Recent Episodes
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A historic revolt, a forgotten hero, an empty plinth: is there a right way to remember slavery?
Apr 19, 2024 – 00:44:57 -
From the archive: Did Brazil’s evangelical superstar have her husband killed?
Apr 17, 2024 – 00:56:58 -
Rage, waste and corruption: how Covid changed politics
Apr 15, 2024 – 00:33:46 -
Disappearing tongues: the endangered language crisis
Apr 12, 2024 – 00:28:48 -
From the archive: The mystery of the Gatwick drone
Apr 10, 2024 – 00:36:35 -
‘What’s the worst that could happen?’: Love in the sickle cell capital of the world
Apr 8, 2024 – 00:42:26 -
Radioactive waste, baby bottles and Spam: the deep ocean has become a dumping ground
Apr 5, 2024 – 00:24:49 -
From the archive – Out of thin air: the mystery of the man who fell from the sky
Apr 3, 2024 – 00:40:21 -
200 cats, 200 dogs, one lab: the secrets of the pet food industry
Apr 1, 2024 – 00:27:29 -
Power grab: the hidden costs of Ireland’s datacentre boom
Mar 29, 2024 – 00:25:04 -
From the archive: ‘Is anybody in there?’ Life on the inside as a locked-in patient
Mar 27, 2024 – 00:35:35 -
‘It was so wrong’: why were so many people imprisoned over one protest in Bristol?
Mar 25, 2024 – 00:44:28 -
What we talk about when we talk about giving up
Mar 22, 2024 – 00:27:43 -
From the archive – Operation Condor: the cold war conspiracy that terrorised South America
Mar 20, 2024 – 00:43:39 -
The tyranny of the algorithm: why every coffee shop looks the same
Mar 18, 2024 – 00:29:07 -
Electric mountain: the power station that shows the beauty of infrastructure
Mar 15, 2024 – 00:24:14 -
From the archive: How western travel influencers got tangled up in Pakistan’s politics
Mar 13, 2024 – 00:47:40 -
‘Can I now send the funds?’: secrets of the Conservative money machine
Mar 11, 2024 – 00:31:53 -
‘Good times and dances might last for ever’: the sound of London’s Black gay scene
Mar 8, 2024 – 00:26:06 -
From the archive: ‘A chain of stupidity’: the Skripal case and the decline of Russia’s spy agencies
Mar 6, 2024 – 00:40:28 -
What the unrest in Leicester revealed about Britain – and Modi’s India
Mar 4, 2024 – 00:49:41 -
The Guardian’s new podcast series about AI: Black Box – prologue
Mar 2, 2024 – 00:14:36 -
Precipice of fear: the freerider who took skiing to its limits
Mar 1, 2024 – 00:48:16 -
From the archive: How maverick rewilders are trying to turn back the tide of extinction
Feb 28, 2024 – 00:36:11 -
‘Farming is a dirty word now’: the woman helping farmers navigate a grim, uncertain future
Feb 26, 2024 – 00:34:44 -
‘Ukraine fatigue’: why I’m fighting to stop the world forgetting us
Feb 23, 2024 – 00:22:45 -
From the archive: Penthouses and poor doors: how Europe’s ‘biggest regeneration project’ fell flat
Feb 21, 2024 – 00:32:23 -
‘Scars on every street’: the refugee camp where generations of Palestinians have lost their futures
Feb 19, 2024 – 00:26:52 -
‘They were dying, and they’d not had their money’: Britain’s multibillion-pound equal pay scandal
Feb 16, 2024 – 00:40:42 -
From the archive: The air conditioning trap: how cold air is heating the world
Feb 14, 2024 – 00:35:48 -
Hippy, capitalist, guru, grocer: the forgotten genius who changed British food
Feb 12, 2024 – 00:47:42 -
‘I repeatedly failed to win any awards’: my doomed career as a North Korean novelist
Feb 9, 2024 – 00:29:42 -
From the archive: From Lagos to Winchester – how a divisive Nigerian pastor built a global following
Feb 7, 2024 – 00:41:10 -
‘Weapons of mass migration’: how states exploit the failure of migration policies
Feb 5, 2024 – 00:26:51 -
Sanctuary: I grew up during The Troubles and have been seeking a place of peace ever since
Feb 2, 2024 – 00:36:36 -
From the archive: The bells v the boutique hotel: the battle to save Britain’s oldest factory
Jan 31, 2024 – 00:44:09 -
One Swedish zoo, seven escaped chimpanzees
Jan 29, 2024 – 00:53:10 -
Days of the Jackal: how Andrew Wylie turned serious literature into big business
Jan 26, 2024 – 00:51:44 -
From the archive: ‘I just needed to find my family’: the scandal of Chile’s stolen children – podcast
Jan 24, 2024 – 00:39:25 -
We have a tool to stop Israel’s war crimes: BDS
Jan 22, 2024 – 00:35:47 -
The ghosts haunting China’s cities
Jan 19, 2024 – 00:28:28 -
From the archive: Inside the bizarre, bungled raid on North Korea’s Madrid embassy
Jan 17, 2024 – 00:44:09 -
‘They treated me like an animal’: how Filipino domestic workers become trapped
Jan 15, 2024 – 00:46:44 -
America’s undying empire: why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated
Jan 12, 2024 – 00:26:26 -
From the archive: How Nespresso’s coffee revolution got ground down
Jan 10, 2024 – 00:39:24 -
Four bike rides, four years in the life of Black Britain: ‘On the road, we found ourselves again’
Jan 8, 2024 – 00:34:41 -
Too much stuff: can we solve our addiction to consumerism?
