Online Great Books Podcast Online Great Books Podcast

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."
The duo acknowledges Jacob Burckhardt's ability to research and analyze Greek culture at great length, but whether or not he fully admires the ancient Greeks is up for debate. 
Tune in to learn more about the true 'Greek spirit' of the ancient world that Burckhardt provides. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

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.' Scott says, "When people say to trust the science these days, they aren’t doing Faraday's type of science."
Why a candle? Faraday believes that choosing a candle as the topic of investigation is the best way to introduce viewers to the nature of science. Scott adds, "In terms of physical investigations, a candle is about as close as you can get to the beginning."
Karl says, "There are wonders around you that you should be gobsmacked by every time you see it. A candle is one of those things."
The duo agrees, this book would be a good addition to your home library collection, especially if you are interested in homeschooling. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com. 

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. 

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 Karl believe that du Berrier's book on Vietnam has stood up against the test of time while so many of the experts who opposed him have been vanquished by the truth of history.
Tune in as the duo begins their discussion of this hard-to-find book and the equally fascinating author. 

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... you're a maker of things. I think that's a reasonable way to think about it."
The author traces the history of poetic knowledge through Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Benedict, and the beginning of its demise with Descartes. Tune in for a fascinating look at what has been and what might be again when we turn theoretical into practical knowledge.
Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.

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-apocalyptic novel. Scott says, "It's not an unpleasant world that he pictures for us after the simplification." Karl believes that Kunstler is even optimistic despite the novel being set in a post-oil American future. 
Scott points out, "This is a world where everything feels big. They grieve more, there's more death and it's closer, but they care more about the people that they do have, too."
Tune in to hear the duo's discussion of this dystopian science-fiction novel. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.