April 13, 2015

50 Best Podcasts You Can Learn From

Since we launched our LearnOutLoud.com Podcast Directory back in September of 2005, we’ve featured 100s of podcasts in our Free Resource of the Day Emails. We’ve seen great new podcasts rise to the top, and many more podcasts fade away into oblivion. We even had our moment in the sunshine with many of our very own LearnOutLoud.com Podcasts being featured and awarded in the iTunes Podcast Directory. After 10 years of podcasting history and to commemorate our LearnOutLoud.com 10th Anniversary, we’ve put together this list of the 50 best podcasts you can learn from. Over the years we’ve tried to seek out great podcasts that might not be the top ranked podcasts on iTunes, but nevertheless are amazing educational resources. Listen and subscribe to some of the best of the best podcasts from the first decade of podcasting! We’ve tried to rank them according to which podcasts are best!

1. Inspiring Words of Encouragement Podcast

There’s not much motivational content on our site that can rival Zig Ziglar’s Inspiring Words of Encouragement Podcast. Ziglar passed away in 2012 at the age of 86, and we must feature his podcast which includes 300 individual podcast episodes from the audio archives of Zig Ziglar! Listen to podcasts on Wisdom, Hope, Faith, Gratitude, Overcoming Fear, Discipline and Commitment, Success, Emotions and Attitudes, Values, Persistence, Happiness, Goals, Positive Thinking, Relationships, Forgiveness, Sales Advice, Parental Wisdom, Ethical Leadership, Love and Romance, and we could go on and on and on. Each of the podcasts has a description below it, so it should be easy to pick out ones in the areas you need motivation. Listen to one of the greatest motivators of all time with over 9 years of podcasts from Zig Ziglar! Note: It may take a moment to load because the podcast feed is quite massive.

2. Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Podcast

Since 2005 a group at Stanford University has been podcasting talks from some of the most successful people in business and technology. The speaker generally gives an overview of their experiences as an entrepreneur along with advice for anyone looking to start a business. On this podcast you’ll hear from such thought leaders as Sal Khan of the Khan Academy, author Guy Kawasaki, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and people from Google, Yahoo, and dozens of other companies you’re probably familiar with. They have all their podcasts up on the feed going back ten years! Learn from these successful business & technology thought leaders.

3. Oprah.com’s Spiritual Channel Podcast

In 2008 Oprah Winfrey launched a series of podcasts. Her first and most popular podcast featured Eckhart Tolle teaching a 10-part course on his book A New Earth. That podcast has since become Oprah.com’s Spiritual Channel Podcast and she continues to update it with interviews she conducted on her Soul Series on Oprah Radio and other spiritual audio programs from Oprah.com. Now on the podcast you’ll find hour-long Oprah interviews with spiritual teachers such as Wayne Dyer, Elizabeth Lesser, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Larry Dossey, Byron Katie, and many other teachers and bestselling authors in the field of spiritual growth. And of course the Eckhart Tolle 10-part course is still on the podcast. These podcasts are available on MPEG-4 audio & video and can be played through Quicktime or iTunes.

4. 1 Year Daily Audio Bible Podcast

Want to get through the entire Bible in a year? This podcast will take you through the entire Bible in 365 separate podcasts to be listened to over the next year. Each podcast is read by Nashville, TN based record producer Brian Hardin. Instead of going through the Bible chronologically, he selects four different passages for each podcast, which go through books of the Old and New Testament simultaneously, along with a Proverb and a Psalm. If you’d like to read the Bible more, but can’t find the time of day, then try listening to the entire Bible in one year with the Bible In a Year Podcast.

5. Frontline Audiocast – PBS Podcast

The PBS Frontline series are some of the best documentaries available on public television, but it’s often difficult to carve out time to sit down and watch them. Now Frontline has released a group of their documentaries as audio podcasts and they actually work really well as just audio. Since most of the Frontline documentaries feature talking heads interviews along with narration they don’t really require the visual component. Also Frontline has done the service of inserting audio of the name of the person who is talking before each interview. Each podcast runs about an hour.