Jan 5, 2024 – 00:30:32 -
From the archive: Dark crystals: the brutal reality behind a booming wellness craze
Jan 3, 2024 – 00:34:32 -
Last love: a romance in a care home
Jan 1, 2024 – 00:31:40 -
Best of 2023: The widow and the murderer: a friendship born of tragedy
Dec 29, 2023 – 00:52:49
Recent Reviews
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CallahansfeedstoreAI? Or is the team just mailing this in?As a frequent Guardian reader, I’m let down as a listener. Sounds like AI voices backed by uninspired scoring.
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Gamble3866Monotone narrationSadly, the amazing journalism is let down by very monotone narration. The reader has no warmth to their tone, removing the empathy and emotion from the article.
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This KenAntisemiticSince the October 7 massacre the guardian “the Long Read” has focused on anti Jew anti Israel stories. The original stories were written by Palestinians needing Hamas approval for their continued survival. The stories are entirely one sided propaganda. To re run these stories now is an attempt to justify Hamas butchery. Rerunning this propaganda now can only be explained by antisemitism.
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Never clean enoughMy go-to Podcast! Varied and fascinating topics!I learn so much about the world from this podcast. Faultless journalism. I read some grumbling about the narration. Our current public discourse, on my side of the pond, is full of bloviating and shouting and hyperbole. Even many of the more reasonable broadcast journalists seem to feel the need to vocally push. I now seek out, almost exclusively, calm and quiet narration paired with excellent writing, as is presented here. Thank you so much for providing that. A much needed and refreshing respite. Thank you!
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whynicknamegoodgodExcellent writing, but please find other narratorsThe writing is consistently strong. But it’s let down by the narration, which generally sounds robotic and utterly devoid of personality. It feels like narrators were chosen to sound as flat as possible.
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camping crafterAppreciate this podcast so muchI have listened to this podcast for over a year and have really loved going back to listen to the earlier episodes as well. I often see reviewers who complain about various readers but I find myself quickly engrossed in the content and no longer focusing on the voice. That said, I am from the United States and especially enjoy hearing the British readers who seem to have a typically steady, soothing and consistent sound. I see reviewers complain about liking some topics but not others and yet they provide very little precise input regarding what they would like to hear more about. Occasionally I come across a topic that doesn’t really interest me. However, I eventually realized that those articles are about something I know very Iittle about or cover a subject I find challenging to comprehend. Ultimately I have learned that those episodes are some of the most useful for me to listen to. Thank you so much for the gift of this podcast!
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*Mr. Joshua*A Lackluster Podcast ExperienceMy foray into this particular podcast left much to be desired. Unfortunately, it fell short in several crucial aspects, resulting in an underwhelming and forgettable listening experience. From monotonous hosts to subpar production quality, lack of structure, lengthy episodes, and unimpressive guest selection, this podcast failed to meet even the most basic standards of quality and entertainment. In a world filled with exceptional podcasts, it's advisable to explore other options that provide engaging hosts, well-produced episodes, and valuable insights.
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indieperfumeExceptionalHas a definite stance and point of view, which is explored through various topics and ongoing issues in the modern world with serious mindedness. The quality of this content goes way beyond entertainment and reaches more toward essays history biography or non fiction studies that could be developed or has been excerpted from material by published authors. I much appreciate having this thoughtfully produced content on a variety of issues that relate more to the struggling everyday person to give context to many difficult situations and topics of current concern.
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TheWomanOnFirePricelessI count on The Guardian for the best written and oral journalism. And, yes, I financially support this forum. ✊The level of writing and speakers is unparalleled.
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CutiForeverNo more noisy ads please!Have been listening for several years, but in the last year or so, the ads have gotten really annoying and LOUD. I don’t mind the presence of ads, I understand why you need them, but please don’t include ones that have jingles or clash too much with the pod’s style. I listen to the pod for its soothing as much as its journalistic quality, and lately the soothing part has been lacking. Thanks!
