The Back of the Book

Ricochet
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In The Back of the Book, host Christopher J. Scalia interviews writers, scholars, and other expert guests about culture and the arts.

  1. Oct 1

    The Declaration of Independence: Its Intellectual and Material History

    Let’s keep celebrating the semiquincentennial by tackling the remarkable history of our most inspirational founding document. Historian and Hoover Institution fellow Michael Auslin joins the podcast to discuss National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America. He and Chris cover the document’s chaotic creation, its less-than-ideal preservation, and its enduring impact on almost ten generations of Americans.  Show Notes: Michael Auslin’s book, National TreasureMichael’s book event at AEITime Stamps:  1:45 Myths and misconceptions about the Declaration 12:40 The forgotten Declaration takes center stage 23:34 The Civil War and consent of the governed 28:33 More reasons to loathe Woodrow Wilson 33:45 MLK and the “promissory note” of equality 42:30 The Declaration’s core claim of unity 46:16 The DSA’s challenge to the greatness of the Declaration 49:03 The Declaration preserved and displayed Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Keira Stenson.

  2. Sep 17

    What a Tangled Web: Honesty in the 21st Century

    The first topic for our new season is an important one, and that’s no lie. Chris talks to Christian B. Miller, the A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University, about the virtue of honesty. What does it mean to be honest? Is it more rewarding—and less risky—to be dishonest today than it was in the past? How are Americans dishonest today online, on campus, and in politics? Christian’s new book is The Honesty Crisis: Preserving Our Most Treasured Virtue in an Increasingly Dishonest World (Oxford, 2026). Time Stamps: 2:49 What is honesty? 15:14 Deepfakes and online infidelity 31:07 Academic dishonesty and the tragedy of Jason Arday 42:39 Honesty and politics 52:39 The exception of the arts Show Notes: Christian B. Miller’s book, The Honesty CrisisBilly Joel, “Honesty”Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Keira Stenson.

  3. Jun 25

    American Civic Stories

    In this special double feature, Chris welcomes the authors of two new books about the American way of life—one about the many things that make it great, and the other about something we’ve lost. First, Matthew Mehan of Hillsdale College’s Washington, DC, campus discusses his latest children's book, The American Book of Fables, a collection to help the young and old celebrate America’s 250th birthday. And in the back half, Andy Smarick of the Manhattan Institute talks about his first novel, Community Day, a mystery about the distressing decline of civil society. Show notes:  Matt's book, The American Book of FablesAndy's novel, Community Day, on Substack and AmazonMatt's other workAndy's other workTime stamps:  0:49 – Matthew Mehan on The American Book of Fables 29:01 – Andy Smarick on Community Day  Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.  Produced by Sean Doolan & Keira Stenson.

  4. Jun 11

    The Creative Catholic Converts of 20th-Century Britain

    Chris talks to Melanie McDonagh about her new book, Converts: From Oscar Wilde to Muriel Spark, Why So Many Became Catholic in the 20th Century. Dr. McDonagh discusses some of the prominent (and less familiar) British artists, writers, and intellectuals who entered the Roman Catholic from the 1890s through the 1950s. What were the social and cultural origins of the century’s remarkable increase in Catholic conversions? What people and ideas brought figures like Wilde, Graham Greene, and Evelyn Waugh to Catholicism? And why did the stream of conversions drop off so dramatically in the 1960s? Show notes:  Melanie’s book, ConvertsMelanie’s column at The StandardDavid Jones, “Vexilla Regis”Chris on Evelyn Waugh and Muriel SparkTime stamps:   3:00 – Why chronicle conversions? 7:32 – The influence of St. John Henry Newman 13:07 – Origins of the conversion trend 31:43 – Clerics courting converts 36:55 – Sacramentality and art 52:00 – Vatican II and the Church today Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Sean Doolan.

  5. May 28

    Shakespeare’s Lessons for the Learned

    Sean Keilen, professor of literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz, talks with Chris about his new book, Shakespeare's Scholars: Three Lessons from the Liberal Arts. They discuss how Shakespeare depicts the role of scholars in Hamlet and The Tempest, what Shakespeare can teach us about the scholar’s proper relationship to the public, and the current state of literary studies in academia. Show notes:  Sean’s book, Shakespeare’s ScholarsUC Santa Cruz’s Shakespeare WorkshopSanta Cruz Shakespeare Time stamps:  3:03 – Shakespeare's academy 18:12 – Hamlet 38:38 – The Tempest 52:50 – Scholarship inside (and outside) the academy Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Sean Doolan.

  6. May 15

    Education for Freedom with Zena Hitz

    In this special episode, recorded as part of AEI’s American Dream Lecture Series, Dr. Zena Hitz addresses the role of liberal education in sustaining the democratic project. She also identifies the most significant threats to liberal learning and offers practical remedies that might address them. After her lecture, Zena sat down with Chris for a conversation and fielded questions from the audience at AEI. Show notes:  Zena’s books, A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life and Lost in ThoughtLearn more about St. John's College and the Catherine ProjectWatch previous editions of AEI’s American Dream Lecture SeriesTime stamps:  5:04 – Zena’s lecture 36:53 – Zena’s conversation with Chris 56:38 – Audience Q&A Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Sean Doolan.

  7. Apr 30

    A Family Affair

    Novelist Karan Mahajan joins the show to talk with Chris about his new work, The Complex. They discuss the novel’s memorable characters, settings, and themes, as well as Karan’s literary influences and the challenges of writing about Indian culture and politics for a non-Indian audience. Show notes: Karan’s novel, The Complex“The True Margaret,” a short story excerpted from The Complex in The New YorkerChris’s review of The Complex in the Washington ExaminerKaran’s previous novels, The Association of Small Bombs and Family PlanningTime stamps:   5:08 – The Complex’s cast: The Chopra clan 17:58 – Laxman Chopra & literary villainy 32:27 – Karan’s literary influences, Tolstoy and Naipaul 42:55 – Experimenting with narrative perspective 48:54 – Modern readers & writers Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Sean Doolan.

  8. Apr 16

    Post-Bellum and Pre-Harlem: A Conversation About Charles W. Chesnutt

    Chris talks to Tess Chakkalakal about her new literary biography, A Matter of Complexion: The Life and Fictions of Charles W. Chesnutt. Tess explains why Chesnutt is such an important figure in American literary history, how his short stories and novels made the case for a color-blind society, and why he should be more widely read today. Show notes: Tess’s book, A Matter of ComplexionChesnutt’s short stories: The Conjure Woman and Other Conjure Tales and “The Wife of His Youth”Chesnutt’s novels: The House Behind the Cedars and The Marrow of TraditionChesnutt’s speech, “Race Prejudice; Its Causes and Its Cure” Time stamps: 2:22 – Chesnutt’s early life and education 15:16 – The Conjure Woman 25:09 – The House Behind the Cedars 44:28 – The Marrow of Tradition 52:44 – Chesnutt’s views on race and their legacy Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. Produced by Sean Doolan.

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About

In The Back of the Book, host Christopher J. Scalia interviews writers, scholars, and other expert guests about culture and the arts.

Information

  • Creator
    Ricochet
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ricochet
  • Show Website
    The Back of the Book

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