6. Zencast Podcast

Zencast has been offering Zen Buddhism teachings on podcast for many, many years now and the great thing is they’ve kept almost all their podcasts up on their feed so each of them can still be downloaded. They’re now up to over 400 podcasts! Zencast host Gil Fronsdal teaches many classes. Other frequent speakers on Zencast include Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, and Jack Kornfield. These podcasts are essential listening for anyone looking to learn more about Zen Buddhism. Caution: This feed is huge so it may take time to load.

7. Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing Podcast

Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tips for Better Writing is a podcast devoted to helping listeners improve their writing skills. Taking a nuts and bolts approach, these short podcasts clarify common errors in English grammar in precise detail. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not you should use lie or lay in a sentence, or if that comma splice was used correctly, this podcast will give you the answers. Listen to the latest podcasts from Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty. And her podcasts started an empire. Check out more Quick and Dirty Tips Podcasts.

8. TEDTalks Podcast

One of the first podcasts we ever featured! The TEDTalks Podcast features key talks from the TED Conference covering the latest ideas in Technology, Entertainment, Design, Business, Science, and other areas. Many years later and they’re still featuring new talks every week so you may want to subscribe to this one.

9. BMA: Black Media Archive Podcast

Listen to hundreds of podcasts from notable African and African-American speakers. The Black Media Archive Podcast has collected a wide range of multi-media including speeches, archival video, movies, music, and more. They feature speeches from Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, Barbara Jordan, Ossie Davis, Langston Hughes, and dozens of other influential black leaders over the course of the past 100 years. (Note: They have quite a large podcast feed so it may take a moment for it to load on our site, but it’s worth the wait.)

10. 12 Byzantine Rulers: The History of The Byzantine Empire Podcast

With the History of the Byzantine Empire Podcast, Lars Brownworth examines the 12 rulers that have come to represent a unique era in Roman history; a period marked by decline. With an excellent handle on the subject and concise delivery, Brownsworth devotes each episode to an Emperor; describing the man, how he came to power, how he ruled, and what his legacy was thereafter. When taken as a whole, each bite-sized character profile tells the overall story of the Roman Empire as it struggled to survive during the middle ages.

11. Plato – The Republic Podcast

The Republic by Plato is one of the most influential works of philosophy in history. In the form of Socratic dialogue, Plato’s teacher and protagonist Socrates sets out to find an answer to the question: “What is justice?”. Along the way Socrates discusses the ideal city-state and his theory of forms, which includes his famous allegory of the cave. This podcast contains all eleven books of The Republic unabridged. It is read by the professional British narrator Patrick Horgan and is available on MP3 download.

12. NPR: Fresh Air Podcast

What podcast list would be complete without NPR’s Fresh Air?! In 2007 NPR started offering their popular radio show Fresh Air for free as a podcast. Host Terry Gross has been interviewing persons in arts & entertainment and other fields for over 40 years now. Currently on the feed the podcasts go back about three months.

13. Sounds True: Insights at the Edge Podcast

Listen to the best podcast yet from the publisher Sounds True! In this podcast Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True, interviews spiritual teachers, visionary writers, and living luminaries about their newest work and current challenges of their inner inquiry and outer contribution to the world. Subscribe to this great podcast today!

14. English as a Second Language Podcast

This podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their English listening and speaking. Their podcast feed features their regular show which covers vocabulary in a variety of situations and also their English Cafe podcast which includes English discussion on various topics to help listening comprehension. Learning Guides, which include transcripts, can be downloaded on their site ESLpod.com. The ESL Podcast is hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, former professor of applied linguistics and education. For anyone looking to learn English, this is one of the best free resources available on the web. They’re now up to over 1000 podcasts!

15. Seminars About Long Term Thinking Podcast

From The Long Now Foundation comes this fascinating series of Seminars About Long Term Thinking. Podcasts on the feed include CEO Philip Rosedale talking about the game Second Life, Chris Anderson talking about The Long Tail, founder and president of Wikipedia Jimmy Wales speaking on vision, author Jared Diamond discussing his book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, writer Bruce Sterling speaking about The Singularity, musician Brian Eno chatting with Will Wright (creator of the video game “The Sims” and forthcoming “Spore”), and dozens of other interesting podcasts on topics like climate change, human life extension, etc. Have a listen to over a decade of podcasts!

