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Artwork for Listening to America

Listening to America

Listening to America
Thomas Jefferson
John Steinbeck
John Adams
George Washington
Slavery
American History
Constitution
Donald Trump
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Louisiana Purchase
Christmas
United States
Public Lands
Civil Rights Movement
American Revolution
Alexander Hamilton
Civil Rights
Conspiracy Theories
James Madison
Lewis and Clark

Listening to America aims to "light out for the territories," traveling less visited byways and taking time to see this immense, extraordinary country with fresh eyes while listening to the many voices of America's past, present, and future. Led by noted historian and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson, Listening to America travels the country's less visited byways, from national parks and forests ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes548Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistorySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Listening to America

Latest Episodes

Host David Horton interviews Thomas Jefferson about freedom of expression in America. Did the Founding Fathers know what they were doing when they ratified the extraordinary First Amendment of the Constitution? What limits, if any, should there be in... more

Clay interviews Craig Fehrman, the author of an important new book on Lewis and Clark, This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark. Fehrman approaches the great story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by viewing it through the eyes of the... more

Clay's conversation with Italian journalist Marzio Mian about his new book, Volga Blues: A Journey into the Heart of Russia. Mian and his photographer spent four weeks following the Volga River from its source northwest of Moscow to its mouth on the ... more

Guest host David Horton interviews President Thomas Jefferson about his strong anti-royalist principles. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson lambasted King George III for his crimes against the American colonists. Jefferson did not go quite... more

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Recent Guests

Thomas Jefferson
Third President of the United States (portrayed in a scripted interview)
United States Government / Founding Era
Episode: #1705 Free Expression and Political Repression: Stephen Colbert's Exit
Craig Fehrman
Author of This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark
Author, This Vast Enterprise
Episode: #1704 A New Perspective and Book on Lewis and Clark
Marzio Mian
Author of Volga Blues, A Journey into the Heart of Russia
Author
Episode: #1703 Russia and America Today: A Journey Down the Volga River
Susan Ryan
Executive Vice President of the Research Institute at Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Episode: #1698 The Future of America's National Monuments
Char Miller
WM. Keck Professor of Environmental Analysis and History at Pomona College
Pomona College
Episode: #1696 Assessing America's National Parks & Public Lands at 250
Erik Ewers
Director/Co-creator of Ken Burns–style Thoreau documentary
Florentine Films / Ken Burns shop
Episode: #1695 New Ken Burns Documentary on Henry David Thoreau
Christopher Ewers
Director/Co-creator of Ken Burns–style Thoreau documentary
Florentine Films / Ken Burns shop
Episode: #1695 New Ken Burns Documentary on Henry David Thoreau
Jonathan Thompson
Contributing editor to High Country News and author of "Sagebrush Empire".
High Country News
Episode: #1692 The Crisis of the Public Lands
Matthew Davis
Author of 'Biography of a Mountain, The Making and Meaning of Mount Rushmore'
Episode: #1690 Mount Rushmore: Its Back Story and the Continuing Controversy

Host

Clay Jenkinson
Host of Listening to America

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Subject matter is great

    But I find the host to be an egotistical blowhard.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Caper127
    United Statesa month ago
  • Very disappointing

    The Thomas Jefferson Hour was a rare source of optimism and inspiration. Listening to America is just another overly pessimistic political show that presents few facts. It is higher brow than most, but it is shocking the click bait qualities it has acquired.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Trot87
    United States2 months ago
  • Great podcast for history nerds like me 👍🏼

    I listened to my first podcast today on the National parks with Char Miller and it was such a great conversation. I appreciate both Char and Clays knowledge of history. I’m so glad this conversation is happening. I actually like that you bring politics into the conversation because not talking about it is a disservice to the United States’ history.

    I can’t wait to listen to more especially finding the episode discussing Theodore Roosevelt’s pets in the White House. Great historical podcast for l... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Maizie daisy
    United States2 months ago
  • Informative Interesting Show

    One of my favorite podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vfaler
    United States7 months ago
  • Very enjoyable

    Just recently discovered this podcast. Started with episodes from late 2016. Intend to listen to them all. Recent reviews say this becomes more political. Time will tell. Understand also the change to listening to America emerges from the TJ Hour. Should be as interesting I guess expect.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cfeman
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and topics are appreciated for depth and credibility, with strong interest from listeners who value scholarly insight.
A subset of reviews notes the host's interviewing style as strong, though a few fans miss the classic Jefferson-centric focus of earlier iterations.
Overall, the show is praised for informative, thoughtful historical discussions and a calm, reasoned tone.
Some listeners feel recent episodes have become more political or partisan, and there are complaints about format changes and audio quality.
Listeners consistently value the educational, civics-forward perspective and the unique travel-and-history format, even when opinions diverge about current events.

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This American LifeThis American Life
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Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Radio Rental
Radio RentalTenderfoot TV & Audacy
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Khloé in Wonder Land
Khloé in Wonder LandKhloé Kardashian

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#1703 Russia and America Today: A Journey Down the Volga River
Q: When will you go back to Russia?
Marzio expresses that he cannot travel to Russia now, citing safety and visa concerns, and notes he would not trust traveling there even if a visa were possible.
#1703 Russia and America Today: A Journey Down the Volga River
Q: Can you describe the monasteries at the source and their significance?
Marzio explains the metaphysical meaning of the Volga, emphasizes how monasteries by the source anchor the river as a sacred symbol, and connects the river to the imperial and religious dimensions of Russian identity.
#1699 The Iran War and the U.S. Constitution
Q: What changes to war powers does the guest suggest for the 21st century?
He proposes reforms such as a constitutional clause with time-bound executive authority and clearer fiscal disclosures to force deliberation and accountability before engaging in major hostilities.
#1699 The Iran War and the U.S. Constitution
Q: Why did the founders insist that wars begin in the House of Representatives?
They believed that funding and public accountability should anchor decisions about war, ensuring broader deliberation and preventing impulsive, unilateral action.
#1696 Assessing America's National Parks & Public Lands at 250
Q: What are two concrete steps you'd like to see to heal the land-lands relationship?
Return meaningful land to Indigenous nations where appropriate, and implement robust, inclusive governance that includes tribal voices in decision-making—coupled with transparent, science-based conservation policies that protect water, wildlife, and public access.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Listening to America

What is Listening to America about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history- and civics-forward series that blends deep dives into American historical narratives with contemporary cultural and political reflection. Across recent episodes, topics span public lands governance and water crises, the legacies of slavery and Native dispossession, monuments and memory (including Mount Rushmore and Western expansion), international affairs through a founding-era lens, and the evolving meaning of democracy in the United States. The show frequently features historians, authors, and academics who offer nuanced takes on difficult subjects, while maintaining a measured, dialog-driven tone that invites multiple viewpoints. Notable strengths include high-profile historical guests, a willingness to tackle thorny national... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Listening to America?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Listening to America:

1. Ben Franklin's World
2. For the Ages: A History Podcast
3. Booknotes+
4. Lectures in History
5. History Unplugged Podcast

How many episodes of Listening to America are there?

Listening to America launched 20 years ago and published 548 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 Listening to America?

Recent guests on Listening to America include:

1. Thomas Jefferson
2. Craig Fehrman
3. Marzio Mian
4. Susan Ryan
5. Char Miller
6. Erik Ewers
7. Christopher Ewers
8. Jonathan Thompson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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