The Moth is a non-profit group based in the United States who are committed to bringing back the art of storytelling. In the podcast, ordinary people take the stage in front of a live audience to tell a story from their lives. These stories typically last around 10-15 minutes and are released every week.

The Moth could be compared to This American LIfe, a podcast I reviewed last year. Both shows feature raw stories from everyday people, and both can be incredibly powerful at times. The difference is that The Moth is a much shorter time investment than This American Life, which may suit some listeners better.

The stories told in The Moth cover a wide range of topics. Some episodes can be funny, others can be incredibly moving. A good example of what kind of stories The Moth can tell is the episode Franny’s Last Ride. In this episode speaker Mike Destefano tells the heart wrenching story of Franny, a girl he met while in a rehibilitation clinic for drug addiction. This episode is no longer in the iTunes store, but but can still download it from here.

This is definitely one for everyone to try. Unlike This American Life, there is less of a time investment required, so those who are unsure can easily throw a few on their iPod to decide whether or not the series is for them.

Subscribe to The Moth Podcast: Website | iTunes | RSS

Hear the audio version of this review in Episode 13 of Podwatch: iTunes | RSS | Direct download

Ratings for The Moth Podcast

Entertainment value Most of the time the stories are pithy and enjoyable.
Quality of content Some of the most powerful stories out there.
Production quality The audio is very raw, but that is part of its charm.
Overall Much like This American Life, The Moth Podcast can be hit and miss at times, but it is often beautifully engaging and takes less time investment than it’s NPR counterpart.

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