Online Great Books Podcast

This week, Scott and Karl read Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. The role of community in the shaping of character is a recurring theme for Berry, who is the author of more than forty books that largely serve as an extended conversation about the life he values. Berry is a writer, a novelist, an essayist, but also a poet, a farmer, and an environmental activist. He now lives and works on a 125-acre farm in the same community in Kentucky where he was born. According to Scott, “There’s a kind of conservationist that sees the human as the parasite of the earth and the source of the problems. Berry sees the human as the steward of the earth and the source of good, or who can be." The backdrop for many of Berry’s stories is a fictitious town located in Kentucky, Port William. Jayber Crow, this novel’s narrator, shares his life story— from a young man who abandons his plans to become a minister and becomes the town barber instead, eventually earning membership into the Port William community. Crow's life, which begins

This week Scott and Karl read Storm of Steel by Ernst Jünger, the memoir widely viewed as the best account ever written of fighting in WW1. Printed in 1920, this book illuminates not only the horrors but also the fascination of total war, seen through the eyes of a German soldier. "Ernst is a generous soul who can see the good in all things," according to Scott.   Forged by the storm of steel, Jünger is able to share a thoughtful depiction of both the good and the bad parts of war as part of the human experience.  Karl says, "Reading this book, you can understand something of human nature... there's the temptation to think that we're the good ones, we'll do it right, we'll bend the arc of history. Everyone has already thought that through history."  Tune in to learn more about the book that has accomplished what so many others claim but are not: a classic account of war. 

Why are modern debates on morality so shrill? This week, Scott and Karl read After Virtue, a book on moral philosophy by Alasdair MacIntyre. Published in 1981, MacIntyre examines the historical and conceptual roots of the idea of virtue and diagnoses the reasons for its absence in personal and public life. In Karl's words, "Ethical conversations are currently pointless and unable to be resolved. We talk about reason, we talk about right and wrong, but we don’t really mean it." Maclntyre believes that modern life is characterized by the absence of any coherent moral code, and especially a lack of any genuine community. According to Maclntyre, there's importance in being a part of a community "within which civility and the intellectual and moral life can be sustained through the new dark ages which are already upon us." After Virtue is a really hard book to read and fully understand, but it’s the enjoyable kind of hard. Tune in to hear Scott and Karl talk about virtue and the fate of a moral culture without a s

This week, Scott and Karl read The Inimitable Jeeves, the second collection of Jeeves stories written by P. G. Wodehouse, published in 1923. First appearing in print in 1915, Jeeves continued to feature in Wodehouse's work until his last completed novel Aunts Aren't Gentlemen in 1974, a span of 60 years.  The Inimitable Jeeves follows the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his valet, Jeeves, through a hilarious parade of linked short stories. You'll find a certain harmony in their relationship that is hard to replicate. As Scott points out, "It takes two of these guys to make a complete person."  Tune in for a fascinating discussion of Edwardian English, Aristotelian virtue, and the frivolous, empty, and perfectly delightful world of P. G. Wodehouse's The Inimitable Jeeves. 

This week, Scott and Karl read War is a Racket, the antiwar classic, written by one of America's most decorated soldiers— General Smedley D. Butler.  When he published this essay in 1935, General Bulter was already a retired United States Marine Corps Major General and two-time Medal of Honor recipient. In his essay, you'll find that he argues against war because war is a racket. But what is a 'racket'? According to the General, "A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes." His frank essay showcases how American war efforts were animated by big-business interests such as war profiteering. Tune in to hear Scott and Karl's take, and learn just how General Bulter recommends disrupting the war racket.   

Scott, Karl, and Brett Veinotte of the School Sucks Project continue their discussion of Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals.  Picking up where they left off from last week, the trio polishes off the remaining rules on Alinsky's list. Scott says, “What he outlines here is pretty much the way things work. I don’t think he invented anything. I think he discovered, codified, and learned how to teach what really works and what really happens to people."  According to Alinksy himself, "The Prince was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the Have-Nots on how to take it away." Even if you're unwilling to embrace the tactics, you'd be unwise to ignore them.  Tune in to hear more on Alinsky-style organizing, real-world influences, and the rules continuing relevance. 

