This is a show where we discuss the stories that move us, what makes them so meaningful, and why others should find meaning in them as well. We tackle movies, books, comics, and more. Where there’s a story, there’s a reason to read (or watch!).
This is the first episode of our series FALL FREAKOUT where, for all of October (temporarily official) co-host Michelle Chiang, and forever-host Amanda Stephens introduce YOU (through a thorough summary) to a Taiwanese horror movie that would DEFINITELY make ONE of us freak out! These episodes will have a longer-than-normal summary period.
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Abuse to minors, murder, suicide, upsetting medical imagery, and violence towards animals (but tbh, the fish probably deserves it...)
Amanda introduces Michelle to the first prequel of this series: The Tag-Along: The Devil Fish
Amanda describes how this movie... probably should have been two different movies. Still, what loses to poor CGI, an overly-complicated and interwoven plot, and a heavy green filter, it makes up for by continuing to feature distinctively Taiwanese creatures, urban legends, and... Taiwanese superstar Visian Hsu!?
24 Sept 2026
TAKES of Our Time: Revisiting Sanmao's Sahara with Jacob Kushner
Because of the of the cultural importance of her work, and the depth of Kushner’s reporting, this episode has been published longer than our typical shows to keep as much of our conversation as possible!
Today we're sitting down with independent journalist Jacob Kushner to discuss his piece for Now Voyager magazine which does an empathetic deep-dive into the ultra-influential writer Sanmao!
If you haven't heard of her, you likely don't read Chinese. Her most popular work, Stories of the Sahara, is so popular that the publishers have lost count of how many millions of copies have been sold, and that's not even getting into how her work influenced music, travel, and culture. In this interview we discuss what Kushner found investigating the veracity behind Sanmao's stories, the cultural impact, and how much it actually matters whether the stories are true grappling with a central question: how should we understand a complex author's works, including parts we disagree with, while reconciling with their influence and our own emotional attachment?
17 Sept 2026
Dark Lord of Derkholm: Please do your travel research
Today, we're talking with Yasmeen about Diana Wynne Jones' 1998 book, Dark Lord of Derkholm.
We discuss how this book pairs Jones' typical tonal twists, and whimsical voice with a story that has a lot more to say that it seems on the surface level. There's dragons, magic, corporate colonialism, tours led by unwitting 14-year-olds, and geese that are far too smart....
Who has been a guest on Tales of Our Time
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Cole Jones
Jessie Stephens
Kyle Swayne
Tyrel Cameron Eskelson
Kim Gordon
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
52
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact Tales of Our Time
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Tales of Our Time
Who hosts Tales of Our Time?
Host host the show. Published by Amanda Stephens,Rti.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does Tales of Our Time take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Tales of Our Time?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
