Letter of Liberty

In this episode, Professor Robert Alter joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss two of the Bible's most powerful books: Ecclesiastes, or Qohelet, and Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55). Alter speaks about the radicalism of Qohelet, the mere breath that animates its underlying message and meditation, its separateness from the rest of the Hebrew Bible, and more. He also speaks about the consoling poetry of Second Isaiah: What is the promise? Who is the suffering servant? Is a good God responsible for evil? His Hebrew Bible will be out in December: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=4294996777 A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

*Please note that due to technical difficulties, there were issues with the audio quality of this episode. In this episode, Patrick Newman joins the show to discuss the forthcoming fifth volume of libertarian economist and writer Murray Rothbard's history of colonial America, Conceived in Liberty. We talk about Rothbard's scheme for understanding history, heroes and villains, the radicalism of the American Revolution, what Rothbard's goals for writing his history were, and the revisionist nature of the work Rothbard did. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Professor Walter Block joins us again to discuss justice and law from a libertarian perspective. We talk about justice, vigilantes, what should have happened after the Civil War, and more. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Shakespearean scholar and professor Robert Miola joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss the poetry, history, tragedy, and insight behind Shakespeare's greatest tragedy of evil, The Tragedy of Macbeth. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, historian Louis DeCaro joins Letter of Liberty to discuss the abolitionist John Brown, Brown's attitudes to violence, why Brown is not a terrorist, why he is a hero, and why his central lesson is one of freedom. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, University of Washington professor Ruby Blondell speaks on Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman of all time; we talk about Homer, the tragic imagination of Helen; in addition, Achilles makes a surprising starring role in this episode. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Walter Block, economics professor and libertarian scholar, joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss libertarianism, total privatization of everything, and the necessity and goodness of libertarian "Nuremberg trials." A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode Gary Saul Morson, distinguished scholar of Russian literature, joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss the greatness of Leo Tolstoy, his ability to capture the consciousness of human beings, and his great search for truth that gave such depth and reality to his great novels and stories. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Laurence Bergreen joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss the towering figure of Giacomo Casanova and of the Europe that he was both a part of and that he defined. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Professor Robert Alter returns to the Letter of Liberty to discuss the Hebrew Bible, the poetry and the prophets, and more. We also discuss William Faulkner and Leo Tolstoy near the end. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Glenn Frankel joins Letter of Liberty to discuss The Searchers and High Noon. Glenn and Anand discuss the greatness of the two films, how they understand civilization, the backstories behind the two movies, and more. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Keith Preston, anarchist writer and host of AttacktheSystem.com, joins Letter of Liberty to discuss the history and ideas of anarchism, totalitarian humanism, Murray Rothbard, and more. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, David Gordon, senior fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss Murray Rothbard, libertarianism, classical liberalism, the Koch brothers, and more. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Professor Steven Weitzman joins the Letter of Liberty to discuss the story and the relevance of King Solomon of the Bible. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Peter T. Chattaway joins the podcast to discuss the Bible and Jesus in movies. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, LIU Post senior forensics science student Jamie LiCausi joins the Letter of Liberty to speak up about issues on LIU Post. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode Richard Martin, classics professor at Stanford University, discusses Homer’s The Iliad, The oral poetry, the complexity and strangeness of the poem, and the power of The Iliad’s hero Achilles. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this solo episode, Anand Venigalla announces the guest for next week (classics professor Richard Martin), reads passages of The Iliad to whet your appetite for Episode 8, gets enthralled by biblical poetry as translated by Robert Alter, and speaks on recent news at LIU Post. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode of Letter of Liberty, Anand Venigalla, in the absence of a suitable guest, discusses what he’s been reading so far: René Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy and Frederick Douglass’s Narrative. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

In this episode, Anand Venigalla, the host, reads a recent speech by Emma Gonzalez advocating for gun control and gives some thoughts and critiques. In addition he brings up some potential solutions that will help provide safety and preserve our liberties. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

Robert Alter, Professor of Hebrew and comparative literature at University of California, Berkeley, joins Letter of Liberty to discuss The David Story, the relevance of the biblical hero David, the startling strangeness of the Bible’s treatment of politics and character, and the changes that David undergoes throughout his life right up to his dying day. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

Matt Goldstein, junior and criminal justice major at LIU Post, joins Letter of Liberty in this freewheeling episode to discuss criminal justice, alcoholism, and his experiences at the now-defunct Dowling College before he transferred to LIU Post. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

Michael Katz, C. V. Starr Professor Emeritus of Russian and East European Studies at Middlebury College joins Letter of Liberty to discuss Leo Tolstoy's late novella The Kreutzer Sonata. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

David Bevington, the Phyllis Fay Horton Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and in English Language & Literature, Comparative Literature, and the College at the University of Chicago, joins us to discuss the history, themes, and significance of William Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida. A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org

Letter of Liberty - Introduction A production of WCWP Studios - LIU Post Public Radio. Visit us at WCWP.org