The Great Books

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Join John J. Miller, the director of the journalism program at Hillsdale College, as he embarks upon a journey across the Western World's rich literary heritage. The most recent ten episodes of this podcast are available on this feed. Full archives are available to NRPLUS subscribers at NationalReview.com.

National Review


    • Apr 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 32m AVG DURATION
    • 375 EPISODES

    4.6 from 1,380 ratings Listeners of The Great Books that love the show mention: john j, bad faith, john miller, great books, books podcast, j miller, national review, great literature, macbeth, hamlet, hillsdale, nr, variety of books, austen, reading list, pithy, reread, professors, scholarly, makes you want.


    Ivy Insights

    The Great Books podcast is an extraordinary podcast that delves into the world of literature and explores the depths of human life and actions. Flannery O'Connor is highlighted as a particularly insightful author who reveals the interconnectedness of different dimensions of existence through her stories. This podcast does an excellent job addressing these aspects and provides thought-provoking discussions that inspire listeners to revisit classic novels and discover new ones.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the way it explores different perspectives and dimensions within literature. The host, John Miller, asks insightful questions that bring out unique insights from his guests. The discussions are engaging and provide a deep understanding of the themes, characters, and writing styles that make each book special. This podcast is perfect for both literature enthusiasts and those who want to expand their reading horizons.

    A downside to this podcast may be its limited accessibility to past episodes or previous seasons. Some reviewers expressed a desire to access older episodes or listen to full seasons, which could be disappointing for those who want to explore the extensive catalog of books discussed in previous episodes. However, this minor flaw doesn't detract from the overall quality of the podcast's content.

    In conclusion, The Great Books podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in literature and its impact on human life. John J Miller's interviews with various guests offer profound insights into classic novels and lesser-known works alike. While there may be some limitations in accessing past content, this shouldn't deter listeners from enjoying the wealth of knowledge and inspiration this podcast provides.



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    Latest episodes from The Great Books

    Episode 371: A Thank You and a Farewell

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 10:08


    John J. Miller brings the Great Books podcast to a close.

    Episode 370: 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' by Goethe

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 39:47


    John J. Miller is joined by Peter Meilaender of Houghton University to discuss 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' by Goethe.

    Episode 369: 'Acts of the Apostles'

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 38:58


    John J. Miller is joined by Jeff Cavins of Ascension Press to discuss the Acts of the Apostles.

    Episode 368: 'Dark Night of the Soul' by St. John of the Cross

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 35:00


    John J. Miller is joined by Silvina Sironi of the Word on Fire Institute to discuss 'Dark Night of the Soul' by St. John of the Cross.

    Episode 367: 'Tender Is the Night' by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 35:38


    John J. Miller is joined by Titus Techera of the American Cinema Foundation to discuss 'Tender Is the Night' by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

    Episode 366: 'The Analects' by Confucius

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 31:57


    John J. Miller is joined by Erin Cline of Georgetown University to discuss 'The Analects' by Confucius.

    Episode 365: 'Lonesome Dove' by Larry McMurtry

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 36:31


    John J. Miller is joined by Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College to discuss Larry McMurtry's 'Lonesome Dove.'

    Episode 364: 'The Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 37:40


    John J. Miller is joined by Ruth Franklin to discuss 'The Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank.

    Episode 363: 'Charlotte's Web' by E. B. White

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 36:49


    Episode 362: 'Midcentury' by John Dos Passos

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 33:17


    John J. Miller is joined by Stephen Schryer of the University of New Brunswick to discuss 'Midcentury' by John Dos Passos.

    Episode 361: The Writings of Margaret Fuller

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 38:15


    John J. Miller is joined by Megan Marshall of Emerson College to discuss the writings of Margaret Fuller.

    Episode 360: 'Gorgias' by Plato

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 33:30


    John J. Miller is joined by Agnes Callard of the University of Chicago to discuss Plato's 'Gorgias.'

    Episode 359: 'Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania' by John Dickinson

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 31:41


    John J. Miller is joined by Jane E. Calvert to discuss 'Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania' by John Dickinson.

    Episode 358: The Poem of the Cid

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 34:39


    John J. Miller is joined by Nora Berend of the University of Cambridge to discuss The Poem of the Cid.

    Episode 357: 'On First Principles' by Origen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 28:27


    John J. Miller is joined by Paula Fredriksen of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to discuss 'On First Principles' by Origen.

    Episode 356: The Letters of Epicurus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 36:12


    John J. Miller is joined by Spencer Klavan to discuss the letters of Epicurus.

    Episode 355: The Book of Judith

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 31:47


    John J. Miller is joined by Silvina Sironi of the Word on Fire Institute to discuss the Book of Judith.

