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Our Favorite Stories Of The Year

It’s the last show of the year and thus a time to look back on where we’ve been and the stories we’ve shared. Word of Mouth producers celebrate the work they loved and the stories that stuck with them from producers and reporters around NHPR.

Favorites Mentioned In This Episode

Justine Paradis picked Jimmy's convincing case for the hyena from This Isn't Science. It's Love from Outside/In. She also called out Daniela Allee's story on watching soccer with her dad.

Jimmy Guiterrez highlighted How Two Friends Navigate Being Young Black Men in a Mostly White NH Town from Daniela Allee for centering the story and experience of kids of color.

Daniela Allee highlighted the amazing work of reporter Casey McDermott, particularly her story Voter Fraud in New Hampshirefrom the State of Democracy Project.

All three producers recalled Ben Henry bringing a microphone on a blind date - a bit of gimmick that actually worked - that appeared in the show Finding Love In A Hopeless Placefrom Word of Mouth.

Other stories from NHPR and elsewhere we loved this year:

Justine recommends "A Cow A Day" - so sly and light on its feet as we follow a cow on its day, wandering through the Hindu holy city of Varanasi." 

Another favorite from Justine is The Shadows, a work of autofiction from the CBC on love, dreams, and choices. Justine says, "come for the love story, stay for the stream-of-consciousness from the perspective of a favorite sweater, and contemplate the ways we organize loving each other."

Executive Producer Erika Janik recommends the podcast The Dream, a fascinating look at multilevel marketing schemes because who hasn't been invited to a make-up, leggings, kitchen knife party?

Erika also recommends Taylor Quimby's exploration of the J-1 visa economy in New Hampshire in Will Work for 'Culture.'

Director of Content Maureen McMurray recommends An Oral History of Knuck If You Buck from the Nod, CaliphateEpisode 3, and every episode of Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. "Van Ness," says Maureen, "provided me with a much needed break from the onslaught of news in 2018. Total lifesaver." 

Erika Janik fell into radio after volunteering at Wisconsin Public Radio to screen listener calls. She co-founded and was the executive producer of “Wisconsin Life” on Wisconsin Public Radio for seven years. Now she spins all the podcast plates for Outside/In and Civics 101.
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