Scott and Karl are joined by Brett Veinotte, creator of the School Sucks Project, for a special two-part discussion on Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals.  Divided into ten chapters, Rules for Radicals provides 10 lessons on how a community organizer can accomplish the goal of successfully uniting disenfranchised people with the power to effect change on a variety of issues. Alinsky also offers his list of 13 “Rules for Radicals," tactics which Karl calls "a poisoner's manual."  Does this book promote disorder in society? According to Brett, “You can give it an optimistic treatment like it’s real-world tactics for changing the status quo. More cynically, it’s a non-ideologically driven, slogan rich quest for power relying on ridicule and polarization happening in an environment where widespread rationality is not going to be a factor." If that sounds like a lot to unpack, you are not mistaken. Tune in for part one of a revolutionary discussion on Alinsky's mass power

This week, Scott and Karl read and heartily discuss G.K. Chesterson's What I Saw In America. Chesterson was a prolific English journalist and author who traveled to America on a lecture tour of the US in 1921.  What I Saw In America begins as a travelogue of his journey but eventually becomes an extended reflection on what makes a nation a nation.  Chesterton is often referred to as the "prince of paradox" and his opening line doesn't disappoint.  He writes, “I have never managed to lose my old conviction that travel narrows the mind.” Throughout his travels, the main question on Chesterson's mind— what does it mean to be an American?  As Scott points out, "He's a perpetual outsider who sees everything clean."  Tune in for a fascinating discussion on the American ideal, the drawbacks of progress, and what Chesterson deems to be the greatest guarantor of political and economic liberty. 

What’s the proper cost of being a citizen? This week, Scott and Karl read and discuss Starship Troopers, written by Robert A. Heinlein in 1959. Labeled both a seminal and controversial military Sci-Fi read, this book is a provocative challenge that makes you think about citizenship, leadership, and moral philosophy. As the plot goes, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against humankind's most frightening enemy. On a deeper level, Scott says, “[Heinlein] is very thoughtful about the whole art of war.” Join Scott and Karl for a look behind the curtain of a book that continues to resonate and influence to this day, a book you may even find yourself picking up more than once.

This week, Scott and Karl put on their tin foil hats for a reading of George Orwell's 1984.  Published in 1949, the enduring relevance in 1984 is hard to overlook. Of its message, Karl says, “There are definitely right stories to tell and wrong stories to tell. The wrong stories get pulled which is why I’m frustrated with George Orwell— you wrote the instruction manual!" In a world where language is used solely for political purposes and family life is replaced by pure economic calculus, Orwell managed to tell a story with characters that his readers can identify with.  Karl continues, "If you have any sort of sensitivity like I do, this is one [book] you will throw across the room. Not because it is bad, but because it rings so true.” Tune in for a fascinating discussion on political prophecy, power, and compliance in this week's episode, brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

This week, Scott and Karl read a collection of stories starring Conan the Barbarian, a series by Robert E. Howard.  Known as the “Father of Sword and Sorcery,” Howard helped create this subgenre of fiction. To this point, Karl adds, "There is so much of your popular culture, dear listeners, that comes out of Conan." You think of other heroes that we read like King Arthur, Beowulf, and Achilles: none of them are like this barbarian. After reading about him, you may find Conan to be one of the greatest fictional heroes ever created. Open any of his stories, and you'll find a swordsman who cuts a swath across the lands of the Hyborian Age, facing powerful sorcerers, deadly creatures, and ruthless armies of thieves and reavers. As Scott points out, “Conan has absolute trust in his own senses. That’s what sets this apart from lesser pulp fiction heroes."

This week, Scott and Karl read two short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Poe’s stories are known for following many traditions of Gothic fiction, and “The Murders in the Rue Morgue" and “The Masque Of The Red Death” are no different.  First, the duo dives into “The Masque of the Red Death” published in 1842. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a mysterious plague, known as the Red Death, by hiding in his abbey. You may find a modern-day parallel in times of emergency and precarity. Published a year earlier, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue" has been described as the first modern detective story. However, Karl points out, “It’s not following the rules of the conventional mystery.” Scott adds, “This is more about the detective than the story or the mystery.”  

In 1580, Michel De Montaigne is asked by the pregnant Madame Diane de Foix on what the best way of educating a child is. In his essay  "Of the Education of Children," Montaigne provides her with a glimpse into his own upbringing, advising her on how children should apply their education to their own life.  Karl warns, “I don’t think you should let anyone read this because they will become dissatisfied with the current state of education.” There’s nothing that will squash curiosity and a love of learning more than compulsion and force. Can Montaigne's mode of education even be done in a modern classroom?  If you are struggling with how to school your children at home, Karl has some advice for you. "Keep the screens turned off, have good things in the house, and eventually they will learn stuff out of boredom." Tune in for more advice from Montaigne, Scott, and Karl on the proper means of educating your children.     

