted mystery and a terrifying descent into a nightmarish underworld -— along with some of the most incredible action scenes ever told and an explosive, gut-wrenching conclusion you won't soon forget — NOCTURNAL is a spectacular outing from one of the horror genre's brightest stars. CREDITS: Presented by Empty Set Entertainment Written by Scott Sigler Narrated by Phil Gigante Directed & Engineered by Corey Young Podcast production assistance by Allie Press and Evo Terra of Simpler Media Productions (Simpler.media) For more audio fiction from Scott Sigler, please visit ScottSigler.com

4.7 (158)

SCIENCE FICTION

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4.9

out of 5

524 Ratings

A dangerous show (in the best way!)

Feb 9

Elsie Browncow

This show is dangerous both for my TBR and my travel bucket list. Every episode leaves me with new books I’m dying to read and countries that I had never considered traveling to before but now desperately want to visit. I especially appreciate the wide variety of genres they explore - there really is something for everyone. Excellent content, great banter between Mel and Dave, and truly a fun experience. Their website and newsletters are top-notch as well!
Really Terrific Podcast

12/08/2024

sarahelize

This is a really terrific podcast—what a great idea! So far all of the books I’ve read that were recommended by Mel & Dave have delivered that strong-sense-of-place that I love. A great listen with solid recommendations.
A favorite pod

11/24/2024

Susancara

Long time follower, supporter of the pod and the Great library of lost time !!! Have a copy of Strange Beasts by Susan J Morris , I’m part of the group of folks who support the imprint Inky Phoenix which published the book. So glad you mentioned it! Really liked the other recommendations as well! It’s bad enough that the pod SSOP increases my TBR astronomically now this!!! Struggling this month for reads, have been putting down so many things that just don’t work in the current world and US climate. I can always count on you two to find me something diverting!! ❤️❤️
A Favorite Bookish (and more!) Podcast

10/09/2024

Will Sarah

This podcast is a perfect balance of fun and informative. Some of my favorite books I have read in the last few years were ones I learned about on Strong Sense of Place. On the show, Mel and Dave share a new location to travel to through 5 book recommendations. But they also include so much history and information about each location, and their enthusiasm for each place is infectious. Every other week, they post a shorter podcast, called the Library of Lost Time. This always include two book recommendations and a quirky distraction of the week. Reading the show notes is at delight.

One lifetime is too short to visit everywhere and meet everyone. That‘s why we love books with a strong sense of place — they let us travel the world in our imagination. In each episode of our Strong Sense of Place podcast, we explore one destination and talk about what makes that place different from everywhere else. Then we recommend five books that took us to that place on the page. Every other week, we share The Library of Lost Time, a mini-pod that features two new books and our Distraction of the Week. We‘re on a trip around the globe, one great read at a time. Please join us!