PODCAST · society
A Big Sur Podcast
by Magnus Toren, host
A Big Sur Podcast An ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural character of Big Sur. Stories are told by visitors and residents, plumbers and linesmen, musicians and authors, dancers and jugglers and others. Sometimes we drift (way) off-topic into the arts, sciences, personal stories, gossip, politics, philosophy, ornithology, Henry Miller, and our zeitgeist in general. We like that! The opinions expressed here belong to the people who express them. They may or may not line up with yours, mine, or your neighbor’s — and that’s exactly the point. Different perspectives, lived experiences, and even wildly clashing views are what make conversations worth listening to: enriching, infuriating, life-affirming, and sometimes all three a
Episodes
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# 137 Living With Fire: Big Sur — Jimmy Panetta on Family, Fire & the Work of Public Service
What does a member of Congress actually do when a wildfire breaks out in Big Sur? Before getting to that question, this conversation goes somewhere more personal. Congressman Jimmy Panetta talks about his family’s roots on the Central Coast, beginning with his grandfather Carmelo Panetta, who…
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# 136 Living With Fire: Big Sur — John Mills and the Ways and Means of Watch Duty
John Mills and the app Big Sur turned to during Timber and Plaskett! During the Timber and Plaskett Fires, many of us, I certainly did, kept Watch Duty close at hand—checking its map, reading incident updates and waiting for the next alert. It feels indispensable. <<<<<<<< NOTE: A technical…
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# 135 Living with Fire: Big Sur. THE PATTERN OF FIRE, Nikki Nedeff on What the Santa Lucias Remember
What happens to the land after the fire engines leave? In this fifth conversation in our Living with Fire: Big Sur series, I talk with biogeographer, vegetation ecologist, teacher and conservation advocate Nikki Nedeff about the Timber and Plaskett Fires—not primarily as emergencies to be fought,...
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# 134 LIVING WITH FIRE: BIG SUR - Kate Daniels, Responsibility Without Authority
What happens when local knowledge meets the machinery of government during the Timber and Plaskett Fires. This is the fourth conversation in Living With Fire: Big Sur, an ongoing A Big Sur Podcast examination of the Timber and Plaskett Fires and of Big Sur’s larger relationship with wildfire. The...
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# 133 Living With Fire: Big Sur - Kate — How do we know what we know when Big Sur is burning?
This is the third conversation in Living With Fire: Big Sur, an ongoing A Big Sur Podcast series examining the Timber and Plaskett Fires from different points of view—and asking what they can tell us about living with wildfire in Big Sur. Previous episodes: # 131 Living With Fire: Big Sur…
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# 132 Living With Fire: Big Sur — Lucas Handy, When the Fire Came South
Living With Fire: Big Sur is an ongoing series of conversations about the Timber and Plaskett Fires—and, more broadly, about what it means to live with wildfire in Big Sur. In this episode I talk with Lucas Handy of Treebones Resort, on the South Coast of Big Sur. Longtime listeners may remember...
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# 131 Living With Fire: Big Sur - Marcus Foster on the Timber Fire, Local Knowledge, and What Comes Next
What happens in the hours after a wildfire starts in Big Sur—before the full machinery of a major incident has arrived? Over the coming weeks, A Big Sur Podcast will be talking with a number of people about the Timber and Plaskett Fires, and more broadly about Big Sur’s long and complicated...
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# 130 Melting Point: Rachel Cockerell on Family, Memory, and the Promised Land
Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Land A dusty, life-size portrait no one looked at. A family name no one could spell. And a single line in a 1941 obituary — "a household name for Jews across the Russian Empire." At 24, Rachel Cockerell started pulling that thread, and…
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# 129 Love Means I’ll Be Here Tomorrow: Father Cyprian Consiglio on music, monastic life, Big Sur, Rome, and the discipline of staying.