    Episode 354: 'The Name of the Rose' by Umberto Eco

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 29:27


    John J. Miller is joined by Andrew Hui of Yale-NUS College to discuss 'The Name of the Rose' by Umberto Eco.

    Episode 353: 'Ajax' by Sophocles

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 32:00


    John J. Miller is joined by James Brandon of Hillsdale College to discuss 'Ajax' by Sophocles.

    Episode 352: 'The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca'

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2024 37:20


    John J. Miller is joined by Dennis Blanton of James Madison University to discuss 'The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca.'

    Episode 351: 'Geography' by Strabo

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 36:32


    John J. Miller is joined by Sarah Pothecary to discuss 'Geography' by Strabo.

    Episode 350: 'The Histories' by Herodotus

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2024 33:49


    John J. Miller is joined by Paul A. Rahe of Hillsdale College to discuss 'The Histories' by Herodotus.

    Episode 349: 'The Last of the Mohicans' by James Fenimore Cooper

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 33:29


    John J. Miller is joined by Bradley J. Birzer of Hillsdale College to discuss James Fenimore Cooper's 'The Last of the Mohicans.'

    Episode 348: 'Treatise on Radioactivity' by Marie Curie

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 30:47


    John J. Miller is joined by Dava Sobel to discuss Marie Curie's 'Treatise on Radioactivity.'

    Episode 347: 'As I Lay Dying' by William Faulkner

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 33:18


    John J. Miller is joined by Nick Ripatrazone to discuss William Faulkner's 'As I Lay Dying.'

    Episode 346: 'The Phantom of the Opera' by Gaston Leroux

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2024 31:10


    John J. Miller is joined by Faith Moore to discuss 'The Phantom of the Opera,' by Gaston Leroux.

    Episode 345: 'The Black Spider' by Jeremias Gotthelf

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 39:41


    John J. Miller is joined by Peter Meilaender of Houghton University to discuss Jeremias Gotthelf's 'The Black Spider.'

    Episode 344: 'Wieland' by Charles Brockden Brown

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 33:08


    John J. Miller is joined by Brent Cline of Hillsdale College to discuss Charles Brockden Brown's 'Wieland.'

    Episode 343: 'Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc' by Mark Twain

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 37:40


    John J. Miller is joined by Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College to discuss Mark Twain's 'Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc.'

    Episode 342: The Poetry of Sappho

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 31:19


    John J. Miller is joined by Jessica Hooten Wilson of Pepperdine University to discuss the poetry of Sappho.

    Episode 341: 'Leaf by Niggle' by J. R. R. Tolkien

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 35:49


    John J. Miller is joined by Holly Ordway of the Word on Fire Institute to discuss J. R. R. Tolkien's 'Leaf by Niggle.'

    Episode 340: 'Quo Vadis' by Henryk Sienkiewicz

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 38:38


    John J. Miller is joined by Fr. John Wauck of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross to discuss 'Quo Vadis' by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

    Episode 339: 'The Blazing World' by Margaret Cavendish

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 37:28


    John J. Miller is joined by Andrew Moore of St. Thomas University in Canada to discuss 'The Blazing World' by Margaret Cavendish.

    Episode 338: 'The Campaigns of Alexander' by Arrian

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2024 36:25


    John J. Miller is joined by Rachel Kousser of the City University of New York to discuss 'The Campaigns of Alexander' by Arrian.

    Episode 337: 'Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 30:56


    John J. Miller is joined by Graham Hillard of the James C. Martin Center for Academic Renewal to discuss Ian Fleming's 'Casino Royale.'

    Episode 336: The Stories of Nikolai Gogol

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2024 31:13


    John J. Miller is joined by Lorraine Murphy of Hillsdale College to discuss the stories of Nikolai Gogol.

    Episode 335: 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2024 43:50


    John J. Miller is joined by Kirsten Hall Herlin of the University of Austin to discuss Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.'

    Episode 334: 'The Marble Faun' by Nathaniel Hawthorne

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2024 40:01


    John J. Miller is joined by Steven Petersheim of Toccoa Falls College to discuss Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Marble Faun.'

    Episode 333: 'Summa Theologica' by Thomas Aquinas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 32:59


    John J. Miller is joined by R. J. Snell of the Witherspoon Institute to discuss Thomas Aquinas's 'Summa Theologica.'

    Episode 332: 'The Tragedy of Mariam' by Elizabeth Cary

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 31:27


    John J. Miller is joined by Ramie Targoff of Brandeis University to discuss "The Tragedy of Mariam" by Elizabeth Cary.

    Episode 331: The Declaration of Independence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2024 35:58


    John J. Miller is joined by Adam Carrington of Hillsdale College to discuss the Declaration of Independence.

    Episode 330: The Dead Sea Scrolls

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2024 34:09


    John J. Miller is joined by Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to discuss the Dead Sea Scrolls.

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