16. Heart of Darkness Audiobook Podcast

Joseph Conrad’s classic novella Heart of Darkness has recently been made available for free on audio download. LoudLit.org and LiteralSystems have produced this professional sounding audio book that is narrated by Tom Franks. Listen to the highly symbolic tale of Marlow’s journey down the Congo River. This unabridged audio book is available on MP3 Download from and can also be subscribed to as a podcast.

17. History According to Bob Podcast

For many years now, Bob Packett has serviced the world with his podcast, History According to Bob! This retired history professor operating out of Kansas explores a large canvas – from the smallest historical artifacts to decade-spanning cultural upheaval with the sort of down-home, approachable style that is the earmark of a great teacher.

18. Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac Podcast

The Writer’s Almanac Podcast hosted by Garrison Keillor is a wonderful way to start your day. Though well known already for being the figurehead of NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion”, Keillor has been offering this daily dose of poetry and history for many years as well. Each episode typically begins with a note on a person or event that has shaped a given day in history, followed by a poem rendered in Keillor’s peerless style. Enjoy!

19. Inside Out Weight Loss Podcast

Listen to this podcast from Personal Life Media hosted by leading diet and weight-loss coach Renee Stephens. Renee features over 250 podcasts on her feed and she encourages listeners to start with the first podcast which covers her personal story of how she overcame compulsive overeating along with the methods of weight loss she’ll be using in the podcast. Instead of focusing on a diet plan or what you should or shouldn’t be eating or doing, Renee focuses on transforming the mind so that you can in turn transform your body. Using techniques such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnotherapy, and Positive Psychology, Renee teaches listeners how to lose weight from the “inside out”. She does multi-part podcasts on How to Eat, Exercise Motivation, Intent-ful Eating, Fixing a “Broken” Metabolism, and much more. Enjoy this epic podcast on weight loss!

20. Great Speeches in History Podcast

After all these years still our most popular LearnOutLoud.com podcast! Our Great Speeches in History Podcast showcases classic speeches from great orators throughout history. Featuring great speeches like the “I Have a Dream” speech, the Gettysburg Address, and many more famous speeches. Please download, listen, and subscribe to our popular podcast!

21. A Tale of Two Cities Podcast

Check out this free unabridged professional recording of A Tale of Two Cities, released by Literal Systems. Listen to this sweeping historical novel set in London and Paris around the time of the French Revolution. The audio quality is top notch and Jane Ayer’s narration is superb. This classic 14-hour audio book is available on MP3 download as a podcast from Literal Systems.

22. The History of Rome Podcast

After five years of podcasting The History of Rome Podcast, host Mike Duncan has completed the entire history of the rise and fall of the Rome. In his 179th and final episode he talks about the journeys through Roman history that he has taken in the podcast. This podcast is one of the most popular podcasts on our site with a 4.6 star rating out of over 40 ratings and many glowing reviews. All 179 podcast episodes are up on the feed. Get hooked on the history of Rome! The History of Rome Podcast is a chronological attempt to trace the rise, decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Starting with Rome’s founding by the mythical twins Romulus and Remus, this series hosted by Mike Duncan is an ongoing account of the people and events that shaped the western world. A must for any student of history and an invaluable resource for anyone that needs a ground level survey of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.

23. The EntreLeadership Podcast

Dave Ramsey is a bestselling financial author and radio host, and his team runs one of the most popular business podcasts on iTunes, The EntreLeadership Podcast. The podcast is hosted by Chris LoCurto, who conducts excellent interviews with today’s top business authors and leaders. At the beginning of each episode you’ll hear a lesson from Dave Ramsey himself. After the lesson LoCurto conducts an interview, and currently on the feed you can listen to interviews with leadership experts like John C. Maxwell, Robin Robins, Patrick Lencioni, Stephen M.R. Covey, Jim Collins, Tony Dungy, Tony Hseih, and, of course, Dave Ramsey. Get great business advice from over 90 podcasts dating back to 2011!

