Episodes
Sunday Aug 11, 2019
The Language of the Third Reich (Victor Klemperer)
Sunday Aug 11, 2019
Sunday Aug 11, 2019
This book, Victor Klemperer's book "The Language of the Third Reich," appears to have been taken as instruction manual by a particular group today. (The written version of this review was first published January 11, 2019.)
Friday Aug 09, 2019
Ibn Khaldun: An Intellectual Biography (Robert Irwin)
Friday Aug 09, 2019
Friday Aug 09, 2019
A pause from the concerns of today, to discuss a famous polymath of yesterday. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Invisible Planets (Hannu Rajaniemi)
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Wednesday Aug 07, 2019
Thoughts on, and comparisons to, a bleak vision of the human future, that is not meant to be bleak. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Discussion of an exhaustive analysis how the Turks exterminated the country's entire Christian population, an unpleasant topic that nonetheless deserves attention. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Wednesday Jul 31, 2019
Wednesday Jul 31, 2019
A discussion of a Danish journalist's even-handed look at Hungary today, where we focus less on the usual range of views about Viktor Orbán, and more on the questions of Gypsies and Russia. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
48 Hours (William Fortschen)
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Sunday Jul 28, 2019
Here we talk about how our government would really act in an existential crisis. Hint: not well. (The written version of this review was first posted January 10, 2019.)
Saturday Jul 27, 2019
The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics (Michael Malice)
Saturday Jul 27, 2019
Saturday Jul 27, 2019
Discussion of an anarchist's view of a section of the fringe Right—not the fringe worth talking about, unfortunately. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Wednesday Jul 24, 2019
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America (Chris Arnade)
Wednesday Jul 24, 2019
Wednesday Jul 24, 2019
Today we talk about an important book, cutting across political lines in America, though one that falls a bit short in making necessary distinctions. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Saturday Jul 20, 2019
Conformity: The Power of Social Influences (Cass R. Sunstein)
Saturday Jul 20, 2019
Saturday Jul 20, 2019
Everyone talks about conformity; Cass Sunstein tries to break it down and offers useful tools for examining the mechanisms of conformity, when it is good, and when it is bad. He even succeeds, in part. (The written version of this review can be found here.)
Thursday Jul 18, 2019
West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express (Jim DeFelice)
Thursday Jul 18, 2019
Thursday Jul 18, 2019
Something a bit more personal, since I had a relative who rode for the Pony Express, a brief, but (formerly) iconic episode in American history. (The written version of this was originally posted January 9, 2019).