Books and Insight with Frank Lavin

Frank Lavin
  • 5.0 (4)
  • BOOKS

A conversation with authors and other creative people about their recent works and their insight on the world today. How do books and ideas help us grapple with current challenges? Frank Lavin has served as a diplomat, banker, White House aide, National Security Council staffer, and is the author of four books.

  1. 6H AGO

    Rob Drabkin, Author of "Beverly Hills Spy"

    Frank Lavin talks with Ron Drabkin, Japan-hand, venture capitalist, and author of "Beverly Hills Spy," one of the great spy stories of World War II and the inter-war years. In addition to the story of espionage and betrayal, Ron also shines a light on the historical context of World War I and 1920s Hollywood, leaving the reader with a rich cast of characters and a historical tapestry. In addition to his book, Ron also suggests reading Trent Hone's book about Chester Nimitz, "Mastering the Art of Command."

    19 min

  2. FEB 9

    Barry Strauss, Author of "Jews vs. Rome"

    Frank Lavin talks with Barry Strauss, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and the author of  "Jews vs. Rome" to discuss the complicated history of ancient Rome and its efforts to subdue the Jewish states in its empire. Barry also shines a light on the birth of Christianity and how those events of two thousand years ago continue to shape our world of today. In addition to his book, Barry also suggests reading John William's book, "Augustus."

    18 min

  3. 12/05/2025

    Eli Merritt, Author of "Disunion Among Ourselves"

    Frank Lavin talks with Eli Merritt, Professor at Vanderbilt and the author of  "Disunion Among Ourselves," to discuss the critical issues the Continental Congress faced at the dawn of the American republic, with the most important failure being the failure to eliminate slavery. Eli discusses how the sectional differences and the need to forge some type of political consensus drove the Founders to leave this issue unresolved. In addition to his book, Eli also suggests reading Jeffrey Rosen's book, "The Pursuit of Happiness," which explores how the Founders were inspired by classical discussions of virtue.

    22 min

  4. 08/29/2025

    Chris Kirchhoff, Defense Innovation Guru and the Author of "Unit X"

    Frank Lavin talks with Chris Kirchhoff, defense innovation guru and the author of "Unit X" to discuss the importance of tech in U.S. national security. The adaptation of tech in the U.S. military is as urgent as it is complicated, and Chris observes that we are burdened by our success. Chris also suggests reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Elon Musk, "Elon Musk."

    21 min

  5. 07/29/2025

    Olaf Groth, Author of "The Great Remobilization"

    Frank Lavin talks with Olaf Groth, the author of "The Great Remobilization" and discusses the six major trends that will drive decisions in our personal lives, government policies, and business decision-making: 1. Covid and CRISPR; 2. Cognitive Technologies; 3. Crypto and distributed power; 4. Cyber security; 5. Climate Change; 6. China. Olaf moves on to discuss how corporations and governments should respond to meet – and perhaps even benefit from – these challenges. Olaf also suggests reading Ezra Klein's "Abundance" and the work of our previous guest, "Apple in China" by Patrick McGee.

    19 min

  6. 06/23/2025

    Patrick McGee, Author of "Apple in China"

    Frank Lavin talks with Patrick McGee, the author of "Apple in China" and discusses how Apple came to enjoy enormous success in China and eventually came to pay a price for that success, which Patrick terms "Faustian." It is a fascinating book that encompasses some of the more important themes in the world today, including Globalization, the rise of China, tech policy, and supply chains. Patrick suggest also reading "The Maniac" by Benjamin Labatut.

    26 min

  7. 06/16/2025

    Allen Weiner, author of "The Highflier Handbook: How to be Seen and Become a Leader at Work"

    Frank Lavin talks with Allen Weiner, the author of "The Highflier Handbook: How to be Seen and Become a Leader at Work"  and discusses why some people fail to move ahead, even if they are strong performers. It has a lot to do with soft skills, collegiality, and perceptions. Allen challenges us as to how we can stand out while still being true to ourselves. In addition to reading his "The Highflier Handbook" Allen also recommends the Tom Clancy novels for insight as to how people can communicate and shape a consensus to advance their goals, starting with "Clear and Present Danger."

    15 min
  8. John Sullivan, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Author of "Midnight in Moscow"

    05/12/2025

    John Sullivan, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Author of "Midnight in Moscow"

    Frank Lavin talks about Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. with John Sullivan, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and former Deputy Secretary of State. John was serving in Moscow when Putin launched Russia's invasion of Ukraine and this was the basis for his book, "Midnight in Moscow." John also recommends H.R. McMaster's "At War With Ourselves."

    22 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

A conversation with authors and other creative people about their recent works and their insight on the world today. How do books and ideas help us grapple with current challenges? Frank Lavin has served as a diplomat, banker, White House aide, National Security Council staffer, and is the author of four books.

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