Why We Still Need Plato

In this episode, legendary comic Colin Quinn dives into a cult classic that still makes him cry with laughter: John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces. The novel follows the misadventures of an overweight, pretentious misanthrope still living with his mother in 1960s New Orl ...  Show more

Dante Alighieri is one of the most consequential poets in human history, and his The Divine Comedy is essential to understanding Western civilization itself. And yet, though most of us have heard of Inferno, Dante remains one of the least read of all the greats. His masterpiece u ...  Show more

Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired United States Navy SEAL, best known for his leadership in special operations, delivers one of the most POWERFUL motivational speeches.

"The little things in life matter, If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be a ...

For Virginia Woolf, Leo Tolstoy was "the greatest of all novelists," and her argument was simple: "[W]hat else can we call the author of War and Peace?" In this episode, Jacke takes a look at Tolstoy's original plans for the novel; the unusual nature of the book, which Henry Jame ...  Show more

Episode 253 | Join author and retired U.S. Navy four-star Admiral William McRaven for a candid conversation about what it takes to be an effective leader today. Admiral McRaven outlines several valuable qualities he feels separate the good from the truly great leaders, drawing fr ...  Show more

In this episode of the WW2 podcast, we'll explore the Royal Navy from 1918 to the end of the Second World War and one man's career. Not an officer, but a regular sailor: Herbert Leeder, who chalk up 27 years of service. Following the career of one sailor is an interesting way ...