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StarSharonMy favorite podcastsI love listening to the diverse, well written articles about so many subjects and the voice readers use calming voices, so it's very relaxing to listen. I've found highly informative episodes and learned so much. I love the long dive into the subject matter.
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hi from athens gaCan the (canned) musicI’m not crazy about the new stock music and “funny” sound effects. They are annoying and distracting. The content stands on its own without help!
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5762097632Great with a few issuesOften the stories are great!! Agree with other reviews that narration should be British, American accents are easy to find elsewhere. Also agree with major volume control issues of the intro chimes and ads- these make it hard to listen to while trying to relax. Otherwise great!
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moving on-missuSad choicesSad to listen to the whole abortion long read and then Concrete. We write to inform, to entertain, and to persuade - sadly these were almost entirely the latter. Disappointed. Look to your program to provide more of 1 and 2. Clear miss for this program. When one family member died of abortion listed as death certificate, we accept that but then when another dies with no notation, the author goes on to assume the other died in the same way and then extends it to all sisters into present day, strange assumptions throughout. Sad choice for the program. Concrete does contribute to carbon dioxide emissions but it does not create hurricanes or wasteful government spending or crime and corruption - there is a good story here but it would require a far better writer. Again, please screen your offerings and raise your standards. Palm oil story has a mich better balance of information.
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Just want easy mobile depositAlmost, sirLove the content, but not sure what the readers are playing at trying to do accents. Just read the dang article.
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GeumpyhistoryExcellently ExecutedLove a good long form article. These are thoughtfully read, with subtle and appropriate emphasis. Interesting perspectives and narratives selected. Has become one of my favorite podcasts (and I listen to podcasts at least a few hours a day)
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Ex CathedraBlast my earsWhy does The Long Read blast the volume of intro and ending “The Long Read by the Guardian?” I listen to the beginning of the podcast and boom! I hear the chimes and a voice announce “the long read” at volumes far higher than the podcast itself. Same at the end, boom! chimes and voiceover so long I almost ripped out my ear buds.
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AJT-NYCMispronunciationsLove the content, but distracted by the mispronunciations. Is the reader actually AI? Hard to believe moderately educated human reader would mispronounce (in coal article) mesa, ostensibly, reprieve, Greenwich, Georgian and more.
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brainzmatterUsually very informativeLately has become more frivolous. The British readers are sooo much better than the over-enunciating North Americans. I have to skip most of them even when the subject is particularly compelling. Update: in spite of many reviews complaining about readers, it just gets worse. Where do you find these Americans? They are TERRIBLE. Why don’t you stay with Brits. I’m done. I’ll just read them from now on—when the topics interest me—which isn’t so much anymore. A shame because this used to one of my favourite podcasts. I hate to pick on individuals but I spite of all these reviews, reader Christopher Ragland is back again and I CANNOT listen. It’s like he’s reading an advert aimed at six-year-olds. I quit Audible for the same reason. Narration matters! I can’t listen to these school play amateurs. UPDATE After some time away and a few listens with suitable readers, I again encounter an episode read with American accent who sounds rather like a mechanical device , has no sense of when a pause is appropriate and has made an interesting subject impossible to listen to. Do you even audition these people? Do you have a test audience? Do you care how much criticism you get? I’m done. Unfollowed as of now. Wont be back.
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LeonickxSome Good, Some Not SoSome of these stories are really excellent (death of liberalism in Hungary and Poland, for example) but most are boring, interest British listeners only, old, and badly read. So, three stars—and I’m in a generous mood
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heyeonanaI love this british reader voicethis woman’s voice is good and makes me be focusing the podcast.
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Kadence404Love itExcellent reporting and presentation. Not every topic is something I’m interested in, but the ones that I am I always enjoy
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midwestBlueLuttwak podcastomg what a con man. he advised america on Iraq bombing in the early days? that didn’t go very well for the iraqi people. he sounds more like a catch me if you can poser.
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nuclearpowerplantNerdy Life HackVery interesting and unique writing and topics that you can listen to while doing other things. People complaining about monotone voices are being hypercritical. Superior to actual computer generated speech. Obviously inferior to professional voice actors. But it’s a free podcast and not a paid prescription service.
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clamshookTruly great selectionsI can always rely on the Audio Long Reads to give me something strange, complicated, and wonderful for my mind to chew on. Fantastic journalism!
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Jen's_Atari2600The ArcherssssSsssorry to sssay, but the reader of the Desssember 18, 2020 episssode (The Weird Geniusss of the Archersss), ssso inssessantly whisstled her Ssss’sss, I jussst couldn’t keep lissstening!
