In this episode, what truly got my attention the most as a listener was simply how alive and vivid the landscape was sonically. I enjoyed the clip-clops of the horse hooves, the subtle crunches of the gravel road, and the soft blowing of the wind, which really encapsulated the moods of the Appalachian Mountains. I listened to the narrator’s calm and gentle voice combining with the tone of the episode, and enabling me to feel the isolation of the mountains and the determination of the women who traveled through them. One thing that really caught my attention was when the librarian discussed taking books “like treasure” through rain and mud. You could feel the enthusiasm in her voice and the storm in the background. The silence in the episode was used so strategically. It made me focus on her true emotion and made me feel how important their work was. Another point in the episode where culture was shown was when the people spoke in their own Appalachian dialects. They spoke so proudly and so clearly, and it had such a sense of identity and community to it. Their language spoke volumes about who they were. They were such hardworking, loving, and country-driven people. I liked how the show had the women share their own stories instead of someone else, like a narrator, recounting their stories, which made it all more real and interesting. This story shows how language and culture are so intertwined. I think the sound effects were one of the podcast’s strongest elements. The way it incorporated real sounds, like horses and footsteps, with the soft and subtle background music really made the story come alive. If I were involved in the production, I would have added almost imperceptible longer pauses after emotional segments to give the listener a little more time to sit and process what had just been spoken. I learned from this episode how sound can make a story come alive and help to present culture in an honest and respectful way. The Kitchen Sisters showed how storytelling can honor a community and keep its voice alive.