Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Pushkin IndustriesWe tell our children unsettling fairy tales to teach them valuable lessons, but these Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups – and they are all true. Tim Harford (Financial Times, BBC, author of “The Data Detective”) brings you stories of awful human error, tragic catastrophes, and hilarious fiascos. They'll delight you, scare you, but also make you wiser. New episodes every Frida... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 259 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureHistory | |||
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Latest Episodes
The Herald of Free Enterprise is a new class of ferry that allows cars to drive directly into the ship. The doors must be closed before every departure, or the ship sails with a gaping hole at one end. One black night in 1987, on the freezing waters ... more
Windscale is supposed to be Britain's big leap into the nuclear age, bringing science fiction to life in 1950s Northern England. But in the race to catch up with America's nuclear program, scientists are tinkering with forces they don't fully underst... more
If you tuned in to late-night WOR radio in 1950s New York, you'd enter the secret world of Jean Shepherd. Shepherd's nonconformist style, off-beat humor and love of pranks gathered a small but loyal following. These "Night People" loved being in on t... more
When the Luddites smashed factory frames in a bid to defend their craft and livelihoods, the machines came out on top. Today, AI and automation threaten to wipe out skilled jobs and flood us with inferior products at a fraction of the price: is histo... more
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Intriguing stories of things gone wrong and what we can learn from them.
Podcast Addict516 days agopetermckMy favourite podcast. The stories are fascinating and expertly delivered by Tim. If you want to learn something interesting and be entertained without the inane chat that so many feature nowadays, this is the podcast for you.
Podcast Addict516 days agoWizzo- Jean Shepherd - seriously?!
Like many others, as these ratings display, I’ve always enjoyed this show as a form of journalistic history. It maintains a scholarly sense of detail mixed with an eyebrow-raising judgey opinion. When the subjects are criminals, of course they’re sitting targets for this author’s upturned nose, and deservedly so. But a hit piece on Jean Shepherd of all people? I still can’t figure out why he qualified. Harford explained to his global audience who this blue collar cranky misfit was- in terms of t... more
Apple Podcasts1Spring7Boy
United States18 days ago - Best podcast
Cautionary tales is BY FAR my favorite podcast. I love Tim’s narration, and the stories and philosophical lessons are always interesting. 10/10 would recommend.
Apple Podcasts5JScherf2012United States22 days ago - So nice
I love putting this on for my daughter and she really like it too!
Apple Podcasts4CutieNark3
United Kingdoma month ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
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Spotify | #41 | United States/History |
Apple Podcasts | #37 | United States/History |
Spotify | #19 | United Kingdom/History |
Spotify | #174 | United Kingdom/Trending |
Apple Podcasts | #121 | United Kingdom/Top Podcasts |
Apple Podcasts | #210 |  Canada/Top Podcasts |
Talking Points
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Audience Metrics
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Frequently Asked Questions About Cautionary Tales
What is Cautionary Tales about and what kind of topics does it cover?
The show consistently explores historical misjudgments, organizational failures, and human psychology through richly told narratives. Episodes blend archival research, expert commentary, and case studies—from Tudor prophecy and industrial-scale franchising to aviation disasters and tech scandals—highlighting how pride, bias, and flawed risk assessment produce cautionary outcomes. A standout is the use of diverse guest voices, including historians, journalists, and practitioners, to illuminate lessons that still feel relevant to business, governance, and everyday decision-making.
Noteworthy qualities include meticulous storytelling, rigorous sourcing, and a willingness to tackle big ideas with wide-ranging historical and contemporary releva... more
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How many listeners does Cautionary Tales get?
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Which podcasts are similar to Cautionary Tales?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Cautionary Tales:
1. Revisionist History: The Staten Island Problem
2. 99% Invisible
3. The Last Archive
4. Against the Rules with Michael Lewis
5. More or Less
How many episodes of Cautionary Tales are there?
Cautionary Tales launched 7 years ago and published 259 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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What guests have appeared on Cautionary Tales?
Recent guests on Cautionary Tales include:
1. Tom Toohey
2. Lorna Rainbow / Arnold
3. Sir William Penny
4. Bill Penney
5. Tom Tuohy
6. Whitney Phillips
7. Sarah O'Connor
8. David Lee
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