24. Meditation Peace: Free Guided Meditation Exercises Podcast

The Meditation Society of Australia provides this series of podcasts featuring several guided meditations. These well-directed meditations focus on a specific subject matter and are accompanied by music. The narrator also provides many meditative insights along the way. Enjoy these free meditations from the Meditation Society of Australia.

25. Vanity Fair’s Writers Reading Podcast

Vanity Fair’s Writers Reading Podcast features many of today’s best authors reading from their latest books. They haven’t updated the feed in a while, but currently on the podcast feed you’ll hear award-winning prison journalist Wilbert Rideau read from his book In the Place of Justice, Norris Church Mailer reading from her memoir about her life with her husband Norman Mailer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills reading from his new book Bomb Power: The Modern Presidency and the National Security State, Jonathan Safran Foer on his first nonfiction work exploring factory farming entitled Eating Animals, and many other highly respected writers including Augusten Burroughs, Tracy Kidder, Taylor Branch, Gay Talese, Jay McInerney, and more.

26. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History Podcast

In his own irreverent style Dan Carlin attacks the historical record in the Hardcore History Podcast. Each month, Carlin selects a different topic or person in history, spanning from the ancient to the present depending upon his mood, and brings his humorous and sometimes provocative opinion to bear on it. The editorial tone Carlin takes is usually funny, and while some of what he argues is controversial, his command of the subject can never be questioned.

27. SermonIndex Classics Podcast

Listen to these podcasts from SermonIndex. These podcasts cover many aspects of Christianity and Christian Living, including sermons from Billy Graham, Corrie Ten Boom, Jim Cymbala, David Wilkerson, Zac Poonen, Keith Green, A.W. Tozer, Duncan Campbell, Ian Paisley, Leonard Ravenhill, and many other popular preachers from throughout the 20th century. For more free classic sermons check out the offerings we feature from Sermon Index.

28. NPR: Intelligence Squared U.S. Podcast

One of the best things to listen to on audio is a debate. The full rhetoric comes through in the speakers, making it very exciting to listen to. NPR has created a debate podcast where they confront controversial topics. They’ve been podcasting these debates since 2007 and they have one a month. The podcast feed goes back about six months. Have a listen to these fantastic debates.

29. The Masters of The Secret Podcast

This podcast features conversations with teachers that were featured in the movie The Secret. Bill Harris, director of the Centerpointe Research Institute, conducts the conversations which cover the spiritual and practical applications of the law of attraction by the teachers that are interviewed. The teachers included in this podcast are John Assaraf, Hale Dwoskin, Joe Vitale, Jack Canfield, Dr. Michael Beckwith, Lisa Nichols, and James Ray.

30. Healthy Living Radio Podcast

Browse over 400 podcasts covering just about every imaginable aspect of health! This podcast from the Cooper Aerobics Center and Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas features over 400 healthy living podcasts going to back to 2005. Many of them feature Dr. Ken Cooper, also known as the “father of aerobics”, who introduced the world to the concept of aerobics with his 1968 book Aerobics. Since that time he’s authored dozens of books and created the Cooper Aerobics Center and Cooper Institute for health and wellness research. This podcast features numerous members of the Cooper Institute including Dr. Cooper, Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Dr. Abram Eisenstein, and Dr. Nina Radford talking about a wide variety of topics including cancer prevention, vitamins, exercise, weight loss, heart disease, depression, and many, many more health topics. They also interview a lot of experts on health. For example on Oct. 8, 2007 they interviewed Dr. John J. Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. And on Feb. 27, 2006 they interviewed Dr. Daniel G. Amen on brain health. Dr. Amen authored the bestselling book Making a Good Brain Great. So much amazing healthy living information on one podcast that we are embarrassed we haven’t featured yet!

