Online Great Books Podcast

Oct 12 2023 179 ep. 73 mins 781

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We discuss the great books, the great ideas and the process of liberal education.

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#179- Burckhardt's The Greeks and Greek Civilization

Oct 12 2023 141 mins

Scott and Karl read "The Greeks and Greek Civilization" which sums up the relevant lectures the notable Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt first gave in 1872. Karl says, "I now have a little portable guide to all the Greek literature that I want to read." Scott adds, "Burckhardt explains what might be going on around the world around Socrates that allows him to drink the hemlock." Th

#178- Faraday’s The Chemical History of a Candle

Sep 29 2023 140 mins

Beyond producing a body of pioneering research in thermodynamics, Faraday left an educational legacy: his great lectures on the “Chemical History of a Candle.” Originally published in 1861, this series of six lectures showcases Faraday's ability to clearly display scientific principles to a general population, landing him the reputation of one of the first 'popular scientists.

#177- Hilaire du Berrier's Background to Betrayal: The Tragedy of Vietnam Part 2

Sep 14 2023 61 mins

Tune in for Part Two of Scott and Karl's discussion on Hilaire du Berrier's Background to Betrayal. Published in 1965, it remains the only book du Berrier ever produced and a crucial resource on the history of Indochina and our government's policies in Vietnam. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.

#176- Hilaire du Berrier's Background to Betrayal: The Tragedy of Vietnam Part 1

Aug 24 2023 73 mins

In 1965, the Birch Society's publishing house, Western Islands, printed du Berrier's Background to Betrayal: The Tragedy of Vietnam. While hard to come by, it remains the most authoritative source in English on the crucial history of Indochina up to that point and is indispensable for an understanding of the tragic consequences of our government's policies in Vietnam. Scott and Ka

#175- Taylor's Poetic Knowledge: The Recovery of Education

Jul 17 2023 192 mins

Scott and Karl read and discuss James S. Taylor's 1998 book, Poetic Knowledge: The Recovery of Education. Taylor describes his work as an “attempt to resuscitate a nearly forgotten mode of knowledge.” This "poetic knowledge" is not the knowledge of poetry. Rather, it is an intuitive, obscure, mysterious way of knowing reality. As Karl points out, "Poētēs in Greek means making

#174- Kunstler's World Made by Hand Part 1

May 05 2023 94 mins

Scott and Karl delve into James Howard Kunstler's 2008 end-of-days novel, World Made by Hand. James Howard Kunstler is an American author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger, perhaps best known for his 2005 novel, The Long Emergency. He has an active podcast, KunstlerCast, where you can find more of his honest urban commentary. World Made by Hand is from your typical post

#173- John Senior and the Restoration of Realism Part 2

Mar 27 2023 56 mins

Scott and Karl finish their discussion of Father Francis Bethel's biography, John Senior and the Restoration of Realism. According to Scott, if you have concerns about yourself, how you interact with the world, and where the world is going— you need to read some John Senior as well as this biography. In his works, John Senior discusses how there are ways of life that actually r

#172- John Senior and the Restoration of Realism Part 1

Mar 17 2023 68 mins

Scott and Karl begin their discussion of Father Francis Bethel's biography that examines the life and thought of "cultural critic, university professor, and sometime cowboy," John Senior. John Senior is the founder of Clear Creek Abbey, a Benedictine Abbey in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. He is the author of both The Death of Christian Culture and The Restoration of Christian Culture

#171- Shelby Foote's The Civil War Part 1

Dec 29 2022 137 mins

To round out 2022, Scott and Karl decided to revisit Shelby Foote's 2,968-page, 1.2 million-word history of the American Civil War. Collectively, Foote's history of the Civil War includes three compelling volumes: Fort Sumter to Perryville, Fredericksburg to Meridian, and Red River to Appomattox. Scott and Karl begin talking about the tenuous nature of history yet how Foote still

#170- The Good Life: Helen and Scott Nearing's Sixty Years of Self-Sufficient Living

Nov 03 2022 140 mins

We're back! Scott and Karl explore Helen and Scott Nearing's The Good Life (1954) and Continuing the Good Life (1979) in a new, long-form podcast. In the 20th century, Scott and Helen Nearing became the new models of self-sufficient lifestyles and rural homesteading. Having abandoned their life in New York City in 1932, rural Vermont became the place the couple could escape a capi