The best Quebec history podcasts

Telling the past: what audio does well

A successful history podcast brings an era to life without sacrificing accuracy. Audio lends itself well to this: the voice, the pace and sometimes sound archives carry listeners into another time, where a textbook often remains more abstract.

The shows of the genre stand apart mostly by their approach. Some take an approach close to academic popularization, with guest specialists and precise references. Others favour storytelling, following a figure or an event the way you follow a plot.

Series to listen to in order

Many history podcasts are built as series, with several episodes devoted to the same period or the same figure. In that case, starting with the first episode of the series rather than the most recent one usually makes the listening much clearer.

• Check whether the show works by seasons or by themed series.
• Read the episode description to place the period it covers.
• Note the references cited to dig deeper into a topic after listening.

History from several angles

The history of Quebec and Canada inspires several local shows, but the topics often go beyond that frame: world history, military history, the history of ideas or of science. This variety lets you move from one era to another as your curiosity leads you.

The history category brings all of these shows together. Depending on your interests, music history and film history offer other ways in, as do the true crime podcasts, which often revisit old cases.