31. Jung Podcast

This podcast is devoted to the understanding of the analytical psychology of the great Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. Jungian analyst John Betts (who graduated from the International School of Analytical Psychology in Zurich, Switzerland) introduces listeners to Carl Jung’s theories of the structure of the psyche, the Anima & Animus, the Persona, Jungian dream interpretation, active imagination, individuation, and more! John Betts is incredibly lucid and articulate in describing these theories, providing real life examples and quoting Jung and other Jungians as he goes along. It’s basically a course on Jung, and one would do best to start with Betts’ first podcasts and work his or her way through them.

32. Take Control of Your Career and Your Life with Marcus Buckingham Podcast

Listen to or watch this podcasted class offered by Oprah.com, featuring bestselling author Marcus Buckingham. This eight-step course explores finding fulfillment in your career. Marcus Buckingham guides 29 students that are seeking personal success in their business and life. Throughout the course Marcus teaches you how to leverage your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. This podcast is available on audio & video download (for some reason the streaming doesn’t seem to be working too well). Enjoy the course!

33. The History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps Podcast

Philosophy Professor Peter Adamson hosts a series of 20 minute philosophical history lessons that endeavor to provide listeners with a more rounded approach to the subject. While Adamson does offers his expert analysis on titans like Plato, Aristotle, Augustine and other well-known thinkers, he also focuses equal scrutiny on Islamic figures such as al-Ghazali, or the Jewish mystics that contributed to Kabbalistic thought. In sum, the series offers a thorough, ever-growing and ultimately even-handed overview of how the major philosophical (and corresponding religious) traditions developed throughout human history.

34. Joyce Meyer Radio Podcast

Listen to Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer deliver talks from her TV & radio ministry. In many podcasts, she discusses busyness and how to confront time management from a Biblical perspective. Enjoy these podcasts which go back over four months!

35. iTunes: Meet the Author Podcast

A wide array of contemporary authors are joined by special moderators in the Meet the Author podcast series presented by Apple. Authors of the latest best-selling fiction and non-fiction books converge on the Apple Store in New York City for a lively discussion on their latest works, as well as a Q&A period from the in-store audience. Guests in the growing interview archive include Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris, Tim Ferriss, James Patterson, George R.R. Martin and more!

36. Music and the Brain Audio Podcast

Watch or listen to this great series from the Library of Congress on streaming video or audio podcast. Project chair Kay Redfield Jamison convenes scientists and scholars, composers, performers, theorists, physicians, psychologists, and other experts to talk about cognitive neuroscience and music. Here are some of the lectures in the series: “The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature”: In this short talk, author Daniel Levitin suggests that in human history music came before language, and that throughout history music has almost always been accompanied by movement. “Depression and Creativity Symposium”: Kay Redfield Jamison, Dr. Terence Ketter, and Dr. Peter Whybrow take a look at depression and bipolar disorder and their possible connection to creativity. They specifically discuss artists like Vincent van Gogh, Robert Schumann, and Felix Mendelssohn. “The Mind of an Artist”: Cognitive psychologist Michael Kubovy and composer Judith Shatin suggest that language and music are very closely related in the brain, and Kubovy shows findings on the brain’s reaction to different types of music in comparison to the cognition of language. “Music, Criminal Behavior, and Crime Prevention”: Norman Middleton of the Library of Congress Music Division starts the lecture with providing examples of how music has been used in regards to preventing crime and treating criminals. Then Dr. Jacqueline Helfgott talks about ways of discouraging criminal activity and anti-social behavior through the use of music in different environments. “Wellness and Growth: Acoustic Medicine and Music Therapy”: Jayne Standley, director of the Music Therapy Program at Florida State University, introduces music therapy and the many ways it has been applied in the medical profession while showing video examples of successful music therapy. Enjoy these and many more lectures on “Music and the Brain” in this series of talks from the Library of Congress.

37. NPR Series: Books That Changed the World Podcast

This podcast is certain to get you interested in some of the books that have had the most impact in global history. Grove/Atlantic published a series of books by prominent writers focusing on the most significant works of literature that introduced groundbreaking ideas and altered the course of human history. This NPR series features 30-minute interviews that were conducted over time with the authors of all these books on NPR’s Talk of the Nation program hosted by Neal Conan and featuring live callers from across the United States.

