https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-back-of-the-book--6289998The Back of the Book, host Christopher J. Scalia interviews writers, scholars, and other expert guests about culture and the arts.

Listen to The Back of the Book, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.]]>enBooksRicochethttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/ac76014803e78063e3c9db314fbc8fa6.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-back-of-the-book--6289998Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:13:40 +0000RicochetRicochetproduction@ricochet.comIn The Back of the Book, host Christopher J. Scalia interviews writers, scholars, and other expert guests about culture and the arts. Listen to The Back of the Book, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at https://ricochet.com/podcast/....The Back of the Book, host Christopher J. Scalia interviews writers, scholars, and other expert guests about culture and the arts.

Listen to The Back of the Book, along with more than 40 other original podcasts, at Ricochet.com. No paid subscription required.]]>falseepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/american-civic-stories--72689289The 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 Fables
• Andy's novel, Community Day, on Substack and Amazon
• Matt's other work
• Andy's other work

Time 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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72689289Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:54:09 +0000RicochetIn 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,...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 Fables
• Andy's novel, Community Day, on Substack and Amazon
• Matt's other work
• Andy's other work

Time 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.]]>3650falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-creative-catholic-converts-of-20th-century-britain--72488346Converts: 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, Converts
• Melanie’s column at The Standard
• David Jones, “Vexilla Regis”
• Chris on Evelyn Waugh and Muriel Spark

Time 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. ]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72488346Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:57:58 +0000RicochetChris 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...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, Converts
• Melanie’s column at The Standard
• David Jones, “Vexilla Regis”
• Chris on Evelyn Waugh and Muriel Spark

Time 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. ]]>3799falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/shakespeare-s-lessons-for-the-learned--72210420Shakespeare'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 Scholars
• UC Santa Cruz’s Shakespeare Workshop
• Santa 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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72210420Thu, 28 May 2026 17:40:02 +0000RicochetSean 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...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 Scholars
• UC Santa Cruz’s Shakespeare Workshop
• Santa 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.]]>3685falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/education-for-freedom-with-zena-hitz--72020409
Show notes: 

• Zena’s books, A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life and Lost in Thought
• Learn more about St. John's College and the Catherine Project
• Watch previous editions of AEI’s American Dream Lecture Series

Time 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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72020409Fri, 15 May 2026 13:57:28 +0000RicochetIn 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...
Show notes: 

• Zena’s books, A Philosopher Looks at the Religious Life and Lost in Thought
• Learn more about St. John's College and the Catherine Project
• Watch previous editions of AEI’s American Dream Lecture Series

Time 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.]]>4278falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-family-affair--71792667The 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 Yorker
• Chris’s review of The Complex in the Washington Examiner
• Karan’s previous novels, The Association of Small Bombs and Family Planning

Time 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.
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71792667Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:02:25 +0000RicochetNovelist 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...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 Yorker
• Chris’s review of The Complex in the Washington Examiner
• Karan’s previous novels, The Association of Small Bombs and Family Planning

Time 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.
]]>3362falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/post-bellum-and-pre-harlem-a-conversation-about-charles-w-chesnutt--71378840A 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 Complexion
• Chesnutt’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 Tradition
• Chesnutt’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.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71378840Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:37:17 +0000RicochetChris 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...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 Complexion
• Chesnutt’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 Tradition
• Chesnutt’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.]]>3924falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/from-the-archive-my-brother-the-priest--71068196

• Father Scalia’s books: That Nothing May be Lost; Sermons in Times of Crisis (editor)
• Father Scalia at The Catholic Thing
• Father Scalia’s homilies (audio)
• The New York Times: “Roman Catholic Churches See a Surge of New Converts”

Time stamps:
 
2:53 – Holy Week & Easter
24:20 – Fr. Scalia's vocation and the meaning of the priesthood
41:08 – The Catholic literary tradition
48:42 – The state of the Church and hope for its future

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/71068196Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:19:29 +0000RicochetIn this re-pea—er, very special encore presentation, Chris’s brother, Father Paul Scalia, joins the show to discuss the significance of Holy Week and how Catholics in particular celebrate this most important (and for priests, most exhausting) week in...

• Father Scalia’s books: That Nothing May be Lost; Sermons in Times of Crisis (editor)
• Father Scalia at The Catholic Thing
• Father Scalia’s homilies (audio)
• The New York Times: “Roman Catholic Churches See a Surge of New Converts”

Time stamps:
 
2:53 – Holy Week & Easter
24:20 – Fr. Scalia's vocation and the meaning of the priesthood
41:08 – The Catholic literary tradition
48:42 – The state of the Church and hope for its future

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3721falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/good-migrations--70758345A Better Life. They touch on the novel’s relation to Lionel’s broader thematic interests, the challenges of navigating political controversy in literature, and the worrying decline of literacy and readership.

 Show notes: 

• Lionel's new novel, A Better Life
• Lionel on cultural appropriation
• Lionel on American Dirt

Time stamps:
 
3:15 – A Better Life
17:29 – Gen Z and the population apocalypse
26:08 – Political controversy, literary representation, and the “vibe shift”
40:41 – The decline of reading & the case for literature

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70758345Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:16:07 +0000RicochetWriter Lionel Shriver joins Chris to discuss her provocative new novel, A Better Life. They touch on the novel’s relation to Lionel’s broader thematic interests, the challenges of navigating political controversy in literature, and the worrying...A Better Life. They touch on the novel’s relation to Lionel’s broader thematic interests, the challenges of navigating political controversy in literature, and the worrying decline of literacy and readership.

 Show notes: 

• Lionel's new novel, A Better Life
• Lionel on cultural appropriation
• Lionel on American Dirt

Time stamps:
 
3:15 – A Better Life
17:29 – Gen Z and the population apocalypse
26:08 – Political controversy, literary representation, and the “vibe shift”
40:41 – The decline of reading & the case for literature

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3257falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/stories-in-stanzas--70488192
 Show notes:

• Sunil's new anthology, The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse
• Andy Ferguson on John McCain and Robert Service's “The Cremation of Sam McGee"
• Sunil's poem “The Omission” (New Verse Review)
• Chris's poem “Singing Along to Billy Joel at My Roommate’s First Wedding” (New Verse Review) 

Time stamps:
5:00 – Why narrative poetry?
17:09 – The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse
36:05 – Memorable narrative poems
57:06 – Poems by Sunil and Chris

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70488192Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:33:53 +0000RicochetSunil Iyengar, editor of an outstanding new poetry anthology, joins the podcast to discuss all things narrative verse: its origins, its virtues, and its place in contemporary poetry. He and Chris also take turns reading some memorable narrative poems,...
 Show notes:

• Sunil's new anthology, The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse
• Andy Ferguson on John McCain and Robert Service's “The Cremation of Sam McGee"
• Sunil's poem “The Omission” (New Verse Review)
• Chris's poem “Singing Along to Billy Joel at My Roommate’s First Wedding” (New Verse Review) 

Time stamps:
5:00 – Why narrative poetry?
17:09 – The Colosseum Book of Contemporary Narrative Verse
36:05 – Memorable narrative poems
57:06 – Poems by Sunil and Chris

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3727falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/brooke-s-books--70187274Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading. She and Chris also discuss Brooke’s idiosyncratic career path (including her time writing for Divorce Court), the emergence of a post-literate culture, and the future of criticism.