This week, Scott and Karl are joined by Aristotelian scholar and OGB seminar host, John Pascarella. The trio talks about the not-so-obvious side of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice.  Austen’s Aristotelian ethical ideas are often overlooked by the majority of readers, but as Scott points out, "This isn’t a chick book. This is a people book. This is about rational people trying to pursue a rational happiness, making decisions about their life, and taking agency in doing things on their own behalf according to the contents of their mind.”  Austen wrote her novel in 1813 — you'll find it provides an honest depiction of manners, education, marriage, and money during the Regency era in Great Britain. But it's also a lot more than that.  John says, “You just don’t see stories written like this anymore. [Now] it’s all about the sentiment and not about the virtue."  Tune in to hear a fascinating discussion about why a novel that has consistently appeared near the top of lists of "most-loved books" is more than

This week, Scott and Karl discuss Schopenhauer's Metaphysics of Love. Among 19th-century philosophers, Arthur Schopenhauer was one of the first to contend that at its core, the universe is not a rational place. His view of love is no different— earnest but slightly unromantic.  Scott sums up Schopenhauer's theory by saying, “Love is an experience you have that entices you to select a mate that would make up your genetic shortcomings and this force that acts on you... is the will to live from your unborn child.”  Karl adds, "It's an illusion of choice, but in fact, you’re doing the species’ bidding.” The truth is, we all care about the things we find attractive, so this podcast may hit close to home.  Tune in to this week's episode and hear more anti-Hallmark love advice from Schopenhauer.   

This week, Scott and Karl read The Sound of Waves, a 1954 novel by the Japanese author Yukio Mishima. The novel follows Shinji and his romance with Hatsue, the beautiful daughter of the wealthy shipowner, on the island of Uta-Jima (Song Island). It’s a charming coming-of-age story, but as Scott points out, “There’s not a reformer in this book.” Do you believe it is the obligation of a good and just society to protect the material circumstances in a place? To this point, Scott adds, “If all the material circumstances in life change from generation to generation, then my experiences are completely irrelevant to my children. I’m unable to transfer my wisdom or my culture to my kids because everything has changed.” Karl says, “I don’t know you can escape the change of material conditions... that just means you should hold on tighter to the spiritual conditions, the traditions."  Tune in to hear more about this heartwarming story that will make you think about the way things are, the way they were, and maybe the w

Welcome, dear listeners, to a show that explores what it means to be human. Sound intriguing? This week, Scott and Karl read Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune which is a book thought to be The Lord of the Rings equivalent in the science fiction genre.  Scott expands, "In The Lord of the Rings, there’s something comforting and familiar about that world even when it get’s scary and the outcomes look uncertain. This world is much scarier, much more uncanny.  It may be because there are elements of this world familiar to us. This book is not about saving the environment. This is about man’s ability to mold his environment." Tune in for a discussion on what makes us human, how certain environments can put our humanity on display, and the type of education that sparks adaptability over mere preparedness in times of crisis.   

This week, Scott and Karl read and discuss the 63 clauses of the Magna Carta.  In 1215, Bad King John pledged, under duress, to his barons that he would obey “the law of the land” when he affixed his seal to a charter that came to be called Magna Carta.  Few men have been less mourned, few legal documents more adored. Although most of the charter deals with medieval rights and customs, the Magna Carta has become a powerful symbol of liberty, influencing the likes of Thomas Jefferson and Mahatma Gandhi. So how should you read an 800-year-old legal document? Scott says, “Read it not straight-ahead for what it says, but what it must be reacting to.” Karl adds, “Presume that the people that are writing this are just as human as you are, just as smart as you are. It’ll give you a more sympathetic, more understanding reading of this stuff.” Tune in to hear a fascinating discussion of the history and legacy of one of the most celebrated documents in history.   

This week, Scott and Karl read the Articles of Confederation. This "firm league of friendship" was written in 1777, stemming from wartime urgency. However, it was not actually ratified until 1781. It now lays on the ash heap of history, formally replaced by the present United States Constitution on March 4, 1789.  Under these articles, the states remained sovereign and independent, with Congress serving as the last resort on appeal of disputes. Karl says, “It does not impose anything from the top down. You wonder, why did they get rid of it?”  Tune in to this week's episode and learn more about the first governing document of the United States of America. 

This week, Scott and Karl read A Modest Proposal, a satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Are human lives the sort of things you should add up like numbers? Despite suggesting that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food to rich gentlemen and ladies, Swift actually thinks you should treat people like humans. Needless to say, Swift's essay is widely held to be one of the greatest examples of sustained irony in the history of the English language. Tune in and hear insights into public policy, rhetoric, and Swift’s savage commentary on England’s legal and economic exploitation of Ireland.  A special thanks to Brett Veinotte of the School Sucks podcast for helping to make this show possible. Scott is a presenter in Brett Veinotte's virtual summit on how to better organize your thoughts, effectively synthesize information, and become more persuasive. Learn more about all the presenters and topics at sspuniversity.com/ideasin