38. The Forum at Grace Cathedral Podcast

San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral has long hosted a series of Forum discussions with special guests that are on the cutting edge of faith-based work. Grace’s current Dean, Jane Shaw, hosts guests on a wide range of topics, with a current emphasis placed on how the arts have impacted our understanding of the nature of God. Recent talks have tackled the current state of interfaith relations, the history of religious architecture, the meaning of money, music’s role in spiritual expression, and the question of where religion is headed as humanity dives into an increasingly pluralistic modern world. Always thought-provoking, Shaw and her guests take on each topic with a welcoming, inquisitive spirit that invites everyone into the discussion at hand. Guests currently on the feed include Michael Pollan, Sandra Day O’Connor, Dinesh D’Souza, T.C. Boyle, Matthew Fox, Elaine Pagels, Rob Bell, Jim Wallis, and many other distinguished guests.

39. HBO: Real Time with Bill Maher Podcast

One of the most popular podcasts in our podcast directory is HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher Podcast. Host and comedian Bill Maher features a panel of guests discussing current events in politics. There is a week-long delay on the audio podcast from when the show airs, and they currently feature the previous 7 episodes on the podcast feed, along with some extra material from each show that wasn’t aired on HBO.

40. Change Nation Podcast

The Change Nation Podcast features interviews with leading experts and inspirational speakers about ways individuals can make positive changes in their personal and professional lives. Host Ariane De Bonvoisin talks with authors and speakers and other great teachers of change. Topics covered include getting organized, starting a business, finding a job, nurturing a relationship, getting fit, eating right, and much, much more. Ariane is an excellent host and many recent interviews are available as both audio & video podcasts. Definitely check out this podcast and you might also want to check out Ariane De Bonvoisin’s site: www.first30days.com.

41. Catalyst Podcast

The Catalyst Podcast features an impressive collection of many podcast interviews with leadership authors and experts in the areas of business and church ministry. It stems from the Catalyst Conference which is a Christian leadership conference that features many of the speakers that are interviewed on the podcast. Become a better leader in every area of your life with the Catalyst Podcast.

42. Gary Renard Podcast

Listen to the Gary Renard Podcast co-hosted by professional voice artist Gene Bogart as he talks with author Gary Renard about the ideas in his books such as The Disappearance of the Universe and Your Immortal Reality. Renard’s books draw heavily from the ideas of A Course in Miracles and he provides insight into many teachings from A Course in Miracles in these podcasts. Renard has been podcasting for years now and there are now over fifty podcast episodes to listen to. Check them out!

43. UCSF Mini Medical School Audio Podcast

UCSF Mini Medical School Video Podcast

In this series from the University of California, San Francisco, faculty members and other nationally-recognized experts give the latest findings on a variety of health and medical related topics. Learn the latest in medical research from the University of California, San Francisco with these audio & video podcasts.

44. The Potter’s Touch Audio Podcast

The Potter’s Touch Video Podcast

With The Potter’s Touch Podcast on audio & video, Bishop T.D. Jakes brings an empowering message to his audience on how God wants us to succeed in life. Using a forceful, energetic delivery that can’t help but stir an audience, Jakes has become one of the leading voices in a modern evangelical movement that is focused on delivering a biblically-based call to take responsibility for one’s life. With a no-nonsense style that doesn’t take a minute for excuses, Jakes teaches that with God’s help, we can overcome the inner and outer demons that are holding us back from becoming what we were always meant to be.

45. Philosophy: The Classics Podcast

In this podcast, British author Nigel Warburton reads from his book Philosophy: The Classics (now in its 3rd edition). The book examines and summarizes 27 classic works of philosophy. Currently on the podcast feed, Warburton reads chapters from his book summarizing classics such as Plato’s The Republic, Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy, Machiavelli’s The Prince, and Descartes’ Meditations. His introductions to these works are clear and concise, and his narration is adequate for the material. Subscribe to this work of philosophical generosity.