Show notes:

• Brooke’s new collection, Good Bones
• Brooke’s New Yorker essay on Bennington's Prison Education Initiative
• Brooke’s essays for The New Criterion
• Adam Kirsch on the decline of book reviews
• David Brent (Ricky Gervais) analyzes the poetry of Sir John Betjeman

Time stamps:
1:58 – Good bones: Updike, Betjeman, Nash, and Hunt
26:02 – The art of the literary biography
32:20 – Brooke’s career
40:23 – “Post-literacy” & the future of criticism

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/70187274Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:17:42 +0000RicochetLiterary critic Brooke Allen drops by to talk about her new essay collection, Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading. She and Chris also discuss Brooke’s idiosyncratic career path (including her time writing for Divorce Court), the...Good Bones: Glorious Relics from the Age of Reading. She and Chris also discuss Brooke’s idiosyncratic career path (including her time writing for Divorce Court), the emergence of a post-literate culture, and the future of criticism.

Show notes:

• Brooke’s new collection, Good Bones
• Brooke’s New Yorker essay on Bennington's Prison Education Initiative
• Brooke’s essays for The New Criterion
• Adam Kirsch on the decline of book reviews
• David Brent (Ricky Gervais) analyzes the poetry of Sir John Betjeman

Time stamps:
1:58 – Good bones: Updike, Betjeman, Nash, and Hunt
26:02 – The art of the literary biography
32:20 – Brooke’s career
40:23 – “Post-literacy” & the future of criticism

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan]]>3536falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/inklings-in-battle--69816395The War for Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945. He and Chris discuss the friendship between Tolkien and Lewis, the impact of both world wars on their literary lives, and how they influenced each other's most celebrated works.

Show notes:

• Joseph's new book, The War for Middle-earth
• The Rivendell Center
• Learn more about J.R.R. Tolkien
• Learn more about C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters

Time stamps:

1:48 – A "beachhead of resistance" against Modernism
19:58 – The Inklings amid the gathering storm
34:52 – World War II, Mere Christianity, and the Lord of the Rings
59:04 – Friendship and the Rivendell Center

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69816395Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:03:26 +0000RicochetJoseph Loconte drops by to talk about his new book, The War for Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945. He and Chris discuss the friendship between Tolkien and Lewis, the impact of both world wars on their...The War for Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933–1945. He and Chris discuss the friendship between Tolkien and Lewis, the impact of both world wars on their literary lives, and how they influenced each other's most celebrated works.

Show notes:

• Joseph's new book, The War for Middle-earth
• The Rivendell Center
• Learn more about J.R.R. Tolkien
• Learn more about C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters

Time stamps:

1:48 – A "beachhead of resistance" against Modernism
19:58 – The Inklings amid the gathering storm
34:52 – World War II, Mere Christianity, and the Lord of the Rings
59:04 – Friendship and the Rivendell Center

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.

]]>3870falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-rhythm-of-the-saints--69551481Seinfeld reference, but this time it’s James who brings it up.

Show notes: ·        
James’s most recent poetry collection, Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds      
The Colosseum Institute       
University of St. Thomas’s MFA program         
“Quarantine Notebook” – Part XI         
Adrienne Rich reads “At a Bach Concert”

Time stamps: 
4:11 – Formalism and narrative poetry
18:17 – Publishers, literary journals, and MFA programs
29:06 – Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds
43:05 – “Quarantine Notebook”

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. 

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69551481Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:14:35 +0000RicochetPoet and critic James Matthew Wilson drops by to share a few poems, discuss his writing process, and consider the re-emergence of form in contemporary poetry. Chris and James also discuss efforts to foster literary excellence in the culture more...Seinfeld reference, but this time it’s James who brings it up.

Show notes: ·        
James’s most recent poetry collection, Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds      
The Colosseum Institute       
University of St. Thomas’s MFA program         
“Quarantine Notebook” – Part XI         
Adrienne Rich reads “At a Bach Concert”

Time stamps: 
4:11 – Formalism and narrative poetry
18:17 – Publishers, literary journals, and MFA programs
29:06 – Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds
43:05 – “Quarantine Notebook”

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. 

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3403falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-holly-jody-christmas--69186329
Show notes:

• Jody's book of Christmas-themed essays and tales, Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh
• Jody's memoir of Christmases of his youth, The Christmas Plains
• Jody's Christmas essays for First Things, The Lamp, Law & Liberty, Public Discourse, and The Wall Street Journal
• Jody's Christmas EP, Grace and Gladness

Time stamps:
1:39 – The literary qualities of Christmas
15:45 – The opulence and "thickness" of Christmastime
25:38 – Jody's literary influences and the tradition of the Christmas story
33:40 – Dickens as "the great unconscious novelist"
43:29 – Jody's Christmas tales and Chesterton's poem "The House of Christmas"

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/69186329Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:02:15 +0000RicochetFor this special Christmas episode, Chris is joined by Joseph Bottum, a distinguished man of letters who has written extensively about the Yuletide season. They discuss the significance of the holiday and the festivities (both old and new) associated...
Show notes:

• Jody's book of Christmas-themed essays and tales, Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh
• Jody's memoir of Christmases of his youth, The Christmas Plains
• Jody's Christmas essays for First Things, The Lamp, Law & Liberty, Public Discourse, and The Wall Street Journal
• Jody's Christmas EP, Grace and Gladness

Time stamps:
1:39 – The literary qualities of Christmas
15:45 – The opulence and "thickness" of Christmastime
25:38 – Jody's literary influences and the tradition of the Christmas story
33:40 – Dickens as "the great unconscious novelist"
43:29 – Jody's Christmas tales and Chesterton's poem "The House of Christmas"

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3204falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/mind-muscle-and-mimesis--68996837Muscle Man, as well as the discontents of academia, Jordan’s literary influences, the place of fiction in contemporary America, and their favorite campus novels.

Show notes: 

• Jordan’s new novel, Muscle Man
• Jordan’s essay on weightlifting for Harper’s
• Jordan’s previous novel, The Novelist
• The Cluny Institute

Time stamps: 
1:52 – Portraying the embodied life
9:58 – Violence and the Gothic
20:18 – Mimesis in academic culture
29:31 – Writing complex characters
41:09 – Are men reading fiction?
48:08 – Genre and influences

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68996837Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:00:07 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Jordan Castro, a novelist, essayist, and the deputy director of the Cluny Institute. They discuss Jordan’s new novel, Muscle Man, as well as the discontents of academia, Jordan’s literary influences, the place of fiction in...Muscle Man, as well as the discontents of academia, Jordan’s literary influences, the place of fiction in contemporary America, and their favorite campus novels.

Show notes: 

• Jordan’s new novel, Muscle Man
• Jordan’s essay on weightlifting for Harper’s
• Jordan’s previous novel, The Novelist
• The Cluny Institute

Time stamps: 
1:52 – Portraying the embodied life
9:58 – Violence and the Gothic
20:18 – Mimesis in academic culture
29:31 – Writing complex characters
41:09 – Are men reading fiction?
48:08 – Genre and influences

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3309falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/solly-s-special-thanksgiving-and-its-jewish-roots--68761042

• For Solly’s writing about Thanksgiving, see here and here.
• Solly’s recent essay for Mosaic, “The Christian-Jewish Alliance and Its Enemies”
• The recent volume to which Solly contributed, Jewish Roots of American Liberty
• George Washington's letters to the Hebrew congregations in Newport and Savannah
• Get Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), here.

Time stamps: 
1:41 – Origins of Thanksgiving and the history of Solly’s congregation
12:22 – The significance of religious liberty for early Jewish Americans
23:33 – Hebraic roots of the American founding
40:05 – Antisemitism on the American left and right
53:12 – Maintaining gratitude in the face of hardship

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68761042Wed, 26 Nov 2025 20:23:53 +0000RicochetFor this special Thanksgiving episode, Chris is joined by Meir Soloveichik, the Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel (the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States) and the director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva...

• For Solly’s writing about Thanksgiving, see here and here.
• Solly’s recent essay for Mosaic, “The Christian-Jewish Alliance and Its Enemies”
• The recent volume to which Solly contributed, Jewish Roots of American Liberty
• George Washington's letters to the Hebrew congregations in Newport and Savannah
• Get Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), here.

Time stamps: 
1:41 – Origins of Thanksgiving and the history of Solly’s congregation
12:22 – The significance of religious liberty for early Jewish Americans
23:33 – Hebraic roots of the American founding
40:05 – Antisemitism on the American left and right
53:12 – Maintaining gratitude in the face of hardship

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3646falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-spark-of-literary-genius--68558615
Show notes:

• Frances’s book, Electric Spark: The Enigma of Dame Muriel
• Chris’s review of Electric Spark for the Washington Examiner
• Some of Chris’s other essays about Spark: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Mandelbaum Gate; (his book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), includes a chapter about another Spark novel).
• Martin Stannard’s authorized biography of Spark
• Spark’s memoir, Curriculum Vitae

Time stamps:

0:34 – Muriel Spark's background and literary style (with a digression about Frances’s and Chris’s favorite Spark novels)
11:00 – Grappling with slippery biographical details
18:07 – Spark's early life and family
28:49 – Doppelgängers and doubling
36:15 – Peculiar day jobs and resulting entanglements

51:05 – Conversion to Catholicism

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.



Produced by Sean Doolan and R. Rubin.






]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68558615Thu, 13 Nov 2025 21:38:24 +0000RicochetThe critic and literary biographer Frances Wilson drops by to discuss her exceptional new book, Electric Spark: The Enigma of Dame Muriel. She and Chris talk about the fascinating life and early career of Muriel Spark, including her development as a...
Show notes:

• Frances’s book, Electric Spark: The Enigma of Dame Muriel
• Chris’s review of Electric Spark for the Washington Examiner
• Some of Chris’s other essays about Spark: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Mandelbaum Gate; (his book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), includes a chapter about another Spark novel).
• Martin Stannard’s authorized biography of Spark
• Spark’s memoir, Curriculum Vitae

Time stamps:

0:34 – Muriel Spark's background and literary style (with a digression about Frances’s and Chris’s favorite Spark novels)
11:00 – Grappling with slippery biographical details
18:07 – Spark's early life and family
28:49 – Doppelgängers and doubling
36:15 – Peculiar day jobs and resulting entanglements

51:05 – Conversion to Catholicism

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.



Produced by Sean Doolan and R. Rubin.






]]>3773falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/who-was-oskar-stoessel--68354035The Etcher: The Life and Art of Oskar Stoessel. They discuss Stoessel’s life and work, how he managed to etch portraits of FDR and eight Supreme Court justices, and what compelled Bryan to write about him. They also talk about Bryan’s recent defense of originalism against a strange new critique, his career as a grammarian, and the origins of his collaboration with Justice Scalia. Show notes: 

• Bryan’s new book, The Etcher: The Life and Art of Oskar Stoessel
• Bryan’s two recent columns for National Review, on Jill Lepore and H.W. Fowler
• Bryan’s coauthored books with Justice Scalia, Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts and Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges

 Time stamps: 
1:50 –⁠ “Who was Oskar Stoessel?”
6:08 –⁠ Oskar’s early career and the nature of etching
15:19 –⁠ Oskar’s remarkable time in the United States
28:20 –⁠ Oskar’s return to Austria, later life, and legacy
37:42 –⁠ Defending originalism from a new critique
44:20 –⁠ Becoming a grammarian]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68354035Thu, 30 Oct 2025 20:06:25 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Bryan A. Garner: grammarian, lexicographer, and author of The Etcher: The Life and Art of Oskar Stoessel. They discuss Stoessel’s life and work, how he managed to etch portraits of FDR and eight Supreme Court justices, and what...The Etcher: The Life and Art of Oskar Stoessel. They discuss Stoessel’s life and work, how he managed to etch portraits of FDR and eight Supreme Court justices, and what compelled Bryan to write about him. They also talk about Bryan’s recent defense of originalism against a strange new critique, his career as a grammarian, and the origins of his collaboration with Justice Scalia. Show notes: 

• Bryan’s new book, The Etcher: The Life and Art of Oskar Stoessel
• Bryan’s two recent columns for National Review, on Jill Lepore and H.W. Fowler
• Bryan’s coauthored books with Justice Scalia, Reading Law: The Interpretation of Legal Texts and Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges

 Time stamps: 
1:50 –⁠ “Who was Oskar Stoessel?”
6:08 –⁠ Oskar’s early career and the nature of etching
15:19 –⁠ Oskar’s remarkable time in the United States
28:20 –⁠ Oskar’s return to Austria, later life, and legacy
37:42 –⁠ Defending originalism from a new critique
44:20 –⁠ Becoming a grammarian]]>3402falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/welcome-to-the-machine-the-story-of-the-1975-cincinnati-reds-the-greatest-world-series-ever-played--68170533 
Show notes:
 
·       Joe’s 2009 book, The Machine: A Hot Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-stopping World Series: The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds
·       Joe’s website
·       Joe and Michael Schur’s forthcoming book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 81,589 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love
 
Time stamps:
 
2:05 – Origins of the “Big Red Machine”
16:57 – The Reds’ 1975 season
29:41 – The 1975 World Series
42:10 – The Machine’s impact and legacy
52:08 – Joe’s career and the future of sports writing
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/68170533Thu, 16 Oct 2025 22:14:39 +0000RicochetChris is joined by prolific sportswriter Joe Posnanski to discuss his 2009 book, The Machine: A Hot Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-Stopping World Series: The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Reds’... 
Show notes:
 
·       Joe’s 2009 book, The Machine: A Hot Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-stopping World Series: The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds
·       Joe’s website
·       Joe and Michael Schur’s forthcoming book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 81,589 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love
 
Time stamps:
 
2:05 – Origins of the “Big Red Machine”
16:57 – The Reds’ 1975 season
29:41 – The 1975 World Series
42:10 – The Machine’s impact and legacy
52:08 – Joe’s career and the future of sports writing
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3888falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/panic-on-the-podcast--67989044Pan. They discuss some of the themes and ideas underlying Pan, as well as Michael’s vision of literary scholarship and its place in the modern university. 

Show notes: 

• Michael’s new novel, Pan
• Michael’s previous book, A Defense of Judgement
• “We Asked for It,” Michael’s 2024 essay in The Chronicle of Higher Education
• AEI’s recent event, “Literature in Limbo,” for which Michael served as a panelist

 Time stamps: 


1:12 Pan’s origin and its relation to Michael’s criticism
7:12 The challenges of portraying mental illness in literature
13:51 Ritual and cultural artifacts in the novel
27:33 Technology, shared experience, and the 90s
40:22 Understanding experience through narrative
50:30 The study of literature in higher education 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. 

Produced by Sean Doolan and S. Lillywhite.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67989044Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:00:14 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Michael Clune, a professor at the Ohio State University’s Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society, and the author of the excellent new novel, Pan. They discuss some of the themes and ideas underlying Pan, as well as...Pan. They discuss some of the themes and ideas underlying Pan, as well as Michael’s vision of literary scholarship and its place in the modern university. 

Show notes: 

• Michael’s new novel, Pan
• Michael’s previous book, A Defense of Judgement
• “We Asked for It,” Michael’s 2024 essay in The Chronicle of Higher Education
• AEI’s recent event, “Literature in Limbo,” for which Michael served as a panelist

 Time stamps: 


1:12 Pan’s origin and its relation to Michael’s criticism
7:12 The challenges of portraying mental illness in literature
13:51 Ritual and cultural artifacts in the novel
27:33 Technology, shared experience, and the 90s
40:22 Understanding experience through narrative
50:30 The study of literature in higher education 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist. 

Produced by Sean Doolan and S. Lillywhite.]]>3751falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/pre-mendous--67816017 
Show notes:
·         Brendan’s new book, The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine
·         The 1972 Olympic 5000m final
·         Without Limits, the 1998 Prefontaine biopic
 
Time stamps:
1:33     Early life in Coos Bay, Oregon
10:35   Entrée into running and rise to stardom
20:57   Pre’s character, on and off the track
30:43   College career and “Pre’s people”
35:30   1972 Olympics
43:20   Post-Olympic comeback and fight against the AAU
50:09   Death and legacy
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan and S. Lillywhite.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67816017Fri, 19 Sep 2025 02:26:05 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Brendan O’Meara, the founder and host of the Creative Nonfiction Podcast and author of a great new biography, The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine. They discuss the life of American distance running legend Steve... 
Show notes:
·         Brendan’s new book, The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine
·         The 1972 Olympic 5000m final
·         Without Limits, the 1998 Prefontaine biopic
 
Time stamps:
1:33     Early life in Coos Bay, Oregon
10:35   Entrée into running and rise to stardom
20:57   Pre’s character, on and off the track
30:43   College career and “Pre’s people”
35:30   1972 Olympics
43:20   Post-Olympic comeback and fight against the AAU
50:09   Death and legacy
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan and S. Lillywhite.]]>3734falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/creative-catholics-literature-theology-in-the-20th-century--67635155A Theology of Fiction (Wiseblood Books, 2025). They discuss the life and thought of Sr. Mariella Gable, a Benedictine nun who had an under-appreciated influence on Catholic literary fiction during the 20th century. They also talk about the relationship between theology and literature, the work of Betty Wahl and J.F. Powers, and more. Show notes:

• • Cassandra’s new book, A Theology of Fiction, and the 2022 First Things essay on which it is based
  • Sr. Mariella Gable’s anthologies of Catholic fiction
  • J.F. Powers’s collected short stories
  • The Lumen Center’s website
  • Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read) 

Time stamps:
2:56     Sr. Mariella Gable’s conception of Catholic fiction
23:20   Sr. Mariella’s controversies and influence
29:31   A theology of comedy
35:15   Betty Wahl and J.F. Powers
45:20   Reading as a spiritual practice and the moral dimension of fiction
56:55   Cassandra’s recommendations
 
This episode is brought to you by Root & Branch, the only bed linens designed especially for guest rooms.
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan and Otis Wilbury.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67635155Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:31:11 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Cassandra Nelson, an affiliate fellow in literature at the Lumen Center in Madison, Wisconsin, an associate fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and the author of A Theology of Fiction...A Theology of Fiction (Wiseblood Books, 2025). They discuss the life and thought of Sr. Mariella Gable, a Benedictine nun who had an under-appreciated influence on Catholic literary fiction during the 20th century. They also talk about the relationship between theology and literature, the work of Betty Wahl and J.F. Powers, and more. Show notes:

• • Cassandra’s new book, A Theology of Fiction, and the 2022 First Things essay on which it is based
  • Sr. Mariella Gable’s anthologies of Catholic fiction
  • J.F. Powers’s collected short stories
  • The Lumen Center’s website
  • Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read) 

Time stamps:
2:56     Sr. Mariella Gable’s conception of Catholic fiction
23:20   Sr. Mariella’s controversies and influence
29:31   A theology of comedy
35:15   Betty Wahl and J.F. Powers
45:20   Reading as a spiritual practice and the moral dimension of fiction
56:55   Cassandra’s recommendations
 
This episode is brought to you by Root & Branch, the only bed linens designed especially for guest rooms.
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan and Otis Wilbury.]]>3571falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/summertime-blues-2020-in-hindsight--67470498 
Show notes:

• Thomas’s new book, Summer of Our Discontent
• The Harper’s Letter
• Thomas’s previous book, Self-Portrait in Black and White
• Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)

 
Time stamps:
2:36     Reflecting on the summer of 2020
6:13     The promises and shortcomings of the Obama era
14:32   The “Great Awokening” and the rise of Trump
21:07   Cancel culture and the cult of anti-racism
36:35   The Harper’s Letter and the fight for free expression
42:47   Post-racialism and cultural heritage
50:22   From January 6 to October 7
56:09   Charting a path forward
 
This episode is brought to you by the Rockford Agency. Our trained investigators have specialized in CLOSED CASES since 1968. $200/day + expenses. Call (311) 555-2368 and leave a message.
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67470498Thu, 21 Aug 2025 19:25:06 +0000RicochetChris is joined by his AEI colleague Thomas Chatterton Williams, whose latest book Summer of Our Discontent: The Age of Certainty and the Demise of Discourse was published earlier this month. The two discuss Thomas’s analysis of the events and ideas... 
Show notes:

• Thomas’s new book, Summer of Our Discontent
• The Harper’s Letter
• Thomas’s previous book, Self-Portrait in Black and White
• Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)

 
Time stamps:
2:36     Reflecting on the summer of 2020
6:13     The promises and shortcomings of the Obama era
14:32   The “Great Awokening” and the rise of Trump
21:07   Cancel culture and the cult of anti-racism
36:35   The Harper’s Letter and the fight for free expression
42:47   Post-racialism and cultural heritage
50:22   From January 6 to October 7
56:09   Charting a path forward
 
This episode is brought to you by the Rockford Agency. Our trained investigators have specialized in CLOSED CASES since 1968. $200/day + expenses. Call (311) 555-2368 and leave a message.
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.
 
Produced by Sean Doolan.]]>3660falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/joining-the-frey-the-battle-for-the-liberal-arts--67285851
 
·         Jennifer’s X thread announcing her departure as Dean
·         Jennifer’s New York Times essay recounting her experience
·         Lee Trepanier’s response to Jennifer’s essay
·         Stanley Fish’s essay in The Lamp, and Jennifer’s response to it
 

Time stamps:
1:12           Jennifer’s introduction and professional background
4:52           Jennifer’s success with the University of Tulsa’s Honors College
20:11         Why TU’s administration killed the Honors College
25:24         Structural shortcomings of university governance
35:29         Liberal education and the datafication of the university
43:07         Higher education as the pursuit of wisdom

 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67285851Thu, 07 Aug 2025 15:45:18 +0000RicochetChris is joined by Jennifer Frey, professor of philosophy in the department of philosophy & religion at The University of Tulsa, and former Dean of the Honors College at TU. They discuss the university’s recent decision to eliminate her position...
 
·         Jennifer’s X thread announcing her departure as Dean
·         Jennifer’s New York Times essay recounting her experience
·         Lee Trepanier’s response to Jennifer’s essay
·         Stanley Fish’s essay in The Lamp, and Jennifer’s response to it
 

Time stamps:
1:12           Jennifer’s introduction and professional background
4:52           Jennifer’s success with the University of Tulsa’s Honors College
20:11         Why TU’s administration killed the Honors College
25:24         Structural shortcomings of university governance
35:29         Liberal education and the datafication of the university
43:07         Higher education as the pursuit of wisdom

 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-macho-mensches-of-manhattan--67058847 
Find out more about Ronnie’s new book, Write Like a Man: Jewish Masculinity and the New York Intellectuals, here.
 
This episode is brought to you by 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)
]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/67058847Mon, 21 Jul 2025 18:38:54 +0000RicochetChris talks to Ronnie A. Grinberg, associate professor of history at the University of Oklahoma, about the anti-communist Jewish intellectuals who helped shape post-war American culture and politics. How did this remarkable group of writers—which... 
Find out more about Ronnie’s new book, Write Like a Man: Jewish Masculinity and the New York Intellectuals, here.
 
This episode is brought to you by 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)
]]>3612falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/not-just-a-juggalo--66761151 
Show Notes:
·         Ross’s website: https://www.rossbenes.com/
·         Ross on X: https://x.com/rossbenes?lang=en
·         Chris’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Novels-Conservatives-Will-Probably-Havent/dp/1510782397]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66761151Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:04:49 +0000RicochetRoss Benes, author of 1999: The Year Low Culture Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times, joins Chris to explain how professional wrestling, video games, a face-painted hip-hop duo, and other low culture from 26 years ago can help us... 
Show Notes:
·         Ross’s website: https://www.rossbenes.com/
·         Ross on X: https://x.com/rossbenes?lang=en
·         Chris’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Novels-Conservatives-Will-Probably-Havent/dp/1510782397]]>3321falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/conservatives-and-culture-with-dana-gioia--66476391
Show Notes:
·          Video of the event
·          Dana Gioia’s website
·          Chris’s review of Dana’s poetry collection, Meet Me at the Lighthouse
·          Oh, and Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66476391Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:52:52 +0000RicochetIn this special episode, the poet and critic Dana Gioia delivers a talk titled “Conservatives and Culture: A Failure of Imagination.” Recorded as a part of AEI’s American Dream Lecture Series, Gioia’s talk is an important assessment of why the right...
Show Notes:
·          Video of the event
·          Dana Gioia’s website
·          Chris’s review of Dana’s poetry collection, Meet Me at the Lighthouse
·          Oh, and Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>4552falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/book-launch-13-novels-conservatives-will-love-but-probably-haven-t-read--66179429 
Show Notes:
Chris in The Dispatch: “Why Conservatives—and Everyone Else—Should Read Novels”
Chris in The Washington Examiner: “Zora Neale Hurston and the Fate of the Black Conservative”
The Ricochet boys talk to Chris about the book: “A Novel Approach”
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/66179429Wed, 21 May 2025 04:49:02 +0000RicochetChris introduces his brand-new book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read). Why should conservatives—or anyone—bother reading fiction? How did Chris select the novels to write about? And which ones did he choose, anyway? The... 
Show Notes:
Chris in The Dispatch: “Why Conservatives—and Everyone Else—Should Read Novels”
Chris in The Washington Examiner: “Zora Neale Hurston and the Fate of the Black Conservative”
The Ricochet boys talk to Chris about the book: “A Novel Approach”
 
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3373falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/these-are-the-days-of-miracle-and-wonder--65828320 talks to Chris about his latest book, Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age. Rod explains why we’ve lost the ability to see the transcendent around us and how we can rediscover enchantment. What do UFO’s, demons, and beauty have to do with this? Listen and find out!Show Notes:

• Rod’s new book: Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age
• Rod’s Substack, Rod Dreher’s Diary
• Documentary version of Live Not By Lies on Angel.com
• Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), available to order now!
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Hymn before Sun-rise, in the Vale of Chamouni”; Percy Shelley, “Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni”

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65828320Thu, 01 May 2025 16:51:18 +0000RicochetBest-selling author Rod Dreher talks to Chris about his latest book, Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age. Rod explains why we’ve lost the ability to see the transcendent around us and how we can rediscover enchantment. What... talks to Chris about his latest book, Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age. Rod explains why we’ve lost the ability to see the transcendent around us and how we can rediscover enchantment. What do UFO’s, demons, and beauty have to do with this? Listen and find out!Show Notes:

• Rod’s new book: Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age
• Rod’s Substack, Rod Dreher’s Diary
• Documentary version of Live Not By Lies on Angel.com
• Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), available to order now!
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Hymn before Sun-rise, in the Vale of Chamouni”; Percy Shelley, “Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamouni”

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3929falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/my-brother-the-priest--65620355
Show Notes:
· Father Scalia’s books: That Nothing May be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion; Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul (editor)
· Father Scalia at The Catholic Thing
· Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), available to order now!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65620355Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:58:20 +0000RicochetChris’s brother, Father Paul Scalia, joins the show to discuss the significance of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter, and how Catholics in particular celebrate this most important (and for priests, most exhausting) week in the liturgical...
Show Notes:
· Father Scalia’s books: That Nothing May be Lost: Reflections on Catholic Doctrine and Devotion; Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul (editor)
· Father Scalia at The Catholic Thing
· Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), available to order now!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3708false114fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-politics-of-public-art-and-a-plan-for-cultural-renewal--65340108
Show Notes:
· Fisher’s Substack, Dux Culturae
· Fisher’s non-profit, The Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation
· The art of Jacob Collins and the Grand Central Atelier
· Oh, and Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), is available to pre-order on Amazon!

This episode is brought to you by BizniCorps: navigating enterprise solutions for greater value-add! Special thanks to AEI’s Maggie Obriwin for making the last ten minutes sound less like a lo-fi indie record from the early 2000s. 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65340108Thu, 03 Apr 2025 20:18:03 +0000RicochetChris talks to Fisher Derderian, founder and executive director of the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation, about how politics and patronage shape American art. How did the CIA use abstract expressionism as a cultural weapon during the Cold War? How have...
Show Notes:
· Fisher’s Substack, Dux Culturae
· Fisher’s non-profit, The Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation
· The art of Jacob Collins and the Grand Central Atelier
· Oh, and Chris’s book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read), is available to pre-order on Amazon!

This episode is brought to you by BizniCorps: navigating enterprise solutions for greater value-add! Special thanks to AEI’s Maggie Obriwin for making the last ten minutes sound less like a lo-fi indie record from the early 2000s. 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3791false113fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/presidents-and-the-power-of-popular-culture--64860154The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry (Regnery History, 2024) and What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House (Regnery History, 2013). Tevi explains how different titans of the entertainment industry—the Warner brothers, Lew Wasserman, and Oprah Winfrey—developed and used relationships with such presidents as FDR, Reagan, and Obama. He also considers the different ways Joe Biden and Donald Trump have engaged with popular culture to develop their images and connect with voters. Plus, how did Tevi go from earning a PhD in American Civilization to working in the White House to becoming a presidential historian?

Show Notes:

• Tevi’s newest book, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry
• More from Tevi about presidents and pop culture (C-SPAN)
• Follow Tevi on TwitterX: @TeviTroy
• ICYMI: Chris’s conversation with Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant
• Chris’s upcoming book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)

This episode is brought to you by Root & Branch Sheets: the only bedsheets designed specifically for unwanted guests! 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64860154Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:01:06 +0000RicochetTevi Troy, a senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, talks to Chris about his books The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry (Regnery History, 2024) and What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, Obama...The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry (Regnery History, 2024) and What Jefferson Read, Ike Watched, Obama Tweeted: 200 Years of Popular Culture in the White House (Regnery History, 2013). Tevi explains how different titans of the entertainment industry—the Warner brothers, Lew Wasserman, and Oprah Winfrey—developed and used relationships with such presidents as FDR, Reagan, and Obama. He also considers the different ways Joe Biden and Donald Trump have engaged with popular culture to develop their images and connect with voters. Plus, how did Tevi go from earning a PhD in American Civilization to working in the White House to becoming a presidential historian?

Show Notes:

• Tevi’s newest book, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry
• More from Tevi about presidents and pop culture (C-SPAN)
• Follow Tevi on TwitterX: @TeviTroy
• ICYMI: Chris’s conversation with Jonah Goldberg on The Remnant
• Chris’s upcoming book, 13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven’t Read)

This episode is brought to you by Root & Branch Sheets: the only bedsheets designed specifically for unwanted guests! 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>2851false112fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/who-killed-beauty-the-demise-of-art-deco-and-the-rise-of-ugly-buildings--64525048The Brutalist, and why beauty matters in even the bleakest times. 

Show Notes:
· Megan’s Substack, Fashionably Late Takes—don’t miss “‘America Was Supposed to be Art Deco’: When America abandoned beauty.”
· Tom Wolfe, “The Building That Isn’t There” Part 1 & Part 2 (New York Times)
· Follow Megan on TwitterX: @megan_gafford This episode is brought to you by the Gaza Largo Club—the Crown Jewel of Palestine!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64525048Sun, 23 Feb 2025 13:00:53 +0000RicochetMegan Gafford joins Chris to discuss some of her recent writing about the fate of architecture in the 20th century. Art Deco was a beautiful, ornamental style that thrived in the United States in the 1920s and ‘30s. What happened to it—why did...The Brutalist, and why beauty matters in even the bleakest times. 

Show Notes:
· Megan’s Substack, Fashionably Late Takes—don’t miss “‘America Was Supposed to be Art Deco’: When America abandoned beauty.”
· Tom Wolfe, “The Building That Isn’t There” Part 1 & Part 2 (New York Times)
· Follow Megan on TwitterX: @megan_gafford This episode is brought to you by the Gaza Largo Club—the Crown Jewel of Palestine!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>4414false111fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-legion-of-horribles-or-cormac-mccarthy-the-cannibal-owl-and-the-art-of-fiction--64232013Blood Meridian a great American novel? What does Gwyn make of recent revelations about McCarthy’s personal life? Plus, Gwyn reads from and discusses his compelling new novella, The Cannibal Owl. What is the history, and what are the Comanche traditions, behind the work? Gwyn, who teaches creative writing and contemporary literature at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, also discusses how students have changed over the past twenty years, the most important advice he gives young writers, and his favorite Van Halen album. 

This episode is brought to you by the Gaza Largo Club—the Crown Jewel of Palestine!

Show Notes:
· “What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years?” (New York Times)
· Aaron Gwyn’s course lectures on McCarthy’s Blood Meridian
· Harold Bloom talks to Brian Lamb about Blood Meridian (C-SPAN)
· B.R. Myers on Cormac McCarthy’s “andelopes”
· “Cormac McCarthy’s Secret Muse Breaks Her Silence After Half a Century: ‘I Loved Him. He Was My Safety.’” (Vanity Fair)
· Aaron Gwyn’s novella, The Cannibal Owl (Belle Point Press)
· Method & Madness Podcast with Aaron Gwyn and Brad Kelly
· Follow Aaron on TwitterX: @AmericanGwyn

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64232013Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:45:06 +0000RicochetNovelist Aaron Gwyn joins the show to discuss the fiction of Cormac McCarthy. Why is McCarthy’s Blood Meridian a great American novel? What does Gwyn make of recent revelations about McCarthy’s personal life? Plus, Gwyn reads from and discusses his...Blood Meridian a great American novel? What does Gwyn make of recent revelations about McCarthy’s personal life? Plus, Gwyn reads from and discusses his compelling new novella, The Cannibal Owl. What is the history, and what are the Comanche traditions, behind the work? Gwyn, who teaches creative writing and contemporary literature at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, also discusses how students have changed over the past twenty years, the most important advice he gives young writers, and his favorite Van Halen album. 

This episode is brought to you by the Gaza Largo Club—the Crown Jewel of Palestine!

Show Notes:
· “What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years?” (New York Times)
· Aaron Gwyn’s course lectures on McCarthy’s Blood Meridian
· Harold Bloom talks to Brian Lamb about Blood Meridian (C-SPAN)
· B.R. Myers on Cormac McCarthy’s “andelopes”
· “Cormac McCarthy’s Secret Muse Breaks Her Silence After Half a Century: ‘I Loved Him. He Was My Safety.’” (Vanity Fair)
· Aaron Gwyn’s novella, The Cannibal Owl (Belle Point Press)
· Method & Madness Podcast with Aaron Gwyn and Brad Kelly
· Follow Aaron on TwitterX: @AmericanGwyn

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3530false110fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-arts-in-america-with-daniel-asia--63880700Daniel Asia, a composer, author, and president of The Center for American Culture & Ideas, joins Chris to discuss his musical career (including his new opera), advise newbies on where they can start enjoying classical music (his answer will surprise you), and consider the place of high art in the United States. Is there a tension between democracy and excellence? Is there anything the new administration should do to boost our engagement with opera, classical, music, and the performing arts? From Tocqueville to Herman’s Hermits, Mozart to the space aliens, this episode has it all. 

Show Notes:

• Daniel Asia’s compositions on Spotify and Amazon. His upcoming opera (in English!) is The Tin Angel Opera.

• Special thanks to our sponsor, Hennigan’s Scotch Whisky. 

• Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63880700Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:40:39 +0000Ricochethttps://danielasia.net/, a composer, author, and president of https://thecaci.org/, joins Chris to discuss his musical career (including his new opera), advise newbies on where they can start enjoying classical music (his answer will surprise you),...Daniel Asia, a composer, author, and president of The Center for American Culture & Ideas, joins Chris to discuss his musical career (including his new opera), advise newbies on where they can start enjoying classical music (his answer will surprise you), and consider the place of high art in the United States. Is there a tension between democracy and excellence? Is there anything the new administration should do to boost our engagement with opera, classical, music, and the performing arts? From Tocqueville to Herman’s Hermits, Mozart to the space aliens, this episode has it all. 

Show Notes:

• Daniel Asia’s compositions on Spotify and Amazon. His upcoming opera (in English!) is The Tin Angel Opera.

• Special thanks to our sponsor, Hennigan’s Scotch Whisky. 

• Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.

]]>3592false19fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/classical-english-the-socratic-method-and-stoicism-a-conversation-with-ward-farnsworth--63419657
Ward Farnsworth is professor and W. Page Keeton Chair at the University of Texas Law School. He’s the author the Farnsworth Classical English series, which comprises Farnsworth’s Classical Rhetoric, Classical English Metaphor, Classical English Style, and most recently, Classical English Argument. He is also the author of The Socratic Method and The Practicing Stoic.

Show Notes: 
Ward’s author page on Amazon. 
Chris’s review of Ward’s most recent book, Classical English Argument. 
Special thanks to our sponsor, Eckleburg Optometry: from West Egg to West Hollywood, the giant eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg keep their vigil.  

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63419657Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:31:38 +0000RicochetAuthor Ward Farnsworth joins Chris to discuss his Classical English series, as well as his books on Stoicism and the Socratic Method. What—and how—can we learn from the style, rhetoric, and argument of great writers from the long 19th century? How are...
Ward Farnsworth is professor and W. Page Keeton Chair at the University of Texas Law School. He’s the author the Farnsworth Classical English series, which comprises Farnsworth’s Classical Rhetoric, Classical English Metaphor, Classical English Style, and most recently, Classical English Argument. He is also the author of The Socratic Method and The Practicing Stoic.

Show Notes: 
Ward’s author page on Amazon. 
Chris’s review of Ward’s most recent book, Classical English Argument. 
Special thanks to our sponsor, Eckleburg Optometry: from West Egg to West Hollywood, the giant eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg keep their vigil.  

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3637false18fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-poetry-and-fiction-of-sally-thomas--63110399
Sally is the author of The Blackbird and Other Stories (Wiseblood, 2024) and the forthcoming poetry collection Among the Living (Able Muse Press, TBA). She also co-edits the Poems Ancient and Modern Substack and co-edited Christian Poetry in America Since 1940 (Paraclete Press, 2022). 

Show Notes
Here are the poems Sally read during the conversation:

• “Aubade with Grackle”
• “Remembrance”
• “Empty Nest Ghazal”

And here’s one of the stories she discussed with Chris: “A Fire in the Hills.” 

Special thanks to our sponsor, Bleezer’s Ice Cream.

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63110399Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:54:51 +0000RicochetChris’s guest is the poet and fiction writer Sally Thomas, who shares a few of her poems and discusses some of her stories. Sally and Chris also talk about her development as a writer, why she enjoys writing formal poetry, and what she does when her...
Sally is the author of The Blackbird and Other Stories (Wiseblood, 2024) and the forthcoming poetry collection Among the Living (Able Muse Press, TBA). She also co-edits the Poems Ancient and Modern Substack and co-edited Christian Poetry in America Since 1940 (Paraclete Press, 2022). 

Show Notes
Here are the poems Sally read during the conversation:

• “Aubade with Grackle”
• “Remembrance”
• “Empty Nest Ghazal”

And here’s one of the stories she discussed with Chris: “A Fire in the Hills.” 

Special thanks to our sponsor, Bleezer’s Ice Cream.

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3551false17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/ross-douthat-on-fantasy-literature-and-the-falcon-s-children--62759199New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Chris to discuss his serialized fantasy novel, The Falcon’s Children. What inspired one of America’s most important political observers to write a work of fantasy, and to serialize it on Substack? What are his hopes for the project? And why is fantasy such a compelling literary genre?

Show Notes
Ross’s novel, The Falcon’s Children 
Ross on Game of Thrones and J.R.R. Tolkien 
Ross’s fantasy bookshelf 
Patricia Snow on Hilary Mantel

Correction: Bret Easton Ellis did not publish his most recent novel (The Shards) on Substack; it was first serialized as an audiobook. Chris was thinking of Chuck Palahnuik’s latest novel, Shock Induction, which is based on a work he published serially on Substack. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Brandybuck’s Tobacco.

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62759199Fri, 15 Nov 2024 20:22:15 +0000RicochetNew York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Chris to discuss his serialized fantasy novel, The Falcon’s Children. What inspired one of America’s most important political observers to write a work of fantasy, and to serialize it on Substack? What are...New York Times columnist Ross Douthat joins Chris to discuss his serialized fantasy novel, The Falcon’s Children. What inspired one of America’s most important political observers to write a work of fantasy, and to serialize it on Substack? What are his hopes for the project? And why is fantasy such a compelling literary genre?

Show Notes
Ross’s novel, The Falcon’s Children 
Ross on Game of Thrones and J.R.R. Tolkien 
Ross’s fantasy bookshelf 
Patricia Snow on Hilary Mantel

Correction: Bret Easton Ellis did not publish his most recent novel (The Shards) on Substack; it was first serialized as an audiobook. Chris was thinking of Chuck Palahnuik’s latest novel, Shock Induction, which is based on a work he published serially on Substack. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Brandybuck’s Tobacco.

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.]]>2970false16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/virtue-ethics-and-athletic-excellence-with-sabrina-b-little--62561814The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners. How can distance running—and sports in general—form us into virtuous people? Conversely, what vices can they shape? What does it mean to live the good life? And what’s so bad about “no pain, no gain,” anyway? Thanks to Pre-Pro Guardians for sponsoring this episode.

· Sabrina’s book, The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners
· That awful Nike ad.
· Chris’s recent essay about how the classical virtue of prudence plays out in a classic novel, Walter Scott’s Redgauntlet. 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62561814Thu, 31 Oct 2024 11:00:02 +0000RicochetChris talks to philosophy professor and competitive trail, road, and ultramarathon runner Sabrina B. Little about virtue ethics, athletics, and her book The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners. How can distance running—and sports in...The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners. How can distance running—and sports in general—form us into virtuous people? Conversely, what vices can they shape? What does it mean to live the good life? And what’s so bad about “no pain, no gain,” anyway? Thanks to Pre-Pro Guardians for sponsoring this episode.

· Sabrina’s book, The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners
· That awful Nike ad.
· Chris’s recent essay about how the classical virtue of prudence plays out in a classic novel, Walter Scott’s Redgauntlet. 

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>3061false15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/keith-o-brien-on-the-life-and-legacy-of-pete-rose--62301218Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball (Pantheon, 2024). Keith interviewed Rose for his remarkable book and has insights about the legend you won’t hear from anyone else. At the top of the episode, Chris shares his memories of Pete Rose, who died on September 30. Then Keith joins to tell us about how Rose, um, rose to fame, what he accomplished on the field, how he descended into the gambling addiction that ruined him. And of course, Keith and Chris discuss that perennial question: does Rose belong in the Hall of Fame? (Chris shared his opinion in the Wall Street Journal.) 

Thanks to this episode’s sponsor: The all-new BrokeBros gambling gaming app, the latest way to make baseball more exciting! With BrokeBros, you’re never far away from making a reckless financial decision!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/62301218Wed, 09 Oct 2024 15:53:46 +0000RicochetChris speaks to Keith O’Brien about the life and legacy of Pete Rose. O’Brien is the author of https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Hustle-Rise-Glory-Baseball-ebook/dp/B0C9GLZYW9 (Pantheon, 2024). Keith interviewed Rose for his remarkable book and has...Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball (Pantheon, 2024). Keith interviewed Rose for his remarkable book and has insights about the legend you won’t hear from anyone else. At the top of the episode, Chris shares his memories of Pete Rose, who died on September 30. Then Keith joins to tell us about how Rose, um, rose to fame, what he accomplished on the field, how he descended into the gambling addiction that ruined him. And of course, Keith and Chris discuss that perennial question: does Rose belong in the Hall of Fame? (Chris shared his opinion in the Wall Street Journal.) 

Thanks to this episode’s sponsor: The all-new BrokeBros gambling gaming app, the latest way to make baseball more exciting! With BrokeBros, you’re never far away from making a reckless financial decision!

Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out,” used with permission from the artist.]]>4270false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/saturday-night-live-at-50-with-scot-bertram-and-christian-schneider--61862385Wasn’t That Special: 50 Years of Saturday Night Live,” a podcast dedicated to the show’s history. 

Show notes:
Saturday Night Live, “More Cowbell”
Chris Farley as Matt Foley (which Chris should have told Scot is a close challenger to “more cowbell.”)
Christian Schneider, “Saturday Night Live Will Tell You the Future” (National Review)
Wasn’t That Special’s interview with former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson 

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.  ]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61862385Tue, 01 Oct 2024 11:00:02 +0000RicochetThe sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is about to embark on its 50th season. How has the show lasted so long? How has it reflected and shaped our culture? Who are its best cast members, what are its funniest sketches, and who or what’s been over-...Wasn’t That Special: 50 Years of Saturday Night Live,” a podcast dedicated to the show’s history. 

Show notes:
Saturday Night Live, “More Cowbell”
Chris Farley as Matt Foley (which Chris should have told Scot is a close challenger to “more cowbell.”)
Christian Schneider, “Saturday Night Live Will Tell You the Future” (National Review)
Wasn’t That Special’s interview with former SNL cast member Victoria Jackson 

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.  ]]>4839false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/fr-damian-ference-on-understanding-the-hillbilly-thomist--61862177Understanding the Hillbilly Thomist: The Philosophical Foundations of Flannery O’Connor’s Narrative Art.

What did the great American novelist and short-story writer mean when she called herself a “hillbilly Thomist”—how did the thirteenth-century Catholic philosopher shape her art?

Father Damian and Chris also discuss a compelling new movie about Flannery O’Connor, as well as a recent letter from Pope Francis about the moral value of reading literature. 

Understanding the Hillbilly Thomist | Fr. Damian Ference | Word on Fire 
Flannery for the Faithful and the Unfamiliar | Chris Scalia | Washington Free Beacon
Capturing a Misfit: A Review of “Wildcat” | Fr. Damian Ference | Word on Fire 
The Presence of Grace and Other Book Reviews by Flannery O'Connor | University of Georgia Press 
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis on the Role of Literature in Formation 
Pope Francis's Apologia for Literature | Chris Scalia | National Review Online

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist. ]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61862177Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:00:02 +0000RicochetFather Damian Ference, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Cleveland, joins Chris to discuss his new book, https://bookstore.wordonfire.org/products/understanding-the-hillbilly-thomist?srsltid=AfmBOoqanHCKchTP_nDFfa2DwMbqJGxJJJ6yYANVySEPotVW6O_vjQi-....Understanding the Hillbilly Thomist: The Philosophical Foundations of Flannery O’Connor’s Narrative Art.

What did the great American novelist and short-story writer mean when she called herself a “hillbilly Thomist”—how did the thirteenth-century Catholic philosopher shape her art?

Father Damian and Chris also discuss a compelling new movie about Flannery O’Connor, as well as a recent letter from Pope Francis about the moral value of reading literature. 

Understanding the Hillbilly Thomist | Fr. Damian Ference | Word on Fire 
Flannery for the Faithful and the Unfamiliar | Chris Scalia | Washington Free Beacon
Capturing a Misfit: A Review of “Wildcat” | Fr. Damian Ference | Word on Fire 
The Presence of Grace and Other Book Reviews by Flannery O'Connor | University of Georgia Press 
Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis on the Role of Literature in Formation 
Pope Francis's Apologia for Literature | Chris Scalia | National Review Online

Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist. ]]>3389false12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/aei-s-christine-rosen-on-the-extinction-of-experience--61861880Commentary columnist Christine Rosen about her new book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World.

How have new technologies shaped our interactions with each other and the physical world? Have they changed our understanding of what it means to be human? Plus, Christine talks about her favorite science fiction.

Links
Keats: “Ode on Indolence”
Drew Gilpin Faust: “Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive” (The Atlantic)
Commentary podcast: “Our Favorite Science Fiction”
Ray Bradbury’s fiction (Library of America)
Sunny on Apple TV+

Thanks to our sponsors: X-Caps xtosterone supplements and SeeChange from Circle Tech.Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61861880Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:00:02 +0000RicochetChris talks to AEI Senior Fellow and Commentary columnist Christine Rosen about her new book, https://www.amazon.com/Extinction-Experience-Being-Human-Disembodied/dp/0393241718. How have new technologies shaped our interactions with each other and...Commentary columnist Christine Rosen about her new book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World.

How have new technologies shaped our interactions with each other and the physical world? Have they changed our understanding of what it means to be human? Plus, Christine talks about her favorite science fiction.

Links
Keats: “Ode on Indolence”
Drew Gilpin Faust: “Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive” (The Atlantic)
Commentary podcast: “Our Favorite Science Fiction”
Ray Bradbury’s fiction (Library of America)
Sunny on Apple TV+

Thanks to our sponsors: X-Caps xtosterone supplements and SeeChange from Circle Tech.Opening and closing music: “Spit It Out” by Brendan Benson, used with permission from the artist.]]>3276false11fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/introducing-the-back-of-the-book--61313817https://api.spreaker.com/episode/61313817Mon, 09 Sep 2024 19:32:13 +0000Ricochet54falsetrailer