I'm sorry about your new commute--that sounds rough!

I have been on a podcast binge this fall--my attention span often too short for audiobooks. I also find that sometimes highly recommended ones bore me and/or irritate me. But there are a lot I love.

I think my favorite one right now is You Must Remember This -- Karina Longworth has a great way of making everything interesting. I really loved the Manson family series--it was long on culture, short on gore--but all the others are great, too.

I'm sure people have also recommended Hard Core History. I really like that, as well.

Others I've enjoyed recently:

Another Round --especially the Hilary Clinton interview. But this is one of the ones with two people chatting, so it depends what you think about their personalities.

Gravy, from the Southern Food Alliance.

Switched on Pop--but it depends how you feel about close analysis of pop songs.

Lit Up -- Very New York, the interviewers have the potential to be incredibly annoying, but somehow they get good interviews out their guests (all authors, mostly women).

The New York Times Book Review podcast usually has a good mix of author interviews, book news and reviews. I also like Books on the Nightstand.

"Fiction" podcasts are even more hit or miss, but my kids and I adore Decoder Ring Theatre (The Red Panda Adventures and Black Jack Justice)

I also have been liking Limetown ("Serial" meets "The X-Files"--pretty spooky). I listened to one episode of Tanis, and enjoyed that.

and more...but that's enough for now, probably! (the A/V Club does a "Podmass" wrap up that's useful, too)