Tasty Reads 2: Podcasting Pocket Guide

Would you look at that, it is becoming a regular post on this blog. I'm already at Tasty Reads 2. No, I don't have miraculous speed-reading skills, I'm just always reading several books at once.

Tasty Reads number 2 is the Podcasting Pocket Guide by Kirk McElhearn, Richard Giles, and Jack D. Herrington (published by O'Reilly). This book comes in at under 100 pages and is in fact, more or less pocket-sized. It would fit in a man's shirt pocket or a back pocket in a pair of jeans, sticking out a bit.

No, I don't intend to start podcasting (sorry to disappoint, I know you were so hopeful and all). Rather, I am doing a presentation with a coworker on podcasting, so I thought maybe, just maybe, I outta read a basic intro.

This books does a nice job of introducing you to the whole podcasting thing. How to listen, create (really, it's pretty simple), and edit. It also gives a list of 30 recommended podcasts. It's pretty good for beginners, but I have to say, some of the editing stuff was a bit over my head.

The best part was the 30 recommended podcasts. I recently purchased an MP3 player, and so now I'm on the look out for new podcasts to subscribe to. Because of this book, I am checking out:

1. The Bitterest Pill - a podcast done by an entertaining stay-at-home father, who just announced a podcasting hiatus of undetermined length (he'll be back to podcasting no later than September, he says).
   
   
2. Dr. Karl - I haven't listened to this one yet, but I'm looking forward to it. Aimed towards kids (well, at least it's on a youth radio station), this podcast answers science questions. Two examples in the book are: "Why is my nasal hair square?" and "How can I explode my own urine?" What can I say? It promises to be quite entertaining.
   
   
3. Winecast - I have a friend who really seems to know her wine, so I'm going to listen to this one to show her up. Okay, not really, but it does sound interesting. I am lucky enough to begin subscribing on a podcast where Tim Elliott (the podcaster) is doing a bit of an introduction to wine tasting. Great place to start for a novice like me.
   
   Actually, as I'm typing this, I'm sipping some Breitenbach Blackberry American Wine which is made in Dover, Ohio (Amish country). It's sweet, but other than that, I couldn't tell you a whole lot about it. Maybe that will soon change.
   
   
4. The Gadget Show - As if I don't already read and listen to enough about tech stuff, I had to come across yet another that I couldn't live without. This one is done by Richard Giles (one of the authors of the book). The one podcast I've listened to so far is pretty good stuff. Plus, he has a great Australian accent, which automatically makes everything even more interesting. :)

*Kat's Konclusion: More or less munch-worthy. Recommended.*