Cross Word: Recent Episodes
Michele McAloon
One on one interviews with authors of works covering faith, politics and life. From Werewolves to the US Constitution we talk about all those things that make life interesting and promote human flourishing. America's authors are the bright light in the chaotic crazy life in which we live today.
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Europe looks peaceful right up until you inventory what’s actually ready to fight. After spending months in Europe, Professor Andrew Michta joins us to lay out a sober strategic picture: a continent still disarmed, a defense industrial base that will take years to rebuild, and a NATO alliance split by radically different threat perceptions from the Baltic Sea to the Sahel.
We get specific about what modern war is teaching in Ukraine. Drones are changing everything, but Andrew explains why tanks and armor still matter because wars are ultimately decided by mobility and control of terrain. The real breakthrough, he argues, is not just more unmanned systems, but restoring maneuver through electronic warfare and spectrum dominance so soldiers can move without being hunted on a transparent battlefield. We also unpack the hard math behind “arrow vs arrow” economics and what that means for sustainable deterrence.
From there, we zoom out to NATO’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative and the urgent need for allies to take ownership with concrete regional planning, exercises, and capabilities. Andrew connects that to a bigger US problem: a crisis of simultaneity across Europe, the Indo-Pacific, the Middle East, and Korea, at a time when force structure and supply chains are stretched thin. We close with a plainspoken answer to the question many Americans ask: why should anyone in a town far from Europe care about Poland, Finland, or the Baltics? Because Europe and Eurasia shape US prosperity, shipping lanes, and homeland security, and because strong alliances are how democracies avoid fighting alone.
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Looking for a big timely summer read? Dad book extraordinaire! This is it.
From LaSalle to Thomas Jefferson, the story of how our country was made in the grand sweep of time.
A true American tale as bold as the people who lived the story. Native Americans, Immigrants and enlsaved people. Lives coming together to establish a nation.
Four cents an acre. The greatest real estate deal in history. A clean swap that doubled the United States overnight. Those lines are catchy, and they’re also wildly incomplete. We sit down with historian Alexander Mikaberidze, author of The Louisiana Purchase: The Grand Bargain and the Making of America, to rebuild the story from the ground up and follow the long chain of events that made 1803 possible.
We start where most retellings don’t: the Seven Years’ War (the French and Indian War) and the imperial scramble it triggered across North America. From LaSalle’s sweeping 1682 claim over everything west of the Mississippi River to the hard reality that Indigenous nations already held sovereignty, Louisiana begins as a gigantic, poorly defined idea. That ambiguity fuels decades of rivalry among France, Spain, and Britain and turns places like Natchez and New Orleans into high-stakes borderlands where diplomacy, trade, and military power collide.
If you like early American history, Napoleonic history, constitutional debates, and the real origins of US continental expansion, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a fellow history reader, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.
Find Professor Alexander Mikaberidze https://www.amikaberidze.com/
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What is conservatism? How can conservative principals replace MAGA and populism in the Republican Party
Connect with Our Republican Legacy ourrepublicanlegacy.com
The Republican Party is headed for a reckoning, and the real battle is not going to be fought on cable news. It is going to be fought in precinct meetings, county conventions, state parties, and the delegate math that decides who gets to call themselves “conservative” in 2028.
We dig into the mission of Our Republican Legacy and why it is organizing inside the GOP rather than building a third party or another think tank. You will hear the five principles they want to unify around: peace through strength, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility, national unity, and the Constitution and the rule of law. We also talk NATO and alliances, tariffs and free trade, and how rapid tech change and AI pressure-test both free enterprise and civil liberties.
Politically homeless? but still care about constitutional government, this conversation gives you a concrete path to engage before the 2028 presidential cycle accelerates. Subscribe for more idea-driven conversations, share this with a friend who argues in good faith, and leave a review with the principle you think the country can’t afford to lose.
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American Revolution | Historical Fiction | Thomas Paine | George Washington | Revolutionary War
What does courage look like when you don't feel brave?
George Washington “vaccinated” soldiers by giving them smallpox on purpose, and it may have saved the Revolution. That jaw-dropping history is just one of the realities we dig into with author Katherine Goodwin Tone as we explore her debut novel, The King’s Broad Arrow, an American Revolution adventure that doubles as a coming-of-age story about courage.
In this episode of Cross Word Books, we speak about Sam Nevins, a 14-year-old boy living in Revolutionary-era Maine who believes he's the only person with no desire to fight and no courage to offer. Through Sam's journey, we explore how courage is often less about personality and more about the choices we make when fear would rather send us home.
Drawing on years of working with children and teaching, Katherine discusses themes of responsibility, friendship, happiness, and moral growth. We also dive into the world of Revolutionary America, exploring the impact of the printing press, censorship, banned books, Enlightenment thought, and the influence of Thomas Paine and his famous pamphlet Common Sense.
If you enjoy historical fiction, young adult novels, American Revolution history, or thoughtful conversations with authors, this episode is for you.
Cross Word Books — Where Cultural Clues Lead to the Truth of the Word.
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Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World, Dan Werb
published by crown books of penguinrandomhouse.com
Smart nature writing, urban planning ideas, and clear-eyed conversations about conservation and public health
Nature is moving into the city, and it is not waiting for our permission. I sit down with award-winning writer and epidemiologist Dan Werb to talk about Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World, a book that reframes urban life as something far more alive than we usually notice. Once you learn the word synanthropy, you start seeing it everywhere: wild species living “together with humans,” adapting to our buildings, our routines, and our blind spots.
Why are cities are no longer “biological deserts,” and why urban is ecology forcing a correction in how we think about biodiversity and conservation?. Dan shares stories that make the science feel personal, from bats thriving in the built environment to the startling discovery that giant Pacific octopus can be more common near the most industrial parts of Seattle’s waters. That leads to a bigger realization: the reach of urban development does not stop at the shoreline. Our roads, rail, and waste reshape land and water, and that reshaping creates winners, losers, and unexpected new neighbors.
Because Dan is also an infectious disease researcher, we also talk openly about zoonotic disease spillover, outbreaks, and what pandemic surveillance can realistically do to reduce risk without turning wildlife into a scapegoat. We keep coming back to practical coexistence: why garbage is often the real “wildlife management” issue, how simple infrastructure changes reduce conflict with rats, raccoons, baboons, bears, and coyotes, and why fortress conservation alone cannot solve human-wildlife tension in a crowded world.
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You Visited Me. Grace and Healing in the Modern Medical Center
By Dr Robert Collins, MD Ignatius Press ignatius.com
A cancer doctor who lives by evidence and protocols tells a story that begins with an interruption he can’t explain: a question, heard like a voice in a lab, that challenged the idea that reality is only matter and chance. Dr. Robert Collins joins us to talk about his work in leukemia and lymphoma care, his journey from teenage skepticism to Christianity and Catholicism, and why he now sees hope as something sturdier than optimism. If you’ve ever searched for faith and medicine, prayer and healing, or what “whole person care” really means in a hospital, this conversation meets you right where you are.
We dig into what medicine is actually for, beyond fixing organs and chasing numbers. Dr. Collins explains healing as restoring wholeness, which means treating a patient as a person with relationships, fear, responsibilities, and a spiritual life that shapes how they face illness. He shares how prayer functions in his daily routine and in clinical practice, from quick hallway prayers before entering a room to the rare moments when he prays with a patient, always rooted in presence rather than performance.
Then we go to the hard ground: miracles and suffering. Dr. Collins offers a wider definition of miracle that includes the quiet work of grace, timely words, and the mysterious overlap of the spiritual and the material. We also wrestle with the question everyone asks sooner or later, why a good God allows suffering, without turning it into bullet points. A patient story of redemptive suffering and a son drawn back to faith shows how love can gather around a person at the end of life.
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The Forgotten World WarExploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again by Derek Baxter published by Source Books
Follow the American Revolution far beyond the 13 colonies and trace how diplomacy, logistics, and foreign interests shape independence. We talk with author Derek Baxter about the overlooked allies and global battlefields that turn a colonial revolt into a true world war.