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🤯😂🧐🥱Perfect journalismI’ll be lying if I didn’t say I love listening to these podcast. I’m learning a lot of stuff that I personally wouldn’t have time to research or study. The essay on Amazon delivery hit home for sure! I’m in the US, and this, this kinda journalisms is what we are craving for.. love it!!
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CoconutChildWhy do you keep hiring bad readers??The American guy is so distracting and corny, he sounds like Patrick Bateman. Just have a nice sounding UK person read your articles ... you have so many listeners asking for this. At this point I just want to know why you guys refuse to drop the American droid readers, what is your deal with them..:
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Jent333Vegas#991This Episode that breaks down the value of a life was so much of the reason I listen to this Pod... Great great episode, will keep me thinking all day abut the value of a life. Please come back to this angle of economics and life as often as you can. Thank you thank you...
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hollyhock5More Andrew McGregorPlease just have Andrew McGregor read.
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FisherspaltonPlease improve narrationLove the content but narration is challenging.
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AplebeianlifeGreat content but read by an expressionless voice.Great content- but please get another reader- I assume this is a computerized voice and I can’t bear listening to it’s expressionless drone.
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A.VnoReading style roughYeah, interesting but the extremely enunciated pronunciation makes uncomfortable to listen to.
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mdg999Change the readers!I really want to love this but all of the readers sounds robotic, over enunciating everything. It makes beautiful tender stories sound clinical. I haven’t made it through a whole episode yet because of the readers.
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ccr226Please have more British readers and a more natural tone!I love the article choices and the long form reading format. Several have been well read by British speakers with natural intonation. Particularly the episodes on the Zaghari-Ratcliffes unjust suffering and the Dirk Obbink’s corrupt sales of Oxford antiquities were impeccably researched and delivered. However, the last one I tried to listen to (America Squandered Its Cold War Victory) sounded like a computerized voice. I had to turn it off after a minute, even though I would love to hear about this topic. Same goes for the Mari Kondo episode. And as an American, I agree with the last reviewer: I listen to British podcasts because I am sick of the whiny and saccharine American accent. Please have more British or international readers!! That’s why we’re here!
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JJRROMIRaleigh NCRaleigh isn’t Ray-Lee ! So ignorant. No one watching this store???
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DaveiiiExciting and Important JournalismWhat could be better than a podcast where talented readers recite a piece of important and in-depth journalism? Not much, not much at all. Give the Guardian Audio Long Reads a listen and you’ll hear why!
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Surohan7My favorite podcast...butPlease keep your wonderful British readers. As an American myself, I love to hear them and cringe at the American voices that come across as jarring and pretentious. Also, I agree with another reviewer who hates the loud ad in the middle.
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Arp121Please change the readersPainful to listen to the over-enunciating (North) American readers. It is uch a shame as the content of the podcast is relevant and engaging. I much prefer listening to British readers (I am Canadian.) Please consider this critical feedback before losing more listeners.
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111342Ruined with adsA super loud and annoying ad plays in the middle of these. Not sure who the marketing genius was that decided loud and annoying would make money here but i hope they write an article about him/her. I won’t listen to it though.
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Don't Break the InternetGreat Content, Grating VoiceUgh made it 1/4 in and couldn’t take the voice (a/i?) anymore. It’s unnatural.
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nsarwarFantasticIntellectual bliss.
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BooksinNewYorkMust listen!Fantastic podcast!
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m0nsoonFar and away my favorite podcastWhile listening to many longform audio texts, I usually get bored and distracted. The Guardian’s audio long reads are always engaging and thoughtful. I just listened to a fascinating analysis of the effect of privilege on social mobility. Last time, I listened to an analysis of the Silicon Valley “gold rush”. The variety and depth of articles is fantastic. I am so happy that this podcast exists.
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Barb in MiltonThe Vanishing GlaciersBeautifully relayed but heartbreakingly sad. Are we too late for my young granddaughters?
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threelimesI’m in awe.Having just listened to several astonishing episodes, the last one I heard, on The Male Glance, practically had my hair standing on end with clearly articulated truth after truth. Sent me straight here to give this podcast 5 well-deserved stars. Thank you for this whole series!!!
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MrNewsGuyGreat audio companion of an excellent article seriesI only wish they narrated every Long Read article. At the same time, The G's clear liberal bent is on display regarding their topic choices. I find most offerings informative, enlightening, educational, and well produced.
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gentlemen's pockyEssential listeningLove it, One of my favorite podcasts!
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Jules_1006Great listenUsually enjoyable, although I find the American female narrator's voice unlistenable.
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eggsarniegreat podcast…while it lastedThe audio highlights from the paper are excellent. But there hasn't been any new ones since July…what gives? Please let us know if it's over!
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