46. Revealing World Religions Podcast

Revealing World Religions Podcast is offered by ThinkingStrings.com and features the narrated text of Revealing World Religions by Dr. Cynthia Eller of Montclair State University. This podcasted audio book features these 10 modules covering many of the World’s Religions. All of these are currently available on the feed and work as introductions to these religious traditions.

47. Love Language Minute with Dr. Gary Chapman Podcast

Noted relationship counselor Gary Chapman hosts these short daily insights based on his bestselling book The Five Love Languages . Each episode is under a minute and touches on the various barriers people face in the way they communicate their feelings with one another. Framed within a spiritual perspective, these podcasts offer valuable tips on how to speak more freely and love more fully.

48. Serial Podcast

iTunes has announced their picks for the best podcasts of 2014 and their pick for the best new podcast is Serial Podcast. Here’s a little bit about this compelling podcast that everyone is talking about. As one of the main creative forces behind NPR’s radio program “This American Life”, journalist Sarah Koenig has worked for decades bringing the the every day stories of real people to the level of an art form. Starting as a This American Life spinoff, Koenig and fellow producer Julie Snyder created the Serial Podcast as a means to tell one true life story over the course of several episodes. Each episode ends on something like a cliff-hanger and given the real-life nature of what is explored, the ending is unpredictable. In the inaugural season, listeners have been enthralled by the murder case of Adnan Syed who was accused and sent to prison for the death of his girlfriend Have Min Lee in 1999. With this true-crime story that dissects young love, murder and the criminal justice system, Koenig and Snyder parcel out new details with each episode in a winning formula that flows like a page-turner. The podcast is updated weekly and there’s still enough time to binge-listen so you can get caught up before the mystery is resolved. Start listening today!

49. Ram Dass Here And Now Podcast

Listen to classic recordings of author and spiritual teacher Ram Dass (also known as Dr. Richard Alpert) on his “Ram Dass Here And Now Podcast”. Each 30 minute podcast is introduced by Raghvindra Das (Raghu Markus) of the Love Serve Remember Foundation who has long been a follower of Ram Dass. After the intro we hear one of Ram Dass’ unique talks about his discoveries as a psychologist at Harvard, his psychedelic research with Timothy Leary, and his travels to India where he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. The podcasts are delivered in the form of a narrative of Ram Dass’ life, so start out with the first podcast (located at the bottom of the podcast feed) in which Ram Dass discusses his frustrations with being an “empire builder” during his professorship at Harvard, and the psychedelic trip which changed his state of consciousness.

50. Life Habits Podcast

Listen to one of the most highly rated and popular personal development podcasts in iTunes, as host Karel Vredenburg delivers the Life Habits Podcast. Karel has been podcasting since back in 2008, and he now has over 80 podcasts episodes you can choose from covering a vast amount of topics related to good and bad habits in all aspects of our lives. Drawing ideas from some of the best personal growth teachers, Karel delivers knowledge on life habits in a brief amount of time. Browse this podcast and find some topics that interest you.

April 10, 2015

100 Best Audio Books of All Time

While we are celebrating our 10th anniversary here at LearnOutLoud.com, we came up with this list of the 100 best audio books of all time! This least features some of our best-selling and most highly rated audio books, including many Audie Award winners. We tried to focus specifically on titles that were great on audio, including audio original programs (titles not available in book format) and audio books that have great narration. We broke the list up by category and ranked the audio books according to their greatness within each category. Here’s the top 100 audio books of all time that we sell on audio download directly through LearnOutLoud.com! Starting with the best self development titles:

SELF DEVELOPMENT: (25 Audio Books)

1. Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins

2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

3. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

4. Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn

5. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Read by Eckhart Tolle

6. When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

7. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

8. The Goals Program: Setting and Achieving Your Goals by Zig Ziglar

9. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

10. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman, Read by Gary Chapman

11. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, Read by M. Scott Peck

12. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.