• Mercy Otis Warren as a trailblazing historian with a front-row view of the war
• The Declaration of Independence as a strategic message to foreign powers
• Gunpowder, artillery, and naval weakness as the Patriots’ early crisis
• The failed Canada campaign as a lesson in diplomacy and homework
• Bernardo de Galvez and Spain’s decisive Gulf Coast victories
• Comte de Vergennes and Lafayette driving French support and public momentum
• St Eustatius as a Dutch smuggling hub and the first foreign salute to the US flag
• The Channel Islands and the failed France Spain invasion threat that pins Britain down
• The Mysore Kingdom in India and the rocket technology tied to later British warfare
• Why these stories fade from US memory and why the global view matters now
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Alito
The Justice Who Reshaped the Supreme Court and Restored the Constitution by Mollie Heningway
The Supreme Court doesn’t just decide cases; it teaches the country what power is allowed to do. Today onCross Word Books, Michele McAloon talks with Molly Hemingway, senior editor at The Federalist and Fox News contributor, about her book on Justice Samuel Alito and why his originalism sits at the center of America’s biggest constitutional fights.
They discuss judicial activism, the rise of originalism, religious liberty, free speech, the Voting Rights Act, and how Supreme Court opinions are actually built behind the scenes.
If you care about the Constitution, judicial restraint, and how the Court really works, this episode will give you a clearer framework and sharper questions.
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The Declaration of Independence isn’t just a set of famous lines we quote every July. It’s a battered physical object that survived close calls, a national symbol that took decades to become sacred, and a cultural artifact that ended up on walls, plates, and posters. As the United States heads toward the 250th anniversary and the semi-quincentennial conversation ramps up, we wanted to ask a simple question with huge consequences: how did this document actually become America’s “national treasure”?
We sit down with historian Michael Auslin, author of National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America, to follow the Declaration through its surprising timeline. We talk about Jefferson’s fast draft, Congress cutting and reshaping it, and the small edits that carried outsized meaning, including the shift toward “one people.” From there we move into the printing race that produced the Dunlap broadsides, the later parchment engrossing by scribe Timothy Matlack, and the long-running mysteries about when the signing really happened and how myths replaced messy reality.
If you care about American history, civic education, and the meaning of rights and responsibilities, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What line from the Declaration do you think we most need to wrestle with right now?
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The world you take for granted is younger than you think and it was never guaranteed. We sit down with Patrick Wyman, creator of Tides of History and Past Lives and author of Lost Worlds; How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World to trace the volatile 10,000-year span after the last Ice Age when farming, herding, villages, social hierarchies, and writing begin to reshape human life. Along the way, we confront a simple driver behind almost everything: the hunt for calories and the constant fear of starvation that organized societies for millennia.
Patrick explains why the Neolithic period isn’t a clean “before and after” moment, but a messy overlap of experiments, migration, and collapse. Ancient DNA technology, isotope analysis, and paleoenvironmental research now let historians see population replacement, unexpected ancestry, and the ways demography responds to perceived scarcity. We talk about the Anzick child in Montana and what one 13,000-year-old burial reveals about the deep roots of Indigenous history across North America.
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Two men got the highway signs—but the real Lewis and Clark Expedition story was a crowded canoe. We sit down with Craig Fehrman to discuss This Vast Enterprise: A New History of Lewis and Clark and why the expedition only comes into focus when we follow the people history usually pushes to the margins—and when we take Native nations seriously as powers, not scenery.
If you care about American history, primary sources, archival research, and how interpretation changes when new evidence appears, this episode is for you. We explore Thomas Jefferson as the “mainspring” behind the mission, the mistaken dream of an easy water route to the Pacific, and the hard reality of distance, terrain, and the Rocky Mountains.
We also dive into diplomacy and danger along the Missouri River, where the Lakota Nation and other Native powers were making strategic decisions of their own. Fehrman’s rotating point-of-view method makes familiar moments feel new by asking what the same event looked like from the other side.
We discuss leadership and military culture in 1804—why Lewis and Clark’s style of discipline, trust, and shared responsibility differed sharply from Army norms—and how figures like John Ordway helped make the expedition function day to day. We also confront the hardest truths, including York under enslavement and Sacagawea as a teenage survivor whose role became indispensable.
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Reach Craig Fehrman atcraigfehrman.com
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Andrew Jackson is one of those American names people think they understand until they look closer. We sit down with historian David S. Brown, author of Andrew Jackson: The First Populist, to walk through the life that turned “Old Hickory” into a national symbol, a political weapon, and a permanent argument. From a hazy birthplace and a brutal frontier childhood to a self-made legal career in Tennessee, Jackson’s story is built on loss, ambition, and a fierce need to command respect.
We talk about the traits that powered his rise and damaged his reputation: the duels that served as public proof of status, the moments of questionable judgment such as the Aaron Burr affair, and the social explosion of the Peggy Eaton controversy that effectively broke a cabinet. Brown also explains why Jackson’s actions in Spanish Florida created an international crisis, and how the Battle of New Orleans locked in a celebrity aura that followed him into national politics. This is early American history as a lesson in how fame and force can merge into leadership.
From there, we dig into the big structures Jackson helped reshape: Jacksonian democracy, the expansion of presidential power, the veto as a governing tool, the nullification crisis, and the Bank War against the Second Bank of the United States. We also face the hardest parts of his legacy head-on, including Indian removal and the fact that there was opposition to it even in Jackson’s own time. We end by testing modern comparisons and what “populism” really means when you put policy, personality, and power in the same frame.
If you care about US presidents, American populism, or how the bully pulpit was born, listen now, then subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.
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The Westerners MythMaking and Belonging on the American Frontier
We talk with historian Megan Kate Nelson about how the American West gets turned into a story and how that story shapes who counts as a “real” Westerner. We follow seven lives that expose the networks, conflicts and choices that the frontier myth often hides.
• Frederick Jackson Turner’s frontier thesis and why it dominated US western history
• Historians as mythmakers along with novelists and filmmakers
• Movement in every direction and the West as a web of networks
• Sacagawea’s real work on the Lewis and Clark expedition and why communities claim her
• Jim Beckwourth as a larger-than-life connector and why parts of his story stay disputed
• Maria Barcelo’s Santa Fe gambling empire and her use of courts and capital
• Little Wolf and Dull Knife’s strategy to protect the Northern Cheyenne and return home
If you like the interview, please like and subscribe. And you can find out more about me at bookclues.com. Guys, run to the Amazon store and get this book.
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Wisdom from the CrossHow Jesus' Seven Last Words Teach Us How to Live (and Die) Well
Holy Week can feel familiar until you slow down and listen to what Jesus actually says while he’s dying. Those final phrases from the cross, known as the Seven Last Words of Christ, are not random last breaths. They’re a compressed guide to forgiveness, trust, love, and what a good life looks like when everything is stripped away.
We sit down with writer and editor Casey Chalk, author of a short but densely packed book from Sophia Institute Press, to translate two thousand years of Christian reflection into modern language without flattening the mystery. We talk about why the Seven Last Words appear across all four Gospels, how thinkers like Aquinas, Bonaventure, and Augustine read them, and why these sayings can be a surprising entry point for Catholics, Protestants, and curious listeners who aren’t sure what they believe.
Along the way, we wrestle with the line that troubles nearly everyone: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Casey connects it to Psalm 22 and to the lived experience of the silence of God.
If this conversation helps you see Good Friday, Easter, and your own hard seasons with clearer eyes, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more people can find it.
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If you care about Russian history, Soviet culture, environmental history, or how geography shapes war,
Russia looks different when you stop treating nature like background scenery. We sit down with writer and Cornell professor Sophie Pinkham to talk about The Oak and the Larch and the idea that the Russian forest, the taiga, and the swamp belt are not just settings in history, but drivers of it, shaping how people imagine freedom, fear, exile, and power.
We trace how Siberia became both a place of punishment and a frontier promise, and why colonization in Asian Russia created its own mix of tragedy, blending, and myth. Sophie explains what the taiga really is, why the larch is such a potent symbol, and how old growth ecosystems like Białowieża Forest preserve “natural memory” because they escaped modern deforestation. Along the way we talk partisan refuge in World War II, how wetlands and forests still affect military strategy, and why attempts at “rational” forest management from Peter the Great through the Soviet era keep colliding with the sheer scale of the landscape.
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Feminism is supposed to make women safer, freer, and happier. So why does it so often leave behind loneliness, rivalry, collapsed families, and a constant need to prove we’re “enough”? I sit down with Dr. Carrie Gress, PhD, scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at The Catholic University of America and author of “Something Wicked: Why Feminism Can’t Be Fused With Christianity,” to name the parts of the story we’re usually told to ignore. We go past slogans and into the worldview, because ideas don’t just change laws, they change what we think a woman is for.
We trace feminism’s intellectual history from Mary Wollstonecraft through Simone de Beauvoir and into the second wave, asking whether the movement was “broken from the beginning” and whether women’s legitimate social gains could have happened without feminism at all. Along the way, Carrie shares a vivid metaphor from the book’s cover art, a Robert Duncanson painting that looks serene until you realize it may be encoded with a hidden map, a reminder that experts can misread what’s right in front of them. That’s exactly how toxic feminism can operate: compassionate language on top, corrosive assumptions underneath.
