Helen is so clever and witty and funny - so informed and lovely and I could listen to her all day. And on top of it all I always learn the most interesting new things that help me see the world differently in the best way.

Well presented and clever. But if you are not into liberal ideology you may find a number of the episodes preachy and tedious. Worth a subscription but be prepared to delete about 20% of the offerings.

Light or not; fun and important. Helen is so funny!

Hey there my friend

Also, edifying, enlightening, informative, and fun!

So great, especially the special word they give us at the end!

Helen and The Allusionist are simply always brilliant. I listened to all the episodes and then started over again and now look forward to hearing the new ones and revisiting older ones too. Regularly mind blowing in the best way possible. 🎉👏

The Allusionist is simply a great podcast. I have learned so much about the use and evolution of language, and Helen always has the most interesting and enlightening guests. She’s also ridiculously entertaining—I always look forward to her special episodes like the quizzes and Tranquillusionists, where she reads words in a calming tone of voice so you can relax. Her husband Martin Austwick’s music is the delightful icing on the cake, and makes every episode richer. But fundamentally, what makes The Allusionist great is that Helen is a truly admirable human being. She regularly has episodes that explore the boundaries of inclusive language. In 2020, she struck out on her own from the Radiotopia podcast network because the network’s roster of shows was overwhelmingly white, and she decided to free up the money paid to her so it could be used to increase the diversity of voices on the network. She walks the talk. If you ever get the chance to see her live, jump at it. And if you support the podcast financially, you’ll get a ton of cool material in return. Helen Zaltzman is, indeed, a mensch.

Thanks for years of great listening, Helen! Love the show.

This podcast has made me smarter, and more aware of the world around me. Language is always a work in progress, moving and changing with the times. Finding out what shaped it in the past and what’s redefining it now is a blast.