The Story Behind

A Webby-nominated podcast, The Story Behind tells the extraordinary history of the ordinary. Everyday objects are more closely examined, from their ancient beginnings through the present—all within 5-10 minutes. Also a best-selling book/audiobook!

Update on the show + Audiobook link 10/27/2020

Update on the show + Audiobook link Thank you to everyone who came by over the past few months while I recorded the audiobook of The Story Behind. The audiobook is available on Audible and you can get that at this link: In addition, for those who saw the Live recordings in The Story Behind Discussion Group, you know I realized there were a number of errors in the printed book as I was reading through it. I am so grateful to my publishers who will be updating future printed copies with the corrections, as well as the eBook versions. While I wish the actual podcast could continue as it once was, I have not had the time to put into it what I wished I could. To those who have found the show in the meantime and those who continue to listen to the back catalog, thank you so much and I hope it can continue to be found and enjoyed. Even though the show isn't actively being produced at the moment, I am still reading your emails and messages on social media and am so grateful to all of you who have continued to support me (Emily) and The Story Behind It was around this time FOUR years ago (!) that The Story Behind began. My daughter was younger and my son wasn't born yet. I was still at my 9-5 job with a nice long commute to listen to podcasts and a guaranteed lunch break where I did a lot of research for The Story Behind during. The fact that I worked with trivia and puzzles all day was actually one of the main reasons I started the podcast — I needed an outlet for all the knowledge I picked up daily. And it worked, I realized later. When I was no longer required to read and verify bits of trivia all day for a job, my need to share all that knowledge I picked up wasn't as strong. The day I was told I was being fired from that job was the same week I had written Episode 100 — The Story Behind: The Musical. I was about to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the podcast. That commute home, the only thing that kept me from completely losing it was practicing that song over and over again. I needed to nail it. I needed to nail that episode. My ego had taken a huge hit at work and I sunk everything I had into that episode. And it paid off. It's still my absolute favorite episode of the podcast, and I'm even more proud (is that the right word?) that I beat-boxed it for the audiobook! Link to the episode, if you've never heard it: A month later, I got an email from Mango Publishing about writing the book and I was floored. Not only that but when I knew I would be losing my job, I had already started doing some side jobs editing podcasts for others. So, while writing my first book, I was also growing my first business. By the time I was knee-deep in everything and thinking, for the first time, about stopping the podcast, I got an email from The Webby Awards with a scholarship opportunity to grant me the ability to enter for consideration. The nomination floored me, and I am eternally grateful to everyone who voted and supported me from listeners to fellow podcasters and friends and family (some of whom still don't quite know how to listen, but we're working on it). Fast-forward to now, after months of a pandemic and an intense year, to say the least. The Story Behind has been on indefinite hiatus and will continue to be for the time being. For right now, I don't actually have an active podcast. My other podcast, Hate to Weight, is on an indefinite hiatus, as well. After 113 episodes, I'm proud to report my cohost and I together have lost well over 130 pounds and are both in maintenance mode! As for me, I'm currently working more on podcasts behind the scenes as a podcast consultant and editor, as well as a speaker and course creator for other podcasters. Turns out, more and more people are finding out what I knew years ago, which is: Podcasting is awesome. It can open up opportunities you never imagined, introduce you to some of the most amazing people you'll ever meet, and perhaps for some lucky podcasters, help them find the voice they always knew was inside of them. Yeah, that might sound corny, but the only reason I was able to get on this mic and talk was because of listeners like you. My co-host on Hate to Weight has said that getting on the mic is like therapy for him, and I agree. Building an audience of any kind, whether it's on a podcast or on social media is a validation that there are other people in the world interested in what you have to say. And I want to thank you for sharing your time for my overflow of trivia and love of origin stories. As I say at the end of every episode, Thanks for listening. /episode/index/show/thestorybehind/id/16560506