Hot Takes on the Classics

Mar 25 2025 22 ep. 43 mins 8
Hot Takes on the Classics Podcast artwork

Hot Takes on the Classics is no dusty, academic approach to great books. It’s a gossipy, exciting discussion about the best literature ever written. Hosted by Tim and Emily, who are veteran teachers and long-time friends, Hot Takes is packed with playful debate, meaningful speculation, and hearty laughs.

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Episode 21: Mein Kampf: The Blueprint for War & Genocide

Mar 25 2025 71 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh tackle one of the most infamous books ever written: Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. Though poorly written and filled with contradictions, this book remains essential for understanding the ideological roots of Nazi Germany. Emily and Tim examine Hitler’s obsession with racial purity, his hatred of d

Episode 20: All Quiet on The Western Front by Erich Marie Remarque: The Anti-War Protest Novel

Mar 18 2025 59 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh explore All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque’s searing anti-war novel that captures the brutal reality of World War I through the eyes of a young German soldier. They discuss how Remarque’s own experience as a soldier shaped his portrayal of trench warfare, the disillusionment

Episode 19: Killer Angels by Michael Shaara: The Last Humane War?

Mar 11 2025 43 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh explore Michael Shaara’s The Killer Angels, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel that brings the Battle of Gettysburg to life. They discuss how Shaara blends fact and fiction to create a gripping narrative that captures the heroism, strategy, and fateful decisions that shaped the course o

Episode 18: Joan of Arc: Don’t Send a Man to Do a Woman’s Job

Mar 04 2025 59 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh delve into Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, an unexpected and deeply admired work from the celebrated author. They explore Twain’s fascination with Joan’s extraordinary life, her divine visions, and her rise from an illiterate peasant to a military leader who reshaped the

Episode 17: On War by Clausewitz: The Years That War Changed

Feb 25 2025 46 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh unpack Carl von Clausewitz’s On War, a foundational text in military theory. They explore Clausewitz’s revolutionary ideas on the relationship between war and politics, his emphasis on total commitment in warfare, and the enduring relevance of his theories. The hosts also examine how Clausewit

Episode 16: War and Peace: How to Defeat Napoleon? Do Nothing

Feb 18 2025 49 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh tackle Leo Tolstoy’s monumental War and Peace. They explore how Tolstoy weaves the lives of Russian aristocrats with the chaos of Napoleon’s invasion, balancing themes of love, honor, fate, and the unpredictability of war. Tim delivers a bold hot take, arguing that Tolstoy belongs on the Mount

Episode 15: Depicting War in Art and Music: Of Fallen Heroes and Epic Battles

Feb 11 2025 65 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh shift their focus to the depiction of war in art and music. They explore how Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, and iconic paintings like Napoleon Crossing the Alps and Washington Crossing the Delaware capture the complexities of heroism, leadership, and the costs of war

Episode 14: Paradise Lost: The Cosmic Battle of Good and Evil

Feb 04 2025 40 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh delve into John Milton’s Paradise Lost, a towering epic of English literature that grapples with theology, cosmology, and human nature. They discuss Milton’s attempt to craft a Christian epic, his complex portrayal of Satan, and the cosmic war between good and evil. Emily offers her provocativ

Episode 13: Henry V - Shakespeare: A Young Prince Delivers the Greatest Speech on War

Jan 28 2025 35 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh delve into Shakespeare’s Henry V, a play that captures the remarkable transformation of Prince Hal into England’s greatest warrior king. They discuss the historical backdrop of the Hundred Years’ War, the tension between honor and responsibility, and the timeless power of the Saint Crispin�

Episode 12: Song of Roland/Pope Urban/Life of Charlemagne: Battles that Become Legends

Jan 21 2025 48 mins  
DescriptionIn this episode of Hot Takes on the Classics, Emily Maeda and Tim McIntosh explore The Song of Roland, a medieval French epic that epitomizes bravery, loyalty, and sacrifice. Set during Charlemagne’s campaigns in Spain, the story recounts Roland’s heroic last stand and the betrayal that led to his demise. Tim and Emily discuss the poem’s historical context during t