We also talk about the real-world fallout: sexual autonomy as a supposed cure for vulnerability, abortion as the mechanism that keeps autonomy possible, and what happens to a civilization when monogamy and motherhood are treated as optional. Then we pivot to hope and rebuilding: John Paul II’s clarity about women and men, the difference between vulnerability and victimhood, why “local love” matters, and practical first steps for women who want something healthier than the girlboss script.
If you’re wrestling with Christianity and feminism, Catholic teaching on womanhood, the sexual revolution, or what a pro-family future could look like, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who will argue back, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.
Check out Dr Carrie Gress. https://theologyofhome.com/
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A voice from the golden age of flight opens the door to one of history’s most enduring mysteries. We sit down with National Geographic writer Rachel Hartigan, author of Lost: Amelia Earhart’s Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life, to trace Earhart’s path from a refined but unstable Midwestern childhood to global fame—and the fateful push toward Howland Island that still puzzles pilots and historians.
Across this episode, we unpack the pressures and logistics behind the round-the-world attempt, from Purdue University’s backing to the costly reset after a ground loop in Hawaii. Rachel explains how Earhart’s training and tech intersected with 1930s realities: a new direction finder she barely used, a likely damaged antenna out of Lae, strict radio schedules that clashed with Itasca’s expectations, and the navigational knife-edge of finding a 20-foot-high island in open ocean. We examine the competing theories with fresh detail. The Nikumaroro hypothesis offers intriguing clues—burn features, period artifacts, detection dogs—but no confirmed plane. The Saipan capture narrative thrives on secrecy and conflicting memories from wartime, yet lacks verifiable proof. The ditching scenario remains the most parsimonious: fuel exhaustion, a missed visual, and a descent into the Pacific near Howland.
What makes Earhart timeless is more than her records; it’s the mindset. She moved through barriers with a matter-of-fact confidence, managed fame as strategy, and insisted on her own terms in marriage and work. Rachel’s field experience—from coral atolls and coconut crabs to deep-sea search tech—grounds the story in evidence while honoring the human drive behind it. If you care about aviation history, navigation, search and rescue, or the psychology of unsolved cases, this is a clear, compelling guide to what we know, what we don’t, and why we still look.
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A single ice axe swung in a quiet Mexico City study, but the shockwave started decades earlier, on the edges of a collapsing empire. We follow the combustible rivalry between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin—from exile and revolution to a propaganda war that turned one man’s image into the regime’s most useful enemy. Our guest, author Josh Ireland, brings meticulous research and narrative clarity to a story where ideology cuts into daily life, and private love becomes a public weapon.
We dig into the fractures that shaped Soviet power: the Bolshevik belief in a tight revolutionary vanguard, the Menshevik alternative that lost momentum, and the way that early choices hardened into a state ethos of control. You’ll hear how the NKVD evolved into a sprawling security apparatus that hunted at home and abroad, and why Stalin’s paranoia wasn’t just a psychological quirk—it was a method for governing through fear. Along the way, we trace Trotsky’s exile from Turkey to Norway to Mexico, his brief orbit with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, and the shrinking circle of trust that defined his final years.
At the center stands Ramon Mercader, a handsome Spaniard whose path to murder ran through the Spanish Civil War, a ruthless handler, and a calculated romance with Sylvia Ageloff. Their honey trap shows how Soviet intelligence manipulated intimacy to breach fortified lives. After the killing, Mercader’s airtight cover story holds for years, his mother faces the cost of loyalty in Moscow, and Sylvia fades into obscurity, carrying a wound history rarely credits. Threaded through it all is a modern echo: the institutional lineage from Cheka to NKVD to KGB to today’s security state, and the cultural logic that still shapes power in Russia.
If you’re drawn to political history, true crime, or the human drama behind world-shaping events, this conversation delivers context, character, and consequence. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show—what part of Trotsky’s story surprised you most?
find Josh Ireland at https://www.joshireland.co.uk/
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Think misinformation started with the internet? We rewind five centuries to watch it form in real time. With historian Matthew Restall, we separate the historic Christopher Columbus from the patriotic mascot and the Italian American symbol, and we track how printing presses, royal propaganda, immigration waves, and modern media each remixed one navigator into many icons. The result isn’t a takedown or a hagiography—it’s a sharper lens for seeing how belief sneaks in where evidence thins.
We start by reframing Columbus within the bustling Atlantic world of the late 1400s: thousands of mariners, evolving ship design, and trade winds honed by experience. The first voyage made headlines; the second changed history by hardwiring Europe and the Americas together. Along the way, we challenge the empty-ocean myth, revisit the Barcelona court moment, and follow the often-misunderstood roles of the Pinzón brothers. Restall explains why loaded terms like genocide demand precision and how catastrophic disease spread complicates tidy moral scripts without erasing responsibility.
Then we open the myth factory. Columbus’s own ambition—rebranding Cristoforo Colombo as Don Cristóbal Colón—set the stage for centuries of speculation about origins and loyalties. The “biography” credited to his son turns out to be a stitched, translated palimpsest that fueled later legends. We map the rise of Columbiana in 1892, link patriotic rituals like the Pledge of Allegiance to that wave, and show how statues and holidays became proxies for debates over identity, nationhood, and migration. By disentangling the historic sailor from the symbols built atop him, we model a way to trade faith history for evidence—and to read today’s culture wars with cooler eyes.
If you’re ready to move beyond hot takes and into clear context—without losing the drama of discovery—press play. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a quick review telling us which Columbus you were taught and which one you see now.
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Presidents aren’t just dates and policies; they’re people formed by families, faith, loss, ambition, and a country that rarely stops arguing. We sat down with author and veteran editor Mary Carol Ghislin to unpack her new book—a compact, classroom-friendly journey through every U.S. president that doubles as an eye-opening guide for adults who want the big picture without the bloat.
Mary Carol explains why she built each profile around three anchors: formative childhood moments, defining actions in office, and a clear, factual “footprint” on slavery and civil rights. That design turns biography into a timeline of American change, letting listeners watch ideas harden, soften, and finally move. Along the way, we test two loaded claims: Are we more divided than ever, and are modern presidents more corrupt? The answers surprise. From Washington’s anxiety about unity—and his striking promise of religious liberty—to social media’s megaphone effect, division looks less like a new wound and more like an old scar we keep picking.
We also grapple with power and ethics. Some leaders chased fame more than service; others crossed lines that history refuses to forgive. Buchanan’s shadow over Dred Scott, Wilson’s resegregation of the federal government, Truman’s push toward desegregation—these choices build a map of retreat and recovery that readers can follow across administrations. And then there’s character: Lincoln’s moral gravity without formal church ties, Reagan’s mother teaching forgiveness amid family struggle. These human details don’t excuse policy; they explain it.
If you teach history, this episode offers a ready-made structure for meaningful discussions. If you love history, it’s a fast track to the patterns that matter: constitutional norms like the peaceful transfer of power, the slow arc from slavery to civil rights, and the way personal conviction shapes public life. Listen, reflect, and share your takeaways with someone who disagrees with you—then subscribe, leave a review, and pass this episode to a friend who loves American history.
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What if a city without modern newspapers learned to think like a public anyway? We sit down with historian Robert Darnton to chart how Paris, from 1748 to 1789, became an information society powered by parades, fireworks, songs, rumor, and street theater. Instead of headlines, “publication” meant a royal herald reading peace aloud while bands played—and a celebration that ended in a deadly crush. Those moments didn’t just inform people; they taught them how power felt.
Darnton guides us through the mechanisms that carried ideas across a semi-literate city. Literacy gaps were bridged by chapbooks, pamphlets read aloud, graffiti, and unforgettable tunes that turned scandal into memory. We follow the “kingnapping” of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the 1750 child seizures that sparked riots and bloodbath rumors, and the widening gulf as Versailles wrapped itself in secrecy. When Necker printed the royal budget, finance left the king’s secret and entered the street, unleashing a public debate about debt, taxes, and responsibility.
The church’s authority faltered as Jansenist–Jesuit battles collided with deathbed fears, while a witty placard at a sealed graveyard mocked a monarchy that would “forbid miracles.” Royal intimacy became political fuel: Madame de Pompadour’s lavish gifts and influence, and Madame du Barry’s past, fed poissonnades and police dragnets that still couldn’t catch every tune. In the Palais-Royal, crowds staged mock trials for government texts and burned them like verdicts, rehearsing a civic role they were ready to claim.
