276 episodes

From public radio producer, Nate DiMeo, comes The Memory Palace, a finalist for the 2016 Peabody Award and one of iTunes Best Podcast of 2015. Short, surprising stories of the past, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often a little bit of both.

"The most potent pieces of audio being produced today." - The AvClub

thememorypalace.us

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Learn more at radiotopia.fm

the memory palace Radiotopia

    • History
    • 4.8 • 6.7K Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

From public radio producer, Nate DiMeo, comes The Memory Palace, a finalist for the 2016 Peabody Award and one of iTunes Best Podcast of 2015. Short, surprising stories of the past, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hysterical, often a little bit of both.

"The most potent pieces of audio being produced today." - The AvClub

thememorypalace.us

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Learn more at radiotopia.fm

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Episode 216: Awake

    Episode 216: Awake

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
    A synth stab from As if it Would Have a Universal and Memorable Ending by Shane Carruth's score to his film, Upstream Color, a movie I love deeply. 
    Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by the Platters
    The Girl Who was Frightened of Ashtrays by Charlie Megira
    Sambolero by Luiz Bonfa. 
    Water by So Percussion
    Divertimiento Fur Tenorsaxophon Und Kleines Ensemble (Part 4) from Carl Oesterhelt and Johannes Ender.
    Ball by Duval Timothy
    Piece 3 by the great Warren Ellis.
    Chora tua Tristeza from Lalo Schiffrin
    Growing Up from Ben Sollee's score to Maidentrip
    (Vibraphone, Marimbaphone, Malletted Wood, Two Synthesizers) and (Two Bells) by Josiah Steinbrick
    Main et lee from Michel Portal

    • 19 min
    Episode 215: An Eighth Wonder

    Episode 215: An Eighth Wonder

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
    Momento Ritmico and Papete aru by Piero Umiliani
    Opus 13 from Sven Libaek's score to The Set
    French Doll by Larry Ashmore and David Francis
    The wonderful Sewentuwa by Hailu Meriga
    Wave I by Elor Saxl
    Green by Hiroshi Yoshimura
    NotesI originally learned about the Elephantine Colossus years ago in David McCullough's Brooklyn... and How it Got That Way, which still holds up.

    • 13 min
    Episode 214: Newsboy

    Episode 214: Newsboy

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
    Un geant dans la mer and Triste soiree III from the score to Marie et les naufrages by the genius, Sebastian Tellier. 
    Love is Blue by Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors.
    Rocky Passage by Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer
    Morris Visits Dr. Pratt from John Barry's score to The Wrong Box
    Adios Muchachos from Andre Popp
    Moonlight in Vermont from the great Dorothy Ashby. 
    Midnight Moon by The Portland Cello Project
    Dance PM by Hiroshi Yoshimura
    And we hear Blind Andy Jenkins' "Floyd Collins in Sand Cave" followed by Vernon Dalhart doing the same song under the name, "The Death of Floyd Collins." We also hear Jimmy Osbourne do Andy's, "The Death of Little Kathy Fiscus."
    Notes
    I have a note in my years-long running list of possible story ideas that says, "event songs," but I could never remember why. Then I was reading Charles Hirschberg and Mark Zwonitzer's, Will You Miss me When I'm Gone?: The Carter Family & Their Legacy in American Music and was reminded of Andy's story (that book is great).
    I also recommend the always-useful, Country Music USA, by Bill C. Malone for more on Andy and his era as well as Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity by Richard A. Peterson.
    If you want more about poor Floyd Collins, you could turn to Robert K. Murray and Roger W. Bruckner's, Trapped!: The Story of Floyd Collins.

    • 17 min
    Episode 213: The Light and the Spirits

    Episode 213: The Light and the Spirits

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
    Abisme by Shida Shahadi
    Ellen’s Image from Lalo Schiffiren’s genius score to The Fox
    Circulation by H. Takahasi
    Liquid Spear Waltz from Michael Andrews’ score to Donnie Darko
    A8 from a terrific record called NuNu by Clever Austin
    NotesI found a lot of insight in a terrific book called Extraordinary Beliefs by Peter Lamont. In it, there’s a smart historical, psychological exploration of why spiritualism was able to flourish despite all sorts of evidence opposing it. 

    • 12 min
    Episode 212: David Mills

    Episode 212: David Mills

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.

    Music


    Una Bravata from Carlo Rustichelli’s score to Amici Miei.
    Sunshine on Fish Skin by Girls in Airports.
    The Vienna Glass Armonica Duo performs Mozart’s Adagio for Glass Harmonium.
    The Fellowship by John Shabason


    Notes


    The best read on Mills is a 2022 article by Nate Hopper in The New Yorker about the challenges of keeping time on the internet.

    • 12 min
    Episode 211: Cutting and Ned

    Episode 211: Cutting and Ned

    The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.

    Music


    Je ne pas si c’est tout le monde - Theme Comedie from Vincent Delerm’s score to the film of the same, long name.
    Forbin’s Hi Fi from Michel Colombier’s score to Colossus: The Forbin Project
    Boo’s Lullaby by Maria Chiara Agriro and Jamie Leeming
    Helle (Ballade) from the great Phillipe Sarde score to that picture.
    L’Espagne pour memoire from Michel Portal’s score to Un et a la garoupe
    The Rain Never Stops on Venus by Michael Wollney
    Je t’ai meme pas dit by Vincent Delerm.
    From a Dream by Oregon
    A version of Narcisus for Clarinet and Electronics as played by Thea Musgrave.


    Notes


    Good sources if you want to know more are Peter Manseau’s book about spirit photography and the spiritualist age (Cutting intersects interestingly with that crea), The Apparitionists, as well as this article by Jerry Ryan about the history of aquariums in Boston.

    • 17 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
6.7K Ratings

6.7K Ratings

ghrifhebs ,

Delightful and charming

I’ve come to adore this lovely podcast. It’s short and sweet, but always keeps my attention. I found it a few months ago and have been obsessing over these stories. I’m sad that I’ve caught up! Now I have to wait for more.

Maizie daisy ,

The best story time

I enjoy this podcast so much! The way Nate tells these stories makes you appreciate every person, structure, and event for what/who they were. I learn something new every time!

Mr. Music Head ,

Probably my all-time favorite podcast

Nate tells wonderful small, quiet stories, and he does it beautifully. One of the few podcasts I will never speed up, and will listen straight through. I always am happy to see a new episode in my feed.

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