Dr. Jennifer Airey’s variety favorites

Stay up-to-date on news, politics and more with this week’s podcast picks.

Hana Saad

Student Writer

The news cycle can feel exhausting to keep up with. Things are constantly changing and it can be hard to sift through all of the information available out there. But there are podcasts that can help. From shows with shorter episodes that keep you up-to-date on the biggest news stories to those that feature more in-depth reporting, this list of podcasts is sure to offer some clarity about current events.

Best Podcasts for Staying Updated on Current News

“Up First” from NPR: With episodes of 15 minutes, this is the perfect podcast to get updated on the three most pressing events of the day. NPR News does this in a succinct manner, making it easy to incorporate this show into your daily routine.

“The Daily” from The New York Times: The show features news and politics from across the globe as reported by a variety of journalists. It provides a strong analysis of current events. The episodes range from 20 to 30 minutes, which is on the longer side, but the reporting is more in-depth than shorter podcasts so it is worth the time if you have it.

courtesy National Public Radio Every weekday, NPR’s political reporters give updates on the biggest national news.

Best Podcasts for Staying Updated on Politics

“The NPR Politics Podcast” from NPR: Every day, journalists cover the biggest news coming out of Washington. An essential podcast for staying up-to-date on US politics in episodes that range under 20 minutes or less.

“The Take” from Al Jazeera English: With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, this podcast keeps you upto-date on global politics and current events. Recent stories covered the conflict in Yemen, violence in Kashmir and marijuana equity in Illinois. The episodes are around 15 to 20 minutes.

“FiveThirtyEight Politics” from ABC News: This podcast covers the latest issues and news in politics across the US, with occasional updates from other countries across the globe. The episodes range anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

These podcasts are available on all streaming platforms.

courtesy utulsa.edu Airey’s most recent book focuses on Mary Shelley.

See Me After Class is a weekly column where a different professor reveals their variety favorites.

himself — but it also offers a really fascinating take on contemporary gender roles, religious and political controversies and the dangers associated with being an author. More broadly, I hope all undergrads will have some exposure to early literature before they leave TU. I’m currently editing an edition of an 1811 novel called “The Passions” by Charlotte Dacre, an understudied female gothic novelist. It’s my aim to make these “trashy” works — novels that were popular in their own day but have since been forgotten (in some cases because they were written by women, in other cases because they were deemed unintellectual) — accessible to modern readers, both because they’re analytically interesting, and because they’re fun. “The Passions” is about a woman who sets out to destroy a man who rejected her, and it’s quite a ride.

Julianne Tran Variety Editor

A tenured professor of English who received her Ph.D. from Boston University, Dr. Jennifer Airey is the self-proclaimed Queen of Trash Literature. From her position as editor-in-chief of “Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature” and the chair of interim provost, Dr. Airey takes the time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for TUs newest weekly column.

What’s your favorite book? What book would you say all undergrads need to read before they graduate?

I’m a huge fan of Matthew Lewis’s 1796 gothic novel, “The Monk.” When I assign it, I tell my students that they’re about to read the greatest novel ever written [Adam’s note: Can confirm Dr. Airey said that and it is a wonderfully insane novel]. It’s the complete trash of its day — murder, magic, bleeding ghost nuns, evil monks and Satan,

What’s reading like for you? Is there a specific setting, mood, drink set-up?

If I’m reading for work, I prefer a coffee shop, where I can drink hot chocolate or chai. I’m a bathtub reader when I’m reading for fun.

Is there a movie/show that you always return to?

I have some comfort sitcoms that I’ll put on in the background while doing chores — “Friends,” “The Office,” “Schitt’s Creek,” “The Big Bang Theory.” From a teaching perspective, I like to stay current with the cultural zeitgeist of the moment. I’m not teaching this semester, but if I were, I’d probably be trying to work in an analysis of “Squid Game” and gender.

What was the last book/movie/show that you actually found funny?

I really enjoyed Grady Hendrix’s “The Final Girl Support Group,” which is a pretty spot-on satire of slasher films.

What’s your favorite Tulsa restaurant? Do you have any food/restaurant routines?

eo games, particularly survival horror and first-person shooters. Being mildly skilled at “Call of Duty” is my hidden talent.

Hands down, Keo on Brookside. Go try the ginger garlic stir fry with white rice and chicken. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to restaurants. Friends have to drag me to new places.

Is there a media/pop culture/entertainment/music side to you that students wouldn’t expect?

If you had to pick three songs for a Playlist of Your Life, what would they be?

I’m not sure about individual songs, but I wrote my dissertation to the “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack, my first book to the “Battlestar Galactica” soundtrack and my second book to the “Game of Thrones” soundtrack, so I guess those count.

I’m not sure this is so unexpected, given the classes I teach, but I am a big fan of vid-

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