Magnus, a secular Swede in Big Sur, speaks with Father Cyprian Consiglio — musician, Camaldolese monk, former prior of New Camaldoli, and now Secretary General of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue in Rome — about vocation, music, solitude, Rome, Iran, God, and why real love may simply mean: “I’ll…
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# 128 From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning
From Tehran to the Akasha: Rohini Moradi on grief, ancient wisdom, and the search for meaning Raised in a Hindu temple in Tehran before emigrating to the United States, Rohini Moradi brings an unusually personal perspective to ideas that are often presented only as modern spirituality. Meet…
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# 127 Letting People In on the Secret: Stuart Thornton on Big Sur, Guidebooks & the Crowds They Create
Travel writer, guidebook author, former Big Sur ranger, and old friend, Stuart Thornton, returns to Big Sur—at least in spirit—to reflect on a career spent encouraging people to visit the very places he sometimes wishes they would leave alone. We talk about discovering California's coast, writing...
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# 126 What Are We Really Protecting? Carol Olson, Wilderness, and the Future of Big Sur
In this episode Magnus has a conversation with Carol Olson, Executive Director of the Ventana Wilderness Alliance, about wilderness, responsibility, and the increasingly difficult art of protecting a place people love. GOOD LINKS: Big Sur Wilderness and Conservation Act Full text — Congress.gov...
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# 125 OUT OF THE SKY by Matti Friedman
In this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I speak with the writer and journalist Matti Friedman about his remarkable book Out of the Sky — a work that begins with four words from the Bible, “Out of the sky,” and unfolds into a meditation on fear, memory, survival, aviation, mythology, Jewish history,...
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# 124 The Language of Trees — and the World We’ve Forgotten How to Read
A conversation with artist Katie Holten about life and art, climate and action, walking and inaction! Katie's website Announcement for her new book! All comments much welcomed! Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller...
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# 123 "Condors: Guardians of the Wild" with Joe Burnett
"At intervals the condor passed, huge as an ocean liner.” Henry Miller in Big Sur and the Oranges Besides marveling at the exceptional beauty and almost mysterious power of these amazing birds Joe Burnett and I discuss work in Big Sur and Monterey. We talk about the rebuilding of the Ventana...
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# 122 Help Kelp: The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest with Josie Iselin
The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Forest a New Heyday Book The Mysterious World of the Bull Kelp Website I sit down with artist, photographer, and author Josie Iselin, and what begins as a conversation about kelp opens into an exploration of the intricate world in the waters just off our…
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# 121 Love, Love, Love: Alison van Diggelen on 'The Love Project.'
Alison van Diggelen – Journalist, interviewer, and author of The Love Project: A Journey of Intimate Conversations. Photo is of Alison and her Mom. Alison's website. Buy "The Love Project" at your local bookstore. May we suggest the Henry Miller Library. >>>>>>>>>>>>> Topics in This Episode The...
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# 120 Shamergence by Rob Somers
Shamergence The skeptic asks, “Is it real?” The shaman asks, “Did it help?” COME MEET ROB SOMERS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 21 >>>>>>>>>> Carlos Castaneda Joseph Campbell The Samples Ozymandias >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shaman, Skeptic, and the Voice in the Belly All comments much welcomed! Support the show...
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# 119 Walking Toward the Stars — A Conversation with Brita Ostrom (Öström)
In this episode of A Big Sur Podcast, I sit down with Brita Ostrom — longtime Esalen resident and author of Steeped: A Big Sur Elixir of Sulfur and Sage. Brita’s life bridges several revolutions at once: the islands of the Pacific Northwest, the Haight-Ashbury explosion of 1966–67, the…
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# 118 Andrew Munn: From Experimental Sound to Operatic Myth
Andrew Munn in conversation! Deep Listening, Between Cage and Wagner, from Silence to Parsifal. Listening for the unheard, where sound becomes ceremony. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Links to more on what we spoke of: ANDREW MUNN Short video from the HMML performance. Peter Mattei John Cage Pauline Oliveros…
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# 117 Kendra and Matt: Here's Your Song!
The Ballad of Kendra and Matt (or, The Song That Never Made It to the PA) A neighborhood celebration, a home-recorded love song, a forgotten “play” button — and a reminder that even when things go sideways, community and humor always find a way. Magnus tells the true story behind a tune that…
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# 116 Steve Beck, Master Gardener
All comments much welcomed! Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for Monterey County! Let us know what you think! SEND US AN EMAIL! 😊 [email protected] FaceBook...
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# 115 Kangalee & The Smile at the Foot of the Ladder
A clown stands alone… somewhere between Henry Miller and Samuel Beckett… somewhere between laughter and the cosmic void. Henry Miller once said, “A clown is a poet in action.” Today, that poet is Kangalee—the one-man actor and director—returning to the stage with a new mono-drama that refuses to...
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# 114 The ENDURING WILD: Journeys Beyond the National Parks with author Josh Jackson.
Author-photographer Josh Jackson grew up camping the Midwest’s state-parks but it wasn’t until he had moved to California, and after the birth of his third child, in 2015—when every California campground was booked solid—that a friend uttered the words “BLM land.” One spur-of-the-moment trip to…
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# 113 Patte Kronlund, speaking of love and loss.
This episode is a particularly tender one. I had the privilege of speaking with Patte Kronlund whose husband, Butch, recently passed away after a long and difficult battle with cancer. Patte and I have an open, heartfelt conversation—one marked by courage, honesty, and that shows Patte's...
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# 112 Atomic Dreams: The New Nuclear Evangelists and the Fight for the Future of Energy
If Diablo Canyon stays open, does it open the door for a broader reevaluation of nuclear’s role in the U.S. — or is it a one-off anomaly in a blue state’s climate panic? Talking with Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow author of "Atomic Dreams: The New Nuclear Evangelists and the Fight for the Future of…
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# 111 RELAY FOR RACHAEL. A conversation with photographer, neighbor and dear friend Rachael Short.
Ever since she picked up her father’s camera at age twelve, Rachael Short has been captivated by the art of photography. Listen to our conversation to learn more from and about Rachael's remarkable story. LINKS: Relay for Rachael Gallery Exposed Rachael Short Photography >>>>>>>>>>> SUMMARIES:...
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# 110 Butch Kronlund (Jan. 7, 1955 - Feb. 1, 2025) from 'Under the Persimmon Tree' September 29, 2019.
In memory of Butch Kronlund, this episode is a replay of a live interview recorded as part of the Under the Persimmon Tree series at the Henry Miller Library. In this conversation, Butch reflects on his early life and upbringing, meeting his beloved wife Patte, and his arrival in Big Sur—where he...
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# 109 Rode in on a Hell's Angel Harley: Mary Lu Spigarelli Toren of Big Sur.
Mary Lu had a stroke* on October 18, 2024. In this episode she speaks of the moment it happened and a bit about the past five months of slow and steady recovery. The episode is followed by a conversation from 2015 where Mary Lu tells of how she got to Big Sur "on the saddle of a Hell's Angel...
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# 108 Clovis Harrod. A replay of this episode from February 2023.
I just found out that Clovis left us a short time ago. Here in this chat she is sharing some of her stories. There are so many, many people that will miss her and treasure the memory of her. Thank you Clovis. A true 'Big Sur Woman!' SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS Some of the folks...
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# 107 Wilderness, Health, Fire, Art, Music, Learning, Food and History : Big Sur Non Profits!
This years Monterey County Gives Campaign are heading for its final crescendo! Please join us and make it the best so far. We speak to seven of the Big Sur Non Profits who are participating in this years campaign. Click on 'chapters' above for a direct link to each organization. HELP US SPREAD…
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# 106 Humpbacks, Tide pools, Ed Ricketts, Jan Straley and Wave Shocks!
A wonderful conversation with Jan Straley about Humpbacks, Tide pools, Ed Ricketts, Wave Shocks, her book Ed Ricketts, from Cannery Row to Sitka, Alaska and what it all means! The book: Ed Ricketts, from Cannery Row to Sitka, Alaska is available at the Henry Miller Library. Quick links: John...
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# 105 An update from Dan Weiss from his home in Bet Shemesh, Israel.
On October 7, 2023 Dan woke up to a regular Sabbath in his hometown, Bet Shemesh. It turned out to be something very different than a 'regular' Sabbath! In podcast episode # 76 my good friend Dan Weiss talks about the war in Israel. Dan and I met in Big Sur 30 (or so) years ago. We have stayed in...
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# 104 The 'lost' interview with John Carlin: FOUND!
Remarkable that we found this file just at this time! In it John tells us about his Big Sur life and, towards the end, he speaks of his pilot for a beautiful movie he was dreaming of making with the sign language as the main protagonist... This also just in time for our memorial service/gathering...
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# 103 God, Jack Kerouac and Steve Edington.
Stephen D. Edington, a Unitarian Universalist minister, discusses his personal journey and the influence of Jack Kerouac on his spiritual beliefs. Good links: Register for the event on August 30 at the Henry Miller Library Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Unitarian Universalist Faith Books by Steve...
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# 102 We Choose to Reduce Wildfire Danger, Not Because It Is Natural But Because It Is Good
Speaking with Patrick Brown of the Breakthrough Institute about wildfire mitigation, fuel reduction, science and its malcontents, and much more. LINKS: Forget Adapting to Climate Change, We Must First Adapt to the Climate We Have The Social Feedback Loops That Constrain Climate Science When…
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# 101 The Natural History of Big Sur. A conversation with author Don Usner.
Good links: Don Usner's website Big Creek Reserve Ken Norris In The Rough Land To The South If you don't have a copy of The Natural History of Big Sur please stop in at the Henry Miller Library we try to always keep it in stock! Some of the people mentioned: Linus Pauling Lucille Packard The…
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# 100 The Hermits of Big Sur. A conversation with author Paula Huston
A history and insight into the life of a monk and the history of the New Camaldoli Hermitage courtesy author, gardener and mother of four, Paula Huston. LINKS The Hermits of Big Sur Website The Books by Paula Huston Music of Silence: A Sacred Journey through the Hours of the Day All comments much...
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# 99 Sharen Carey: 40 years of providing healthcare in Big Sur!
In 1984 Sharen came to Big Sur and since then she has been proving Big Sur with excellent healthcare. It was an honor for me to speak with her. Please email with any questions, suggestions etc. Thanks for listening! BIG SUR HEALTH CENTER All comments much welcomed! Support the show...
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# 98 On the Warpath: My Battles With Indians, Pretendians, and Woke Warriors
New Title by Elizabeth Weiss: On the Warpath: My Battles With Indians, Pretendians, and Woke Warriors. Previous podcast episode with Elizabeth Weiss Elizabeth at the Heterodox Academy Recent article in the NY Post Magnus reached out to the faculty at Anthropology Dept. and received no response or…
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# 97 Breakfast at Deetjen's with Shelley Newell
Breakfast at Deetjen's with Shelley Newell (episode is unexpurgated and approved by the authority) I so thoroughly enjoyed this episode! Her ability to recall so many characters and stories through the years in such vivid detail was incredible. I loved hearing all of the background sounds over...
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# 96 Iguana John speaks about his early life.
We lost Iguana John Thursday morning, May 23. He died from heart failure at the Community Hospital. John was born John Carlin in January of 1956. Many of us here in Big Sur have been touched by John. He did indeed have an Iguana on his shoulder for many years. Both his parents were deaf so John...
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# 95 Dave Nelson: Father, Husband, Naturalist & Big Sur Neighbor...
Some of the people and places we touch on: Jeff Norman Peter Cummings Gary Breschini Trudy Haversat Terry Jones Alfred Kroeber J.P. Harrington The Rat Creek Fire Fort Hunter Liggett Butterflies in Big Sur Big Sur Watersheds Fair Watershed as an idea/concept CB-handles: The Green Pea The Hook Red...
