A suitcase filled with love and shame, love from inside a prison and the love between a parent and child. The following podcast episode recommendations feature an amalgamation of love stories from people in all walks of life and their journeys as they navigate love and the repercussions that come with it. These episodes are numbered in no particular order, as each one is special in its own right. That being said, from an avid podcast listener, enjoy.
Snap Judgment: “The Suitcase of Love and Shame“
A story-telling podcast, Snap Judgment provides in vivid detail the odyssey of one couple’s love story and eventual heartbreak. Hosted by the ever-charismatic Glen Washington and narrated by artist Jane Gillooly, “The Suitcase of Love and Shame” describes Gillooly’s curious find on eBay: a suitcase enclosed with over 60 cassette-tapes holding the recorded love story of a widow and a married husband. The narrator tells the story in a hushed tone, and the quiet static of an old cassette can be heard. As Gillooly describes each tape, the grainy voice of a man and woman begin to play and the listener all but watches as the relationship progresses over the months and the reality of what happens when infidelity comes into play is revealed. This story has since been made into a movie.
Ear Hustle: Episode 24, “The Big No No“
Operating from inside California’s San Quintin prison, episode 24 of Ear Hustle, “The Big No No”, expands on the parts of prison life we don’t often think about, such as navigating love while incarcerated. In this episode, we learn of the 3,000+ volunteers that are constantly entering prisons like San Quintin and of the many rules and regulations that are set in place to prevent boundaries from being crossed, by both volunteer and prisoner, ensuring a sense of overfamiliarity is not established to prevent cases of love from escalating. It is considered taboo within the prison system to fall in love with an inmate, which is the case of Lisa and Erin, whose names have been changed for security purposes. “The Big No No“ allows the listener for a rare glimpse at an even rarer love story.
Not by Accident: Episode 1, “Insemination Story“
This is a different kind of love story. Not by Accident is a podcast that documents the life of three-year-old Astrid and single mother Sophie Harper (and no, she’s not a mother by accident). Each episode offers a slice of their lives and a little bit more love than when the episode began. Insemination Story is able to capture the unrelenting love and adoration of a mother towards a child, the decision Sophie made in becoming a single mother and how she navigated it.