13. A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson

14. Your Erroneous Zones by Wayne Dyer

15. 8 Weeks to Optimum Health written and read by Andrew Weil

16. The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings on Authenticity, Connection, and Courage by Brene Brown

17. The Mindful Brain by Daniel Siegel

18. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

19. Change Your Brain, Change Your Life – Lecture Series by Daniel G. Amen

20. The Science of Mind by Ernest Holmes

21. Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman

22. Getting Unstuck by Pema Chodron

23. Walking through the Storm: Living with Cancer Series by HumanMedia.org

24. Take Charge Of Your Mind by John Selby

25. It Works by R.H. Jarrett (for $1.00!)

BUSINESS: (15 Audio Books)

1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

2. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

4. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t by Jim Collins

5. The 21 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Money by Brian Tracy

6. The 5 Levels of Leadership by John C. Maxwell, read by the author

7. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner, read by Stephen J. Dubner

8. The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles

9. Winning by Jack Welch & Suzy Welch, read by Jack Welch

10. The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom written and read by Suze Orman

11. Lead Like Jesus by Ken Blanchard, Bill Hybels, & Rick Warren

12. Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

13. Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? written and read by Seth Godin

14. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William Ury, & Bruce Patton

15. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, ready by Malcolm Gladwell

LITERATURE: (20 Audio Books)

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Read by Sissy Spacek

2. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, with a full cast featuring Richard Dreyfuss and Stacy Keach

3. Hamlet: Arkangel Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

4. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

5. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, Read by Michael York

6. Beloved by Toni Morrison, Read by Toni Morrison

7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

8. Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales narrated by Gillian Anderson, LeVar Burton, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Whoopi Goldberg, Hugh Jackman, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Alan Rickman, Charlize Theron, Forest Whitaker, and other great actors

9. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

10. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, read by Donald Sutherland

11. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Read by Patrick Stewart

12. Odyssey of the West I – A Classic Education through the Great Books: Hebrews and Greeks by Professor Timothy B. Shutt

13. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, read by Jeremy Irons

14. The Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection Read by Basil Rathbone, Vincent Price

15. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Read by Maya Angelou

16. Plato’s Republic with a Full Cast from Agora Publications

17. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

18. Oedipus the King by Sophocles with Full Cast

19. Poems of Rumi ready by Robert Bly & Coleman Barks

20. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, read by Jeremy Irons

RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY: (15 Audio Books)

1. The Bible: The New Testament Narrated by Gregory Peck

2. The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Howard Cutler

3. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

4. Do YOU Do It, or Does IT Do You? by Alan Watts

5. Islam, A Short History by Karen Armstrong

6. Mindful Living: A Collection of Teachings on Love, Mindfulness, and Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh

7. The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton

8. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra

9. The Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

10. Spiritual Enlightenment: The Damnedest Thing by Jed McKenna

11. Desiring God by John Piper

12. Truth is a Pathless Land by Jiddu Krishnamurti

13. Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential written and read by Joel Osteen

14. Experiments in Truth by Ram Dass

15. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything written and read by Christopher Hitchens

HISTORY: (10 Audio Books)

1. A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

3. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

4. Great Speeches Of The 20th Century

5. John Adams by David McCullough

6. Reagan in His Own Voice: Ronald Reagan’s Radio Addresses

7. A People’s History of the United States: Highlights from the Twentieth Century by Howard Zinn, read by Howard Zinn and Matt Damon

8. Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis

9. Sir Winston Churchill: His Finest Hour

10. Don’t Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know about American History But Never Learned by Kenneth C. Davis

BIOGRAPHY: (5 Audio Books)

1. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Narrated by Selma Blair

3. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

4. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

5. Bossypants written and read by Tina Fey

SCIENCE: (5 Audio Books)

1. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

2. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, Read by Bill Bryson

3. Basic Human Anatomy by John K. Young

4. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman

5. The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins

MISCELLANEOUS: (5 Audio Books)

1. Spanish I (Comprehensive) by Dr. Paul Pimsleur

2. The Story of Classical Music by Darren Henley

3. Aristotle by Thomas C. Brickhouse, narrated by Charlton Heston

4. On Writing written and read by Stephen King

5. David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall