Finding Favorites with Leah Jones

Max Klau loves music

Max Klau, an author, musician and social change agent, joined Leah in October to talk about his new book, a new album and making art in dangerous times. Max and Leah met through New Politics Academy and his book Developing Servant Leaders at Scale dives into his tried and true methods for self-discovery. 
Follow Max online
Developing Servant Leaders at Scale by Max Klau: https://bookshop.org/p/books/developing-servant-leaders-at-scale-how-to-do-it-and-why-it-matters-max-klau/a9fe513c6a63c3ca?ean=9781837081653
Max's website: https://www.maxklau.com/
Max's LinkedIn for workshop info: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-klau-0319a11/ 
The Max Klau Band: https://www.maxklau.com/music
Mentions
New Politics Academy: https://www.newpoliticsacademy.org/
James Talarico: https://jamestalarico.com/
Kansas Leadership Center: https://kansasleadershipcenter.org/
Inner Development Goals: https://innerdevelopmentgoals.org/
Stutz: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21819228/
Jessi Bender on Finding Favorites: https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/jesi-bender-victorian-utica/
I Fight Dragons: https://ifightdragons.com/
Tour:Smart by Martin Atkins: https://martinatkins.bigcartel.com/product/tour-smart-digital-book
Moshav: https://www.moshavband.com/
Bob Schneider: https://www.bobschneider.com/
Michael Shelley: https://michaelshelley.net/
WFMU: https://wfmu.org/ 
Finding Favorites is (once again) edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Ry Jones loves postcards (and Slava Ukraini)

Ry Jones, an open source community architect and Leah's older brother, loves sending postcards when he travels. We dig into his postcard habits and he also shares the different ways that he supports the war effort in Ukraine through Car for Ukraine and Help99.
Follow Ry online
Github
LinkedIn
Support Ukraine
https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/50forua-washington-battalion 
Help99
EnGin (English ESL volunteering)
Postcrossing
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Suzanne loves NYC Garbage and Rats

Suzanne Reisman is one of Leah's friends from MySpace and they sat down to talk about her viral sensation - the New York City History of Garbage and Rats walking tour! Coming soon to a newspaper or TV near you! She's been featured in Time Out NYC, the NY Post, Nebraska and Australian radio shows, and even made it to newspapers in Europe and Chinatown. We dig deep on how (and why) she created the  walking tour before talking about her favorite moment of the day.
Follow Suzanne online
GANYC Suzanne Reisman 
TripAdvisor booking link 
Off Beaten Subway Track Attractions 
suzanne@offbeatwalkingtours.com
Show notes
Ghost of Aaron Burr: https://associationofparanormalstudy.com/2019/03/01/the-world-was-wide-enough-the-multiple-hauntings-of-aaron-burr/ 
https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/this-garbage-and-rats-walking-tour-explores-the-grossand-engrossinghistory-of-nyc-051425 
https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/strolling-through-roger-eberts-perfect-london-walk
Rats by Robert Sullivan 
https://sharsheret.org/
https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2023/04/mayor-adams-anoints-kathleen-corradi-nyc-s-first-ever-rat-czar
https://nypost.com/2025/06/25/lifestyle/rat-whisperer-offers-tours-of-nycs-rodent-hotspots-theyre-sort-of-little-monsters-but-also-sort-of-cute/
https://avagardnerplay.com/
Comphy sheets (now owned by Coop sheets)
Brooklinen
https://www.coco-mat.com/usa/en/sleep/mattresses 
Big Fig
Thuma
Shoe Recommendations
https://www.stegmannusa.com/collections/womens-shoes 
https://www.topoathletic.com/women/womens-shoes/activity/Recovery
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Jesi Bender loves victorian homes in Utica

Author/artist Jesi Bender joined Leah to talk about her novel Child of Light, available from Whiskey Tit press, and Victorian houses in Utica, New York.
Note from Leah: In this episode, I boldly say that there are no Victorian houses in Chicago, because they all burnt down in the Chicago fire. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Follow Jesi Bender online
https://www.jesibender.com/
https://www.jesibender.com/child-of-light.html 
Show Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned-over_district
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fountain-elms-2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utica,_New_York
https://oneidacountyhistory.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_House_(Georgetown,_New_York)
https://abandonedonline.net/location/spirit-house/
https://www.hamilton.edu/offices/lits/special-collections/college-archives
https://www.uticaod.com/picture-gallery/news/history/2025/01/18/photo-gallery-look-back-at-the-history-of-genesee-street-in-utica/77743355007/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utica_Psychiatric_Center
https://inmatesofwillard.com/2012/09/08/1880-the-utica-crib/
Of course there are Victorian Homes in Chicago. I had amnesia.
https://www.zillow.com/chicago-il/victorian-style_att/ 
https://fortunerestoration.com/services/residential-painting/painted-ladies/ 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paschal_Beverly_Randolph
https://www.reddit.com/r/Watchmen/comments/npiyzq/did_the_hbo_show_influence_this_long_overdue/
https://www.cureddocumentary.com/
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

A Mitzvah to Eat with Sarah Osborne

To kick off the month of Elul and High Holy Day preparations, Leah sat down with Sarah Osborne, founder of A Mitzvah to Eat, to talk about how her organizations supports Jews who are unable to fast on days like Yom Kippur. We also talk about leadership, our mutual friend Evonne, and tongue drums.
Order your A Mitzvah to Eat care package by September 12, 2025 to receive before Yom Kippur. 
A Mitzvah to Eat
https://fnd.us/a-mitzvah-to-eat-care-packages
https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/
https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/about
https://www.amitzvahtoeat.org/yom-kippur-1
 
Show Notes
https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/evonne-marzouk-writing/
Tongue drum: https://www.balmyworld.com/products/sound-healing?
https://www.mayyimhayyim.org/
https://www.mayyimhayyim.org/ceremonies/
https://www.psupress.org/books/titles/978-0-271-08712-2.html?
https://slate.com/culture/2025/08/long-story-short-netflix-show-pandemic-covid-grief.html
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33247080/
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Shai Korman loves film festivals

Shai Korman, one of the Friday Night Movie podcast hosts, is on the road with a movie he produced with his sisters. He took a break in between festivals to talk about The Floaters, film festivals and Weird Al. 
Follow Shai online
Shai Korman: https://www.instagram.com/pancake4table/ 
Friday Night Movie Podcast: https://fridaynightmoviepod.podbean.com/ 
Floaters the Movie: https://floatersmovie.com/
Show Links
Weird Al tour: https://www.weirdal.com/tour/
Weird Al Behind the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36CtQCvc7e8 
Taskmaster Season 19: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRWvNQVqAeWKt7kCUfEMdJi40m7H58CJd 
 
Tires https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tires_(TV_series)
 
Bentonville Film Festival: https://bentonvillefilm.org/
Floaters IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31145438/ 
And Mrs. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6614198/ 
 
Don’t Tell Larry https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16311236/
Bird in Hand https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36298555/
Espina https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17016098/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1 
Adult Children https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17424166/ 
Lemonade Blessing https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32432676/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1 
Cotton Candy Bubble Gum https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28305079/ 
Magic Hour https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32134256/? 
Sabbath Queen https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32145808/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1 
Malka https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32778054/?ref_=fn_all_ttl_1 
Frankenbabes from Beyond the Grave https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36364856/?
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.
 

Sharna Marcus loves Chipotle

Israel-based educator and writer Sharna Marcus joined Leah on Friday, June 20th, to share the story of how she was able to get to Indiana from Israel during the active war with Iran. Spoiler alert: a cargo ship was involved.
We talk about her work as a Middle East history educator, the damage done by the "weapons of mass destruction" lies told by the Bush administration, finding Jewish identity and community, and more. 
Follow Sharna online
https://x.com/MsSMarcus
https://www.instagram.com/sharnaranee/
Note from Leah: The podcast is just on a break while I recover from gallbladder surgery in march, moving in late April, and figuring out a whole new apartment. We recorded this episode before the US got involved directly in the war and I'm releasing it a few days after the ceasefire between Iran and Israel started. 
In case it does not "go without saying" I deeply desire all of the hostages should be returned home immediately, that humanitarian aid needs to flow into the Gaza strip, and that I desire peace and safety for all people living in and around Israel. I don't know how we get there.
A few other links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/first-islamic-public-hospital
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wo2TLlMhiw
https://www.youtube.com/@crashcourse/search?query=israel 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_culture_kid
https://rebooting.com/
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-one-un-leaders-mistaken-timeline-caused-confusion-about-gaza-childrens-starvation-risk 
https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/ 
https://zionistutopia.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcast 
 

Lee Upton love bunnies

Author Lee Upton joined Leah to talk about her newest book Wrongful, available for pre-order now for May 1 delivery, and about how she became a bunny person.
PSA: Bunnies are exotic pets and not responsible Easter presents. Stick to chocolate and toy bunnies today!
Where was the podcast? Leah had emergency gall bladder surgery which meant hitting eject from her life for about a month. So happy to be back on the mic and to welcome back engineer-extraordinaire Rob Abrazado.
 
Keep up with Lee online
Wrongful is available for pre-order now and releases May 1, 2025: https://www.saggingmeniscus.com/catalog/wrongful/
Lee's website: https://www.leeupton.com/
Show Notes
Sagging Meniscus Press: https://www.saggingmeniscus.com/
Tabitha, Get Up: https://bookshop.org/p/books/tabitha-get-up-lee-upton/21257767
Kate Racculia: https://www.kateracculia.com/
Agatha Christie: https://www.agathachristie.com/
The Withers (coming in 2026 from Regal House Publishing): https://regalhousepublishing.com/forthcoming-publications/
Book & Puppet Co.: https://www.bookandpuppet.com/
Ghostlit: https://bookshop.org/p/books/ghostlit-poems/121f3a980b2b881e
On the Rocks: https://www.theodoraziolkowski.com/books
Asterism: https://asterismbooks.com/
I Am a Bunny: https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-am-a-bunny-ole-risom/8547916
Michael Sowa: https://michaelsowa-art.de/
Esterhazy: The Rabbit Prince: https://www.amazon.com/Esterhazy-Rabbit-Prince-Irene-Dische/dp/0152009213
Instant Relief Therapy: https://www.wikiart.org/en/michael-sowa/instant-relief-therapy
Bunny by Mona Awad: https://bookshop.org/p/books/bunny-mona-awad/12087549
Alice in Wonderland: https://bookshop.org/p/books/alice-in-wonderland-illustrated-lewis-carroll/7841425
Rabbit, Run (the first book in John Updike's Rabbit series): https://bookshop.org/p/books/rabbit-run-john-updike/11076364
The Velveteen Rabbit: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-velveteen-rabbit-margery-williams-bianco/19005883
Donnie Darko: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/
Harvey: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042546/
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery (the first book of the Bunnicula series): https://bookshop.org/p/books/bunnicula-a-rabbit-tale-of-mystery-deborah-howe/286233
Bunnicula (TV series): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5444412/
Watership Down: https://bookshop.org/p/books/watership-down-richard-adams/286191
The House Rabbit Society: https://houserabbit.org/
POP Cats: https://popcats.co/
 
Finding Favorites is edited and mixed by Rob Abrazado. Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.

Brandon Klein loves to interview

Detroit-based Brandon Klein sat down with Leah to talk about his love of interviewing - AKA non-fiction storytelling. Brandon has been a meditation coach, lived "van life" in the national parks, and is the creator and host of Humanize the Human Eyes.
Keep up with Brandon on YouTube and Instagram
https://www.youtube.com/@brandonmklein/videos
https://www.instagram.com/brand0nklein/
Show Notes
https://www.descript.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanseisen/
https://goodnightoscar.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_gGwOlIb9k
https://blackwing602.com/collections/pencils
https://findingfavorites.podbean.com/e/lucas-balisong-knives/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phatic_expression
Fact check: It was Jack Paar and not Dick Cavett that hosted Oscar Levant, sorry for so confidently talking about the wrong late night host.
Second fact check: Rob Abrazado will return to editing the podcast on the next episode. The last few weeks have been rough in the Jones house, but I recently closed on a condo sale and have returned to the land of the living.

Christine Marie Eberle loves the Ignatian Pilgrimage in Spain

Christine Marie Eberle returns to Finding Favorites to discuss her new book and the pilgrimage that inspired her to write it. Her new book Finding God Along the Way: Wisdom from the Ignatian Camino for Life at Home is available now.
We have an in depth conversation about the logistics, prayer and intentions of going on this pilgrimage in the fall of 2022.
Christine-Marie-Eberle.com
Finding God Along the Way
Show Notes
The Way on IMDB
Camino del Santiago (the other pilgrimage in Spain)
Camino Ignacio
Ignatian Volunteer Corps
Ignatius of Loyola
Follow Finding Favorites on Instagram at @FindingFavsPod and leave a 5 star rating on Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or Spotify. Got a question or want to suggest a guest? email Leah at FindingFavoritesPodcast@gmail.com
Support Finding Favorites by shopping for books by guests or recommended by guests on Bookshop.