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Wonder Cabinet is an independent podcast from Anne Strainchamps and Steve Paulson, Peabody Award-winning creators of public radio's To The Best Of Our Knowledge. For 35 years, that show brought long-form conversations to 200+ stations nationwide; its interviews are now archived in the Library of Congress.

Episodes feature intimate, long-form conversations with scientists, philosophers, writers, a... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes708Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Wonder Cabinet

Latest Episodes

Budbreak. Witch’s broom. Wind throw. These are some of the evocative words gathered in "A Forest Language: Words that Illuminate the Astonishing World of Trees," a new book of micro-essays from poet, essayist and Storey Publishing editor Hannah Fries... more

Joan Halifax loves Wordsworth’s summons to “see into the life of things.” For the Buddhist abbot of Upaya Zen Center, this kind of deep seeing has been a lifelong pursuit, and it has led to her care for the dying.

Now in her 80s, Halifax has had a r... more

Twenty years ago, Maria Popova was newly arrived in the US and working four jobs to pay for college. Lonely and disoriented, she started keeping a record of her search for meaning. Today, what began as an email to seven friends has millions of follow... more

How does a landscape come alive and even feel enchanted? Bestselling author Daniel Mason explores this question in his novels “Country People” and “North Woods.” Both are steeped in the natural history of New England, from its geology to its native p... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Joan Halifax
Buddhist abbot, Zen teacher and longtime trainer of hospice workers, nurses and doctors
Upaya Zen Center
Episode: Finding Wonder in Dying with Roshi Joan Halifax
Maria Popova
Writer and creator of The Marginalian, formerly Brain Pickings
The Marginalian
Episode: Maria Popova on 20 Years of 'The Marginalian'
Daniel Mason
Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford; novelist
Stanford University
Episode: Writing an Enchanted Landscape with Daniel Mason
Melanie Challenger
philosopher and naturalist, National Geographic explorer
Author of How to Be Animal; Alive
Episode: Being Alive with Melanie Challenger
Geoff Mitelman
Reform rabbi; founding director of Sinai and Synapses
Sinai and Synapses
Episode: The Power of Ritual with Rabbi Geoff Mitelman
Robert Moor
Essayist and author, In Trees
Author, In Trees
Episode: Tree Thinking with Robert Moor
Reverend Dr. Melanie L. Harris
Professor of Black Feminist and Womanist Theologies, founder of Ecowomanism
Wake Forest University; Ecowomanism
Episode: The Ecowomanist Theology of Rev. Dr. Melanie L. Harris
Christian Wiman
Poet, editor, author of The Dance; teaches at Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School
Episode: Poetry Against Despair with Christian Wiman
Cal Flyn
Journalist, writer and explorer; author of The Savage Landscape, How We Made the Wilderness
Author, The Savage Landscape
Episode: Chasing Wilderness with Cal Flyn (and Gary Snyder)

Hosts

Anne Strainchamps
Co-host and interviewer; long-form conversationalist with a focus on philosophy, science, and culture
Steve Paulson
Co-host and interviewer; explores science, philosophy, and culture with a calm, curiosity-driven approach

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.4k ratings
  • Lovely title but don’t get it

    I love the idea. listened to every episode but I just don’t get it. What’s the theme. Why these random guests. I loved TTBOOK so want to give it a few episodes. So many podcasts out there so really need this to be more cohesive for a reason to come back. Audio quality of some of the interviews not the best.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Ckpnut
    United Statesa month ago
  • Wonderful!!

    I love this podcast. Such intelligent conversations that open my mind.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    In seek of enlightenment
    United Statesa month ago
  • Delightful !

    From the team at TTBOOK, I’m never disappointed and often delighted and inspired.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jeffbelden
    United States2 months ago
  • Inspiring -my favorite podcast

    The wonder cabinet podcast has never failed to inspire and uplift me and it seemed the same for all. I recommended it to. It is the source of many conversations among my family and friends.

    I'm so grateful for all the ways in which this podcast explores our wondrous world. Both hosts are grounded thoughtful and expansive in their explorations .

    While I listen to many podcasts I haven't yet written a review, but here I felt an important to share as I hope more people find this precious jew... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Claudia JK
    United States2 months ago
  • Profoundly and deeply satisfying

    When TTBOOK ended, I felt bereft. I had been listening for years. When I saw that Ann and Steve were back with Wonder Cabinet , it was like being re-connected with old friends. Format, content, production, and delivery - absolutely superb. Highlight of my week.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    G Wa
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the calm, insightful, wide-ranging inquiries and the focus on wonder and ecological thinking
Thoughtful, human and necessary: deep conversations that create community
Wonder Cabinet is a thoughtful evolution of a long-form interview tradition

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Finding Wonder in Dying with Roshi Joan Halifax
Q: Why do you think you were in a serene state?
Halifax attributes her calm during serious complications from heart surgery to decades of meditation practice and years of accompanying people who are dying. She also felt profound gratitude for the selfless nurses caring for her.
Finding Wonder in Dying with Roshi Joan Halifax
Q: Where does the wonder come in in these experiences?
Halifax says that sitting with a dying person brings her into contact with the mystery of life and death. She describes a moment of connection with a woman whose breathing matched hers, and says being present at the threshold of death inspires awe.
Maria Popova on 20 Years of 'The Marginalian'
Q: How do you think about the relationship between the external circumstantial elements of a life and the internal arrangement of attitudes or sensibilities that make for enchantment?
Popova says wonder is a presence with the present moment, not something that can be banked for later or instrumentalized for self-improvement. The possibility of disaster makes wonder immediate, while its fullest form can hold paradox and difficulty.
Maria Popova on 20 Years of 'The Marginalian'
Q: What do you see happening?
Popova says experience is increasingly commodified, with complex ideas such as Stoicism packaged as shallow advice. She remains hopeful that simplified introductions may lead some people to explore the original writers more deeply.
Writing an Enchanted Landscape with Daniel Mason
Q: Daniel, how do you conjure these fantastical elements in your novels?
He describes his process as initially writing a natural story that then reveals supernatural or magical elements, which feels right because the past remains present in the future in his work.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Wonder Cabinet

What is Wonder Cabinet about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The conversations center on big ideas at the intersection of science, philosophy, and ecology, with a strong emphasis on wonder, awe, and humane approaches to living with the non-human world. Guests range from philosophers and theologians to scientists, writers, and activists, exploring topics such as consciousness, panpsychism, spirituality, the ethics of environmental stewardship, the role of myth and folklore, and the politics of how we relate to landscapes, animals, and ecosystems. The show often blends deep-dive interviews with reflective storytelling, inviting listeners to reframe questions about reality, time, and our place within a living planet. A notable through-line is the attempt to harmonize rigorous inquiry with wonder, offeri... more

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How many listeners does Wonder Cabinet get?

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What are the audience demographics for Wonder Cabinet?

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How many subscribers and views does Wonder Cabinet have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Wonder Cabinet has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Wonder Cabinet?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Wonder Cabinet:

1. Emergence Magazine Podcast
2. On Being with Krista Tippett
3. Hidden Brain
4. On the Media
5. Fresh Air

How many episodes of Wonder Cabinet are there?

Wonder Cabinet launched 15 years ago and published 708 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Wonder Cabinet?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Wonder Cabinet?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Wonder Cabinet from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Wonder Cabinet?

Recent guests on Wonder Cabinet include:

1. Joan Halifax
2. Maria Popova
3. Daniel Mason
4. Melanie Challenger
5. Geoff Mitelman
6. Robert Moor
7. Reverend Dr. Melanie L. Harris
8. Christian Wiman

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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