At Arlington Transportation Partners, we believe in making the most of your commute. We encourage you to embrace a new story, learn something unexpected, or consider fresh perspectives as you travel to and from work. As you plan for your 2025 commute, here are our team’s favorite book and podcast recommendations for you to explore.
Algorithms to Live By
Brian Christian, who comes from a computer science background, and Tom Griffiths, a cognitive scientist, teamed up to write Algorithms to Live By. It’s a unique, easy-to-understand guide that takes cool ideas from computing and applies them to everyday life—helping you prioritize, make smarter decisions, and even improve your daily commute. – Douglas
Codeswitch
Every week, Gene Denby and B.A. Parker, along with a diverse and intergenerational team of journalists, examine how race shapes everyday life and society. I am constantly surprised by the refreshing coverage, creative content, and straight talk from voices not commonly represented. I lose myself in the thought-provoking stories and storytelling that they pull off. – Lauren
Lauren Also Recommends
Life Kit | On the Media: Divided Dial
From Rails to Trails: The Making of America’s Active Transportation Network
This thorough history by Peter Harnik of the Rails-to-Trails movement is a light read and sprinkles in many of the huge personalities that helped spawn a campaign to link our major cities together with active transportation routes that (hopefully) will span the entire continent. – Henry
Henry Also Recommends
Traffic (by Tom Vanderbilt)
Do Go On
Matt Stewart, Jess Perkins, and Dave Warneke are Australian comedians who take turns delivering humorous and informative reports on random topics to their co-hosts. Their topics are always interesting and outside of the norm of most other podcasts. Recent favorites include “Anastasia Romanov and Her Many Imposters,” “Prohibition,” “The Real Amityville Horror,” and “The History of Ice Cream.” – Jake
Jake Also Recommends
Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend | The Weekly Planet | Finding Drago
Grandma Gatewood’s Walk
Written by Ben Montgomery, Grandma Gatewood’s Walk is a true story of the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone – she was 67, did the hike wearing kid’s sneakers, and carried very little in the way of supplies. – Lorene
Scamanda
A riveting eight-part podcast series created by Charlie Webster details the story of Amanda Riley—a wife, mother, blogger, and scammer who faked cancer and played to her hyper-religious audience, ultimately conning kind-hearted donors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s a tale of deception, community, and the power of belief. – Anna
Anna Also Recommends
Therapuss
Let’s Not Do That Again
A story by Grant Ginder is a light yet engaging read—perfect for enjoying on the Metro while you are on your way to work. Though the narrative takes place during a contentious election year for the protagonist, the primary theme rests on family dynamics. It was worth waiting for the hold at the library! – Jacob
Jacob Also Recommends
Radio Silence | Stay True by Hua Hsu | Do You Mind If I Cancel?
Trained
Sponsored by Nike and hosted by various experts, this program focuses on holistic fitness—mindset, movement, nutrition, recovery, and sleep. My favorite episode is with Graham Betchart: Playing (and Living) in the Moment. He’s a sports psychologist and mental performance coach who works with NBA players. – Chloe
Chloe Also Recommends
SmartLess | Stuff You Should Know
The Paris Apartment
In Lucy Foley’s novel, a mystery unfolds in Paris, told through the perspectives of each character. I enjoyed this book a lot and am not usually a big reader. There were many twists and turns which kept me engaged and made the ending difficult to predict. I studied Urban Planning in Paris and was delighted to reminisce about the city and culture through the book during my Metro commute. – Ellie
Ellie Also Recommends
My Favorite Murder
We Can Also Recommend a New Commute
As you plan for 2025, Arlington Transportation Partners can help you find commuter solutions that free up time for reading and listening.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/kittner.com for Arlington Transportation Partners