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# 94 The California Skywatcher: A conversation with author William Selby
Where to find the best weather forecast and why it is always right. What about the Big Sur weather? Will we survive the upcoming weather? Plus many more questions answered by: Author and Earth Scientist William Selby! www.rediscoveringthegoldenstate.com >>>>>>>>>> National Weather Service Bjorn...
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# 93 My Father Shot a Tiger: Talking about Nagaland with Easterine Kire
Easterine Kire Nagaland Sky is My Father by Easterine Kire Naga Voices from the War, a presentation by Easterine Kire __________ Early impressions of Nagaland / short video Talking to you from a rooftop in Viswema / short video __________ Languages disappearing __________ Writers we mention…
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# 92 How did it begin...did I meet "Headhunters?" Why, and how, did I travel up into these hills.
An unusual episode recorded in Dibrugarh, Shiyong and Mokokchung. Town and villages in NE India. All comments much welcomed! Support the show _________________________________________________ This podcast is a production of the Henry Miller Memorial Library with support from The Arts Council for...
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# 91 Listening to Whales breathe! A conversation with Kerri Frangioso, a scientist who does most of her research in the wild of Big Sur.
Kerri Frangioso / Rizzo Lab. Kerri Frangioso / UC Davis Plant Pathology / Davis Sudden Oak Death Task Force >>>>>>> The Jade Festival Big Creek Reserve White Stag >>>>>>> Sudden Oak Blitz, April 29th Essalen Tribe Soberanes Fire Telephone Landline Satellite the ‘Hoist’ 280 plots! Prudoe Bay Costa...
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# 90 Israel and Gaza. Perspectives on the war in Gaza from Sweden.
I have Magnus Norell and Ricki Neuman, both from Sweden, with me for this episode. We are talking about what is going on in Israel and Gaza. Magnus Norell Ricki Neuman >>>>>>> I mention: Raja Shehadeh. Yossi Klein Halevi (We carry titles by both Shehadeh and Halevi at the Library) Sderot All...
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# 89 SMOKESCREEN | Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate
A conversation with the author Chad Hanson, PhD The short musical intro is: CANYON live at Nepenthe’s Halloween Bal Masqué 2002. Important links for further information: The John Muir Project Big Sur Fire Fire Adapted Big Sur Fire in Paradise, PBS, Frontline All comments much welcomed! Support…
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# 88 California (& Big Sur) Snakes & How To Find Them
To Mom & Pop, who brought me up to believe I could become anything. I don’t think they meant a snake biologist. But here we are... / E. Taylor >>>>>>> A conversation with Dr Emily Taylor about snakes and her upcoming book: California Snakes & How To Find Them. >>>>>>> Professor of Biological...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A Big Sur Podcast
An ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural character of Big Sur. Stories are told by visitors and residents, plumbers and linesmen, musicians and authors, dancers and jugglers and others. Sometimes we drift (way) off-topic into the arts, sciences, personal stories, gossip, politics, philosophy, ornithology, Henry Miller, and our zeitgeist in general. We like that!
The opinions expressed here belong to the people who express them. They may or may not line up with yours, mine, or your neighbor’s — and that’s exactly the point. Different perspectives, lived experiences, and even wildly clashing views are what make conversations worth listening to: enriching, infuriating, life-affirming, and sometimes all three a
HOSTED BY
Magnus Toren, host
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does A Big Sur Podcast have?
A Big Sur Podcast currently has 135 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is A Big Sur Podcast about?
A Big Sur Podcast An ongoing conversation with people from near and far about Big Sur's past, present, and future. A Big Sur Podcast interprets “community” to mean ALL people from around the world who are curious about, and who care about, the preservation and restoration of the wild and rural...
How often does A Big Sur Podcast release new episodes?
A Big Sur Podcast publishes regularly with 135 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to A Big Sur Podcast?
You can listen to A Big Sur Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts A Big Sur Podcast?
A Big Sur Podcast is created and hosted by Magnus Toren, host.
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