AUDIOPHILE
Our Guide to Drive-Time Listening for Outdoorsy Road Trips
Podcasts
Launched way back in 2007 by Fitz Cahall, this podcast has dipped its toe in serious tales and humorous ones alike. The major throughline: they’re all about adventure and nature—climbing, skiing, boating, the stars. More than 300 episodes and even more to come—including a book published by Random House in July.
You might or might not be a serious climber yourself—but no one has stories of wilderness adventure quite like these folks. The brainiest mountaineering magazine around goes audio with a series of gripping conversations with people who have simply seen more than most.
Ghost stories told under the stars, coupled with the crackle of wood, are a campfire staple. But let’s be real here: Your spooky tales are good, but they’re probably not great. Let historian Jack Wagner help you up the ante with this podcast that tells real stories of people who have experienced something paranormal or unexplainable.
ALBUMS
The Yee Haw Agenda is having quite a moment right now. You’re probably already immersing yourself in the latest Beyonce and Kacey Musgraves. (If not, please get with the program!) Make sure to give something a little more under-the-radar a spin, too. Waxahatchee’s latest record is full of sharp songwriting, and an exquisite blend of folk, rock and country.
Stop Making Sense: A Tribute Album
The good folks at A24 have been hard at work creating ephemera for movie lovers. One of their latest is a Talking Heads cover album in honor of the 40th anniversary of the iconic concert film directed by Jonathan Demme. Perfect for those moments behind the wheel when you can’t decide if you need another cup of coffee, or two more cups of coffee. Contemporary artists like Teezo Touchdown, Paramore, The National, Miley Cyrus, The Linda Lindas and Toro Y Moi put their spin on these danceable ‘80s classics.
After Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars set every awards show on fire with their old-school funk collaboration, Silk Sonic, .Paak is linking up with old pal Knxwledge for their second studio album. Arriving on streaming platforms June 7, expect smooth rhythm and blues—music for the wind whipping in your face.
AUDIOBOOKS
The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger
Plants are much more than just leaves, or the thing toddlers hate to eat. There’s much more going on with flora worldwide, and Zoë Schlanger’s book digs deep into the idea that it takes biological creativity to be a plant, to sustain multiple lifeforms, survive, blend in, communicate, and survive for millennia. Take a gander into the drama of green life.
The Wide, Wide Sea by Hampton Sides
The acclaimed historian and essayist (and contributor to Wildsam’s guide to the Desert Southwest) unwinds the gripping and tragic tale of Captain James Cook and a formative moment in world history.
How to Live Free in a Dangerous World by Shayla Lawson
It’s globetrotting rather than road-tripping, but the acclaimed poet/memoirist could strike a chord with any traveler, reflecting on how changes of scene mirror changes of soul.
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham
The most significant moment in space exploration wasn’t when Neil Armstrong said “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” It was January 28, 1986, when the Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight and all seven crew members aboard lost their lives. That’s at least what Higginbotham proposes. He unwraps the full story surrounding this monumental event, which includes leakers, whistleblowers, hubris and a lasting effect on how we approach the cosmos.
Birds Aren't Real: The True Story of Mass Avian Murder and the Largest Surveillance Campaign in US History by Peter McIndoe and Connor Gaydos
Have you heard of the conspiracy theory that birds are not real? That our avian friends don’t actually migrate south ... and that actually ... they are CIA drones surveilling us? In their debut, McIndoe and Gaydos give a little backstory on this satirical conspiracy, which they created as an inside joke and antidote to the growing sentiment of conspiracy and misinformation in the United States.