By the late 1780s, few predicted the upheaval to come, but many believed change was possible. The nation, not ministers, should decide taxation; the king should ratify, not conceal. Transatlantic currents—from mythic American virtue to Quaker simplicity—added oxygen. Darnton ties these currents together to show how information flows can erode legitimacy and invite a different future.
Listen for a vivid, ground-level view of how culture becomes politics, how performance becomes persuasion, and why the French Revolution reshaped everyday life. If this story reorders how you think about media and power, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to tell us which vignette struck you most.
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Headlines keep tossing around the phrase “civil war,” but what are we really talking about when we invoke that history today? We sit down with historians John Kinder and Jennifer Murray, co-editors of They Are Dead and Yet They Live: Civil War Memories in a Polarized America, to unpack how memory gets made—and why it gets weaponized. From the Lost Cause to the language of conflict we see online, we explore the difference between personal remembrance and public storytelling, and how monuments, textbooks, films, and place names quietly teach us what to honor and what to forget.
We trace the often-ignored arc of Reconstruction, connecting the Fourteenth Amendment, federal power, and impeachment debates to the headlines we read now. Jennifer walks us through the Army base renaming saga—why so many installations were named for Confederate officers during the World Wars, how the recent renamings unfolded, and why the political reversal preserved surnames while changing honorees. John explains how these choices aren’t just semantics; they’re signals about national values, belonging, and who gets to define America’s usable past.
Throughout, we challenge the casual use of “civil war” as a metaphor for polarization. The real Civil War killed about 2% of the population—equivalent to nearly seven million people today. Any modern internal conflict would look less like tidy blue-gray battle lines and more like fragmented violence with devastating consequences. That’s why precision matters: before repeating incendiary language, ask who benefits, what history is being invoked, and what realities are being ignored.
If you care about how history shapes power—at courthouses, on battlefields, and across your city’s street names—this conversation will change how you see the world around you. Listen, reflect, and then take a second look at the monuments and markers you pass every day. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves history and politics, and leave a review with the one statue or site you see differently now.
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Care about wildlife conservation, China-Africa politics, religious freedom, and character-driven storytelling with real stakes, this conversation is for you.
An interview with author David Pinault on his real world fiction book
Earth Dragon RunA Spiritual Entertainment
Ignatius Press
A quiet librarian gets pushed out, grabs a stuffed monkey, and walks straight into the underbelly of our global moment. We dive into Earth Dragon Run, a propulsive novel that uses one endangered creature—the pangolin—to map the hidden circuitry of animal trafficking, cyber scams, and state-backed extraction across Africa and Asia. What starts as a quirky quest becomes a moral investigation: How do you keep your soul when markets price everything and protect nothing?
We follow Danny Quirk, a 70-year-old with more books than friends, and Minnie Meixing, a Hong Kong student-turned-refugee who channels her courage into wildlife rescue near the China border and later in South Africa. Their paths illuminate hard truths: demand for pangolin scales in traditional medicine, snares that silently kill in the bush, and mines where “cost optimization” erases worker safety and scars the land. Along the way we unpack Cardinal Zen’s witness, the Vatican’s uneasy deal with Beijing, and why younger Chinese volunteers abroad quietly defy cruelty even as the Party tightens its grip.
The conversation moves from San Francisco’s Chinatown to Hong Kong marches, from snare sweeps near Kruger to casino-linked cyber scam hubs in Cambodia. We meet characters inspired by real encounters—Afrikaner farmers, Zimbabwean migrants, mixed patrol teams—whose cooperation in the bush cuts through propaganda. We also set Catholic tradition beside Jain nonviolence to ask what genuine compassion demands now: not slogans, but practices that shield the vulnerable. And yes, we talk Latin, old prayers, and the armor of God—because spiritual formation isn’t nostalgia; it’s training for a world that fights back.
Find out more about Professor Pinault other books https://ignatius.com/authors/david-pinault/
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Article by Adam Entous of the New York Times
The Separation: Inside the Unraveling U.S.-Ukraine Partnershiphttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/12/30/world/europe/ukraine-war-us-russia.html
We trace Ukraine’s war from early U.S.–Ukraine partnership to a fragile “separation,” where support is uneven, Europe scales up late, and a DMZ-style end state competes with continued attrition. Adam Entous of the New York Times lays out the battlefield, the backchannels, and the choices that could lock in peace—or prolong risk.
• The shift from artillery dominance to drone warfare and frozen lines
• Why Donetsk and Luhansk are strategic, not just symbolic
• Security guarantees as deterrence architecture short of NATO
• Sanctions and Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian refineries
• U.S. policy splits: munitions for Ukraine vs Indo-Pacific stockpiles
• The Whitkoff–Kushner channel and Russia’s “inevitability” narrative
• Europe’s rearmament and the slow ramp of 155 mm production
• Russian incompetence vs Ukrainian resilience on the ground
• What a DMZ-style settlement might require to hold
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Forget the tinsel and crowns—let’s meet the Magi where history lives. We sit down with Fr. Dwight Longenecker, author of The Mystery of the Magi, to rethink the famous journey to Bethlehem through the lenses of archaeology, geopolitics, and Scripture. Instead of mystical monarchs following a neon star, we explore a compelling alternative: Nabataean court advisors—astrologers and diplomats—from Petra, navigating trade routes, Roman power, and Herod’s volatile court.
We dig into why Matthew includes the Magi while Luke doesn’t, and how reading the Bible with historical context can strip away later legends without losing wonder. Fr. Longenecker maps the power players of the era—Rome, Herod the Great, and the Nabataeans—and explains how Aretas IV’s shaky throne and dependence on Roman goodwill could have sparked a diplomatic mission to Judea. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh move from pure symbolism to economic fingerprints of Arabian trade, pointing to a real origin and a recognizable protocol of royal homage.
And the star? We weigh leading theories: supernatural sign, astrological reading, or rare astronomical event. Rather than a celestial spotlight dragging caravans across dunes, Matthew suggests discerning signs that prompt a journey to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem. Along the way, we call out Gnostic embellishments—like the “burning baby in the sky”—and return to a leaner, stronger account where faith and reason meet. If you care about biblical history, Epiphany, or how ancient trade networks intersected with theology, this conversation brings the Nativity’s most enigmatic visitors into crisp focus.
If the reframe sparks your curiosity, follow the show, share this episode with a friend who loves history, and leave a review with your take on who the Magi really were.
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Merry Christmas everyone!!! This is a re-run but one of my most popular podcasts about the beloved Charlie Brown. Who doesn't love the Charlie brown Christmas Tree? I hope all of you are captured by the wonder of this season, surrounded by love and to remember what it is to love. God Bless all Look forward to everyone in the New Year.
Michele McAloon
We explore how Charles Schulz turned Peanuts into a cultural mirror for Cold War fear, public faith, and civil rights, and why that gentle, open style still disarms a polarized audience. Historian Blake Scott Ball joins us to trace the choices behind Linus’s blanket, Franklin’s debut, and a Christmas scripture that nearly didn’t air.
• Schulz’s Midwestern roots, WWII service, and shy start in art
• The syndicate’s Peanuts title and Schulz’s pushback
• Vulnerability as cultural critique in the 1950s
• Linus’s security blanket as language for anxiety
• Faith voiced through Linus and the Christmas pageant
• The A Charlie Brown Christmas gamble with Luke 2
• School prayer, God and country in public life
• Franklin’s integration and Schulz’s ultimatum to editors
• Media fragmentation and the changing “family audience”
• Why Peanuts endures for new generations
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If you love Christmas history, urban culture, or just the glow of a winter night, this conversation will change how you walk a market lane. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who loves Christmas markets, and leave a quick review to tell us your favorite Christmas market whereever you are in the world.
Connect with the Catholic Thing Fear – and Hope – in Europe’s Christmas Markets' from The Catholic Thing.
https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2025/12/13/fear-and-hope-in-europes-christmas-markets/
with Michele Mcaloon https://www.bookclues.com
Cold air, warm lights, and the quiet pull of memory: that’s the spell of a Christmas market. We sit down with Dr. Dirk Spennemann, an Australian cultural heritage expert, to unpack how Europe’s winter fairs grew from pragmatic provisioning into the social spectacles we love today—and why their magic endures even as they change.
We start with the basics: these markets weren’t born holy. They were winter lifelines where townspeople and traveling traders met before roads iced over. Over centuries, they slid toward Advent, picked up nativity scenes and ornaments, and became seasonal stages for community life. Dirk explains how heritage professionals read those stages—what gives a stall, a pyramid, or a steaming cup value, and how that value shifts as societies evolve. From COVID artifacts to AI and digital preservation, we explore why today’s ephemeral signs, screens, and rituals deserve careful saving for tomorrow’s storytellers.
Then we step into the square. Think LED constellations, towering Erzgebirge pyramids, and carefully choreographed footpaths shaped by security and crowd flow. Food now leads the experience: region-specific glühwein and hot cider, beloved sausages and pastries, alongside fairground favorites and global bites. We look at how big-city markets diversify for different audiences while parishes and fire brigades revive neighborhood tradition with weekend pop-ups. Most of all, we talk about nostalgia—the child’s-eye view of lights and sugar, the adult desire to pass that feeling on—and why the setting, from cathedral to cobblestone, holds the key to the market’s spell.
If you love history, urban culture, or just the glow of a winter night, this conversation will change how you walk a market lane. Subscribe, share the episode with a friend who loves Christmas markets, and leave a quick review to tell us your favorite stall and city.
Connect with the Catholic Thing..Michele's article on the meanining and history of Christmas Markets in Germany and France
Fear – and Hope – in Europe’s Christmas Markets' from The Catholic Thing.
https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2025/12/13/fear-and-hope-in-europes-christmas-markets/
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A million stories rest under the trees of Père Lachaise, and some of them still move. We sit down with curator and author-photographer Benoît Galliot to walk the avenues of Paris’s most visited cemetery and discover why it feels so alive. From neo-gothic chapels and art nouveau tombs to foxes raising kits among ivy, this tour blends cultural history with urban ecology in a way that surprises and soothes.
Benoît opens the gate on a distinctly French approach to burial: time-bound concessions that allow families to share space across generations and, when abandoned, make room for new remembrance. He explains how careful reclamation keeps the cemetery from becoming a frozen museum and why that policy matters in a dense city. Along the way, we talk about the book that sparked this conversation—full of tender photos of foxes, birds, and statuary—and the unexpected comfort wildlife brings to grieving families.
We also meet the man behind the name: Père La Chaise, a Jesuit confessor to Louis XIV, whose association with the land shaped its identity long before 1804. Benoît shares his own path from a family of stonemasons to law to public service, eventually becoming curator and living on site with his children. No ghosts here—just quiet nights, the rustle of wings, and a renewed sense that memory can coexist with growth. Come for the legends of Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison; stay for the everyday life that makes this place breathe.
If this journey moved you, follow and review the show, share it with a friend planning a trip to Paris, and subscribe so you never miss our next conversation. Follow Me at https://www.bookclues.com
You can find Benoit Gallot and the picture of Pere laChaise cemetary at Instagram @la_vie_au_cimitiere
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In this fascinating podcast episode, historian Gareth Russell delves into the riveting life of King James I. Michele McAloon, the host, describes Russell's latest book, 'The Six Loves of James the First,' as a compelling historical narrative that rivals even the most intricate fiction. Russell shares captivating anecdotes about James I's dramatic upbringing amidst religious turmoil, his complex relationships, and his influence on history, including the creation of the King James Bible and Jamestown. Throughout the discussion, Russell emphasizes the importance of balancing historical accuracy with the dignity of both historical figures and contemporary readers.
Connect with Michele on her website Bookclues https://www.bookclues.com/
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War Eagel! Roll tide! College game day! The Iron Bowl
A single game can define a state. We sit down with Yahoo Sports senior writer Jay Busbee to unpack how Alabama vs Auburn became the South’s fiercest mirror, reflecting pride, pain, progress, and power from 1893 to NIL. Jay’s new book, Iron in the Blood, traces the Iron Bowl’s evolution from picnic blankets and early tailgates to bowl-driven TV eras and today’s high-dollar recruiting wars, revealing how a rivalry without pro competition in the state grew into a year-round identity.
We go beyond scores to meet the people who built the myth: Bear Bryant’s thunderous authority and complicated path through integration; Sug Jordan’s Normandy-forged steadiness and Auburn family ethos; Nick Saban’s era-defining system that asked five-stars to wait their turn and won anyway. Along the way, we examine the 40-year hiatus, Birmingham’s iron roots, how a tossed-off line became the rivalry’s name, and why the legislature once had to force the schools to play again. Jay explains how football offered the South a way to rebuild civic pride after the Civil War and how the sport later became a public stage for change, even as politics pressed hard on the pace.
We also get honest about money. Boosters shaped both programs for decades, but NIL brought the cash into daylight and opened new fronts against mega-donors in the Big Ten and beyond. What happens to tradition when a playoff softens single-game stakes? Can another Saban rise in an era of transfers and player power? And why do Auburn and Alabama feel so different up close—one centered on family ties, the other scaled by dynasties and reach? Jay leaves us with a grounded prediction for the next Iron Bowl and a sober look at where the sport is heading.
If this conversation adds something to your Saturday, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a review with your favorite Iron Bowl memory or hot take on NIL—War Eagle or Roll Tide?
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https://sports.yahoo.com/author/jay-busbee/
Jay Busbee @jaybusbee on X
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A freighter longer than a skyscraper is tall. Waves four seconds apart that can bend steel. A ballad recorded in a single take that changed how an entire industry thinks about risk. We sat down with John U. Bacon, author of The Gales of November, to trace the Edmund Fitzgerald from blueprint to bell, and from storm science to the quiet rooms where families still keep watch.
We unpack what makes the Great Lakes uniquely dangerous: freshwater’s sharper, closer-spaced waves; locally brewing systems that sit right over your head; and the long, narrow hulls forced by the Soo Locks. John explains how changes to the Plimsoll line let ships ride lower and heavier than intended, why welded seams and added tonnage tightened margins, and how a northern route, dark beacons, and dead radar turned one November run into a blind sprint. We revisit the race dynamics of the locks, the near-miss culture of “just one more trip,” and the accident chain that can turn routine into tragedy in minutes.
Beyond the mechanics, we spend time with the people whose choices and dreams were on board: a celebrated captain delaying retirement to pay for his wife’s care, a young deckhand saving for a road trip and a future he’d mapped out, an engineer mailing a ring home days before the lake took him. Then we follow the song—Gordon Lightfoot’s first-take recording that became a national memorial—and how attention, grief, and storytelling helped drive reforms. The most striking fact remains: from 1875 to 1975, the lakes saw thousands of wrecks; in the fifty years since the Fitzgerald, not one commercial ship has been lost.
If you care about maritime history, human resilience, and how culture can push safety forward, this conversation belongs in your queue. Listen, share with a friend who loves Great Lakes lore or music history, and if it moved you, subscribe and leave a review to help others find the show.
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Professor Beer's website https://mollybeer.net
A woman without a rank helped a country find its balance. We sit down with Professor Molly Beer to explore Angelica Schuyler—born Engeltia into Dutch New York, educated at a royal governor’s table, and fluent in the quiet arts that hold a republic together. Her new book, Angelica: For Love and Country in Time of Revolution, uncovers a life lived at the center of events we think we know: Saratoga and Yorktown, the emergence of parties, and the uneasy peace that follows victory.
Across these pages and letters, we follow Angelica from Albany’s river-crossroads to London drawing rooms and the salons of Paris. She befriends Hamilton and Jefferson at once, attends Burgoyne’s Cambridge gatherings after Saratoga to enact peace in public, and navigates a marriage that gave her unusual latitude to move, write, and influence. Sixteen years in England offered a crucial vantage on the French Revolution—first the promise, then the terror—which sharpened her warning against faction at home. The themes feel urgent now: amiability as an active civic practice, soft power as statecraft, and the daily work of keeping rivals talking.
We also face the contradictions. Raised in a northern household that practiced domestic slavery, Angelica’s views evolved under French antislavery currents and through ties to figures like Pierre Toussaint. The record doesn’t flatter or flatten her; it traces change over time, showing how ideals and habits collide. Molly’s research—letters preserved by Jefferson, Hamilton, Lafayette, and the Schuyler family; archives across the Atlantic; houses that still stand—lets the story read with the pulse of a novel while staying anchored in evidence.
If you’re drawn to Revolutionary history, women’s leadership, and the subtle forces that shape public life, this conversation reframes the founding through a different lens. Listen to learn how a gifted hostess became a strategic peacemaker, how letters steered alliances, and why the most underrated builders of the United States may be the ones who put down the pistol case and set a longer table. Enjoyed this conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others discover it.
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Have you ever read Dracula??? child's play compared to John Blair's Killing the Dead; Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World.
A corpse that won’t stay put tells you as much about the living as it does about the dead. We sit down with Oxford’s Professor John Blair to chart how vampire epidemics rise when communities are shaken by disease, war, or rapid change—and why the freshly buried become suspects when fear demands a target. From cuneiform-era hints of walking corpses to the 1720s Habsburg–Ottoman frontier where exhumations spread like wildfire, we follow the ideas that fused Central European “dangerous dead” with bloodsucking demons from the Caucasus and Black Sea, eventually crystallizing into the vampire that haunts Western imagination.
Together we draw clear lines between ghosts, zombies, and walking corpses and explore cultures that treat death as a long passage rather than a moment. Greek funerary customs—wakes, ossuaries, inspection of clean white bones—frame a pragmatic logic: when decay stalls, ritual steps in. We examine gendered patterns that mark young women as prime “restless” candidates, echoing deep folklore about female power and unfinished lives. Then we head into the ground with a practical guide to reading graves: decapitation with bound legs, bodies flipped face down, hearts pierced or removed, jaws separated to stop biting and curses. Archaeology becomes a detective story, not a horror script.
We also connect neurology and narrative through sleep paralysis, including intense Hmong cases in the United States where trauma and disrupted belief systems turned night terrors deadly. Finally, we trace how the press and literature—Voltaire’s metaphors, Le Fanu’s Carmilla, and Stoker’s Dracula—reshaped scattered practices into a single, seductive archetype. If you’re curious about how societies manage grief, channel anxiety, and transform fear into ritual, this conversation opens a doorway from folklore to forensic clues and back again.
Subscribe, share with a friend who loves history or horror, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. What idea about vampires will you rethink after listening?
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What if the most important maps we’ll ever draw are hidden under miles of water and thousands of PSI? We sit down with physicist and exploration roboticist James Bellingham to trace a life spent pushing past pressure, busting tethers, and building the autonomous systems that make the deep sea knowable.
We start with the physics that rule the depths: hydrostatic pressure that crushes air spaces, why small pressure vessels survive better than big ones, and how neutral buoyancy and material science set the limits of human and machine. That frame sets up the cautionary tale of the Titan submersible—why carbon fiber shines in tension but falters in compression, how storage and certification matter, and what fast‑moving tech cultures miss when the ocean sets the terms. From there, we cut the cable. With radio waves blocked by conductive seawater, true autonomy became the only path. James explains how AUVs navigate without GPS, conserve energy, and work without ships, opening doors to safer, cheaper, and vastly wider exploration.
The payoff is discovery. Only about 26 percent of the seafloor is mapped with modern bathymetry, so AUVs deliver first looks: mid‑ocean ridges where new crust is born, hydrothermal vents that power sunless ecosystems, and trench habitats that most of us will never see yet shape global cycles. We revisit shipwrecks as time capsules—Endurance and Titanic rendered in crisp 3D—and walk through crisis missions that advanced science: Deepwater Horizon’s deep oil plumes metabolized by microbes, and the MH370 search that produced exquisite seafloor maps even without the plane. Each story underlines a simple truth: every dive, even the “unsuccessful” ones, expands the ocean’s blueprint.
Looking ahead, James sketches an ocean filled with quiet robot fleets running experiments, mapping chemistry and biology at scale, and building predictive skill for climate, fisheries, and coastal safety. The same playbook reaches outward to Europa and Enceladus, where subsurface oceans and likely hydrothermal vents could host life built on chemistry rather than sunlight. If the deep teaches anything, it’s that curiosity thrives without Wi‑Fi—and that exploration gets smarter when we let machines take the pressure.
If this journey into the hidden 70 percent sparked your curiosity, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves science, and leave a review with the deep‑sea question you want answered next.
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Michele McAloon is the host. You can find more interviews on her website https://www.bookclues.com.
The name Thomas Becket echoes through history as one of medieval England's most compelling figures – a man whose dramatic transformation from royal chancellor to martyred archbishop continues to captivate our imagination nearly a millennium later. In this episode, we're joined by Professor Michael Stotten from University College Dublin, a medieval historian whose expertise brings this extraordinary 12th-century drama to vivid life.
Born to Norman merchant parents in bustling London around 1120, Becket's early years gave little indication of his eventual fame. Far from displaying early signs of sainthood, he dropped out of studies in Paris, drifted without purpose, and eventually found employment as a clerk. It was only after joining Archbishop Theobald's household that his remarkable administrative talents began to shine.
When young King Henry II ascended the throne in 1154, Becket was appointed Royal Chancellor, beginning what contemporary accounts describe as one of history's greatest friendships. The two hunted, feasted, and worked together to strengthen royal governance across England – until everything changed in 1162. Henry's decision to appoint his trusted friend as Archbishop of Canterbury triggered an unexpected spiritual transformation in Becket, who suddenly began defending church privileges against royal authority with unyielding determination.
The friendship rapidly deteriorated as king and archbishop clashed over jurisdiction, culminating in Becket's six-year exile in France. Though peace was eventually negotiated allowing his return to England in 1170, Becket immediately reasserted his authority by excommunicating bishops who had participated in the coronation of Henry's son – a direct challenge to royal power.
The shocking climax came on December 29, 1170, when four knights, interpreting Henry's frustrated outburst as a command, murdered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during evening prayers. The brutality of killing England's highest churchman in his own cathedral stunned medieval Europe. Almost immediately, pilgrims reported miracles at his tomb, and within three years, Thomas Becket was canonized as a saint.
Professor Stotten guides us through this remarkable story with expert insight, explaining how Becket's cult spread throughout Europe and how, ironically, Henry II himself eventually embraced it – transforming his former friend from a symbol of resistance to royal power into a unifying national saint.
Listen now to discover how the complex relationship between Thomas Becket and Henry II changed the course of English history and left a legacy that continues to resonate with themes of power, duty, friendship, and faith that feel surprisingly modern.
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Have you ever wondered about the real-life inspiration behind shows like "The Americans"? Shaun Walker pulls back the curtain on one of history's most audacious espionage operations in this riveting conversation about his meticulously researched book, "The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West."
Walker reveals the extraordinary world of Russian "illegals" – spies who spend years, sometimes decades, living under completely fabricated foreign identities with absolutely no official connection to Moscow. Unlike traditional diplomatic spies, these deep-cover agents immerse themselves so thoroughly in their adopted countries that even their spouses and children may have no idea of their true identities. The training process alone is mind-boggling – five years of intensive preparation where recruits study everything from a country's school textbooks to its cultural nuances.
The origins of this program stretch back to the Bolshevik revolutionary movement itself, when Lenin's underground party used false documents and code names to evade Tsarist authorities. After the 1917 revolution, these same techniques were repurposed for intelligence gathering, creating a tradition that continues to this day under Vladimir Putin – himself a former KGB officer who once worked in illegals recruitment.
Most surprising is the program's continued relevance in our digital age. Despite biometric passports and advanced verification systems, Russia continues deploying illegals alongside newer tactics like social media manipulation. Walker's nine years of research, including access to the remarkable Mitrokhin Archive of smuggled KGB documents, provides unprecedented insight into this shadowy world where truth is stranger – and often more fascinating – than fiction.
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Contact the host of Cross Word, Michele McAloon https://www.bookclues.com
What makes us human? It's a question at the heart of today's most heated cultural debates, from abortion to artificial intelligence to gender identity. In this profound conversation, Princeton's Professor Robert George offers a compelling framework for understanding human dignity that transcends political divides.
The conversation explores how ancient philosophical errors resurface in modern debates. George identifies elements of Gnosticism – the belief that humans are essentially minds trapped in irrelevant bodies – in contemporary discussions about gender and personhood. He demonstrates how these philosophical premises, often unexamined, drive our ethical conclusions.
Perhaps most remarkably, George models respectful engagement across deep differences. Despite profound disagreements with colleagues like Peter Singer, he maintains friendships based on mutual truth-seeking and reasoned argument rather than personal attacks or political tribalism.
Whether you're wrestling with questions about AI ethics, the treatment of vulnerable populations, or how to navigate relationships in a polarized culture, this conversation offers wisdom that transcends partisan divides. Listen and discover why understanding what makes us human matters for everything else.
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Andrei Soldatov shares his firsthand account of Russia's transformation under Putin, explaining how the free press was systematically dismantled and the country became increasingly isolated from the West. His powerful narrative weaves personal stories of journalists who either resisted or succumbed to the system, providing crucial context for understanding Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its hostile stance toward America.
Check out Andrei Soldatov's and Irina Borogan's website
https://agentura.ru
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Professor John Ferling takes us on a captivating journey through the international dimensions of America's founding conflict in "Shots Heard Around the World: America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War." As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, this conversation reveals how our revolution emerged from the ashes of the Seven Years' War, when France began meticulously planning revenge against Britain after their devastating 1763 defeat.
The Revolutionary War proves far more complex and precarious than our national mythology suggests. British leaders initially believed they could quickly suppress colonial resistance, while American patriots hoped international pressure might force British concessions without prolonged conflict. Meanwhile, France's foreign minister Vergennes orchestrated a masterful long game—first providing secret aid, then openly joining the American cause in 1778 once French naval power had been rebuilt.
What makes this discussion particularly illuminating is Ferling's attention to the human dimension of the struggle. Continental soldiers endured unimaginable hardships, with mortality rates approaching 40%—far higher than American losses in World Wars I and II combined. The decisive Battle of Yorktown in 1781 represented an almost miraculous alignment of circumstances, as French naval forces under Admiral de Grasse arrived at precisely the right moment to trap Cornwallis's army.
Why should Americans today care about these international dimensions? Because they reveal how contingent our independence truly was. Without French strategic vision, financial support, and military intervention, the Revolution likely would have failed. Ferling makes a compelling case that Vergennes deserves recognition alongside Washington, Franklin, and Adams as a founding father of American independence.
What questions does this perspective raise about how we commemorate our national origins? How might understanding the Revolution's global context shape our approach to international alliances today? Listen now to discover how America's birth was fundamentally shaped by a worldwide struggle for power and the complex web of relationships that made independence possible.
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Andrew Weiss, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, reveals how Vladimir Putin rose from mediocre KGB officer to Russian leader through a series of accidents and opportunities rather than strategic brilliance or espionage expertise.
• Putin was a mid-level KGB officer who never achieved high rank before being chosen as Yeltsin's successor precisely because he seemed controllable
• The image of Putin as a master spy was deliberately created as propaganda but has been mistaken for reality by many in the West
• Russia's centralized governance and territorial expansion tendencies predate Putin by centuries
• Putin's relationship with oligarchs transformed them from independent powers to dependent vassals
• After 2014, Russia actively cultivated relationships with fringe political groups across Europe and America
• The 2022 Ukraine invasion backfired by strengthening NATO and Ukrainian resolve
• Putin believes he can outlast Western support for Ukraine by exploiting political divisions
• Understanding Putin as he truly is rather than as he portrays himself is critical for formulating effective policy
• The book uses graphic novel format to make complex Russian history and politics accessible to wider audiences
Visit bookclues.com for more information and commentary on this interview and other book discussions.
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"World War Zoos: Humans and Other Animals in the Deadliest Conflict of the Modern Age." University of Chicago Press
To find our more about Michele McAloon: Your host.
https://www.bookclues.com
What happens to zoo animals when war breaks out? It's a question few of us consider, yet the answer reveals profound truths about humanity's moral compass.
Professor John M. Kinder takes us on a haunting journey through World War II's forgotten captives in "World War Zoos: Humans and Other Animals in the Deadliest Conflict of the Modern Age." From pandas evacuated during the Pearl Harbor bombing to bears kept in Nazi concentration camps, these stories expose the complex relationship between humans and animals during humanity's darkest hours.
The moral questions are unsettling: How do zookeepers justify feeding lions when people are starving? Which animals live and which die when resources grow scarce? The hard decisions made during wartime strip away the educational veneer of zoos, revealing raw calculations about which lives matter most. As Kender explains, "Zoos spend a lot of time creating hierarchies of which animals are more important than others... but the ultimate lesson they send is we care about people more than any animal."
Particularly disturbing is the Nazis' weaponization of Germany's renowned zoological gardens. The "German Zoo" within Berlin's larger facility wasn't just an exhibition but a propaganda machine festooned with swastikas. Even more chilling was the Bear of Buchenwald, kept near concentration camp prisoners as a tool of dehumanization—a daily reminder that in Nazi ideology, camp inmates ranked below animals.
These historical accounts remain urgently relevant today. As climate change threatens ecosystems and conflicts engulf regions with zoos, we must reconsider fundamental questions about animal captivity. Are traditional zoos justified in the 21st century? Is bringing back extinct species through backbreeding ethical when so many living species face extinction?
Join us as we explore this overlooked chapter of history that challenges how we think about zoos, war, conservation, and our responsibility toward other species. Listen now and question your assumptions about our relationship with captive wildlife.
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Michele McAloon speaks with Olena Tregub, a Ukrainian civil society leader and anti-corruption advocate, about the realities of war in Ukraine and why American support remains crucial despite political uncertainty.
• Olena describes the terrifying routine of air raid alerts and Russia's intensified attacks on Ukrainian civilians
• Ukrainian defense relies heavily on US-supplied Patriot systems which cannot be replaced by European support
• Most corruption stories about Ukraine are Russian propaganda - approximately 60% are completely fake
• Ukraine has implemented significant anti-corruption reforms even during wartime, including new procurement agencies and oversight mechanisms
• Russia is fighting with support from China, North Korea, and Iran - forming an axis against Ukraine
• Ukraine possesses the most powerful army in Europe with valuable combat experience and technological innovations
• Ukraine gave up the world's third-largest nuclear arsenal after US pressure and security assurances
If you want to learn more about the host, visit bookclues.com.
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This Memorial Day episode revisits a conversation with Alison Maker about her book "Making the Best Years of Our Lives," exploring the classic 1946 film that portrayed veterans returning home from World War II.
• William Wyler, the film's director, was a Jewish immigrant who served as a major in the Army Signal Corps during WWII
• Wyler flew actual combat missions while filming documentaries and lost his hearing in one ear during service
• Harold Russell, who played Homer Parrish, was a real veteran who lost both hands in a training accident
• The film portrays three different couples: a long-established marriage, a troubled wartime marriage, and a new relationship forming
• "The Best Years of Our Lives" won seven Academy Awards and was more successful than "It's a Wonderful Life," which was released weeks later
• The movie realistically shows the challenges of veterans reintegrating into civilian society while maintaining a message of hope
• Producer Samuel Goldwyn and director William Wyler had creative tensions throughout production that extended into lawsuits lasting decades
• The film remains relevant today as we continue to understand and support veterans returning from conflict
As you celebrate Memorial Day, remember to honor those who sacrificed their lives or part of their lives for our nation.
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What if apocalypse doesn't mean the end of everything, but rather a revelation of new possibilities? Archaeologist Lizzie Wade turns our understanding of catastrophe upside down in this eye-opening conversation about how ancient societies transformed through crisis.
Speaking from Mexico City, Wade takes us on a global journey through civilizations that faced devastating challenges yet emerged transformed. She dismantles our preconceptions about Neanderthals, revealing not brutish cave-dwellers but communities capable of care and connection—even interbreeding with our ancestors during climate instability. The DNA evidence speaks volumes: almost all modern humans carry about 2% Neanderthal ancestry, suggesting cooperation rather than conquest.
The pattern continues across time and space. When Egypt's Old Kingdom collapsed amid severe drought around 4,200 years ago, elite texts described apocalyptic horror. Yet archaeological evidence from ordinary villages shows increased creativity, religious innovation, and more broadly distributed resources. Similarly, the Black Death decimated Europe's population but ultimately improved living conditions for survivors despite elites' desperate attempts to preserve feudal hierarchies. These historical patterns have striking parallels to our experience with COVID-19, suggesting we're still just beginning to understand the pandemic's long-term social effects.
Wade's most powerful insight may be about who gets to tell these stories. Written records typically come from those with power and privilege, while archaeology reveals a more complete picture by examining the lived experience of ordinary people. This perspective shift is especially crucial when considering colonial narratives like the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, which wasn't the inevitable triumph of "superior" civilization that European accounts depicted.
As we face climate change and other global challenges, Wade's research offers profound hope. Throughout human history, apocalypse has never meant extinction but transformation. The question isn't whether we'll survive, but what kind of society we'll create in response to crisis. What holds us back isn't technological limitations but fear of change—particularly from those benefiting most from existing systems. Are we brave enough to imagine entirely new possibilities?
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Dorian Linskey explores humanity's persistent fascination with apocalyptic scenarios through his book "Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World." This deep dive into our cultural obsession with the end times reveals how these narratives reflect our psychology, politics, and understanding of human nature.
• Mary Shelley created the first secular apocalyptic novel with "The Last Man," establishing a genre that continues to influence modern fiction
• Our imagination was "swallowed" by the atomic bomb for decades, making it the reference point for all other existential threats
• Pandemics often leave surprisingly little cultural impact despite their devastation, as seen after both the Spanish Flu and COVID-19
• Zombie narratives function as political commentary on social breakdown, revealing how communities respond to crisis
• Climate change has replaced nuclear war as our primary apocalyptic concern
• Apocalyptic language is used by various groups to motivate action or manipulate fear
• Looking at past unrealized doomsday predictions can provide reassurance about current anxieties
Find out more about Dorian Linskey at dorianlinskey.com or listen to his podcasts "Origin Story" and "Oh God, What Now?"
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The extraordinary journey of Volodymyr Zelensky—from Ukraine's most beloved comedian to its wartime president—represents one of history's most dramatic political transformations. Simon Shuster, who has reported from Ukraine and Russia for over 15 years, joins us to discuss his revealing biography "The Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky."
Having first met Zelensky during his improbable presidential campaign in 2019, Shuster witnessed firsthand how an entertainer with zero political experience captured Ukraine's highest office by playing a fictional president on television. What started as a seemingly naive political experiment took a profound turn when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Shuster takes us behind the scenes of Zelensky's remarkable metamorphosis from lighthearted performer to resolute wartime leader. Drawing from exclusive interviews with Zelensky, his wife Olena Zelenska, and top military commanders including General Valery Zaluzhny, the biography presents a nuanced portrait that avoids both hagiography and undue criticism. We explore how Zelensky consciously redesigned his persona when confronted with existential crisis, leveraging his performance skills to project strength and determination when Ukraine needed it most.
Particularly fascinating is how Zelensky revolutionized wartime communication, using social media and direct appeals to bypass traditional diplomatic channels and mobilize global support. His stubborn confidence—sometimes alienating allies with relentless demands—nevertheless secured unprecedented levels of military assistance when Ukraine's survival hung in the balance.
As the war continues with no clear end in sight, we discuss the challenges Zelensky faces in negotiating any potential peace settlement and what the future might hold for this unlikely world leader who found himself thrust into history. Whether you're interested in geopolitics, leadership in crisis, or the power of communication in modern warfare, this conversation offers invaluable insights into how one man's transformation mirrored his nation's fight for survival.
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Delve into the captivating world of the Jesuits with Dr. Marcus Friedrich, whose monumental work "The Jesuits: A History" illuminates five centuries of one of history's most influential and controversial religious orders. From their unexpected origins in the conversion of a Spanish nobleman to their current global presence under the first Jesuit pope, this conversation unveils the remarkable adaptability that has defined the Society of Jesus.
The Jesuits' story begins with Ignatius of Loyola, who transformed from courtier and soldier to religious leader after a battlefield injury forced an existential reckoning. Friedrich reveals how the order's unique organizational structure—featuring centralized leadership and the absence of common prayer—distinguished them from traditional monastic communities. Their functionally open mission of "helping souls" allowed Jesuits to engage with virtually every aspect of human existence, making them impossible to ignore in any serious study of early modern history.
What makes the Jesuits particularly fascinating is their perpetual ability to reinvent themselves. Whether riding the wave of European cultural advancement in their early centuries, adopting conservative positions in the 19th century, or embracing progressive causes after Vatican II, the Society has never been a monolithic entity. This diversity explains both their extraordinary influence and the animosity they've frequently encountered—culminating in their unprecedented suppression between 1773 and 1814.
Friedrich's historical perspective proves especially valuable for understanding Pope Francis, whose papacy cannot be fully comprehended without recognizing his formation as both a Latin American bishop and a Jesuit. While the Society faces challenges of declining European membership, their growing presence in non-European regions and innovative approaches to contemporary issues suggest continued relevance in the 21st century.
Whether you're fascinated by religious history, European intellectual development, or the cultural forces shaping our modern world, this episode offers invaluable insights into an order that has been, as Friedrich demonstrates, far more complex and consequential than commonly understood. Subscribe now for more conversations that uncover the hidden influences shaping our world.
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The passing of Pope Francis marks a pivotal moment in Catholic history, triggering ancient protocols that few outside the Vatican understand. As a canon lawyer within the Roman Catholic Church's legal system, I'm uniquely positioned to guide you through the fascinating reality behind papal succession.
Forget Hollywood's conspiracy theories and dramatic interpretations. The truth about what happens when a pope dies is simultaneously more mundane and more fascinating. From the Camerlengo calling the Pope's name three times in a final attempt to wake him, to the ceremonial destruction of the Fisherman's Ring with shears and a silver hammer, these traditions carry deep symbolic meaning developed over two millennia.
Pope Francis, true to his humble character, has chosen to break with several papal traditions. His body will be displayed at ground level rather than elevated during public viewing. Most significantly, he'll become the first pope in over a century to be buried outside St. Peter's Basilica, choosing instead St. Mary Major church where he often prayed before an ancient icon believed to have been painted by St. Luke himself. Rather than the traditional three nested coffins, Francis requested a single coffin of wood and zinc.
The coming days will bring the gathering of cardinals from around the world as they prepare for the conclave – the secretive process where they'll elect the next pope in the Sistine Chapel. While the governance of the Church temporarily falls to the College of Cardinals, we stand at a moment of profound transition in Catholic leadership. Whether you're a devoted Catholic or simply fascinated by these ancient traditions, this unprecedented moment offers a rare glimpse into ceremonies typically shrouded in mystery. What surprises might the Holy Spirit have in store? Only time will tell.
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Steve Delity brings history alive as he prepares to portray Daniel Harrington in the 250th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Lexington. Through meticulous research and authentic reproduction, he honors the legacy of the ordinary citizens who took extraordinary action on April 19, 1775.
• Daniel Harrington was the 36-year-old clerk of Captain John Parker's Lexington Militia who lived with his wife and seven children in a house facing the Lexington Green
• The night before the battle was filled with activity—Paul Revere and William Dawes arrived to warn of British movements while militia gathered at the village green
• Captain Parker instructed his men "do not molest them, do not fire on them" and "if they mean to start war, let it begin here"
• According to Harrington's deposition, as the militia began to disperse following British demands, a shot rang out that wasn't from the Lexington Minutemen
• After the British marched to Concord, Parker regathered his men for "Parker's Revenge," setting an ambush along the British retreat route
• Delighty was inspired to become a reenactor after watching the symbolic "black fog" of musket smoke descend on Lexington Green during a previous reenactment
• The 250th anniversary celebration will include multiple events beginning with Paul Revere's ride and continuing through the largest living history reenactment ever staged
Watch the televised reenactment with your family to understand how important our founding story is to our story today.
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The Battle of Lexington marked the beginning of the American Revolution, with ordinary farmers standing against British troops in an extraordinary act of courage and defiance despite overwhelming odds.
• Solomon Brown, an 18-year-old dairy farmer, first spotted British officers with concealed weapons on April 18, 1775
• Lexington was a struggling dairy community of 700 people in economic depression, yet deeply committed to revolutionary ideals
• Reverend Jonas Clark had been preparing his congregation for resistance since 1768, making Lexington more radical than surrounding towns
• The militia companies were well-organized with proper equipment made through cottage industries throughout Massachusetts
• The famous "shot heard round the world" likely came from either Lieutenant Sutherland or Solomon Brown
• The entire Battle of Lexington lasted less than three minutes but ignited eight years of revolution
• The 250th anniversary commemoration begins April 19, 2023, with reenactments broadcast nationally
• Historical reenactors have meticulously researched period accounts to create an accurate portrayal of events
If you like the show, please subscribe, like, and check out my YouTube channel at Crossword Author Interviews and website at bookclues.com to follow more conversations about America's founding history throughout this 250th anniversary year.
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James Arbib and I explore how humanity stands at the threshold of a fundamental paradigm shift from an extractive to a stellar world, and how technological change could transform our civilization for the better.
• Our current societal structures (governments, markets, property ownership) have persisted for 5,000 years because they confer advantages in an extractive production paradigm
• The extractive paradigm, requiring inputs from people and planet, inherently creates environmental degradation, inequality, and conflict
• "Stellar technologies" like solar panels and AI reach an ignition point where they require no further inputs but continue producing value
• Human nature isn't fixed but exists on a spectrum influenced by our production systems—extraction may tilt us toward greed while stellar systems could foster collaboration
• Change happens from the edges, not centers of power—cities and regions adopting stellar technologies will outcompete old systems through competitive advantage
• The transition will be like metamorphosis—painful but necessary—as we move from "caterpillar" to "butterfly"
If you like listening to my podcast, please like and subscribe, and check out my new YouTube channel called "Crossword Author Interviews Real, original."
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What happens when American military expertise meets Ukrainian battlefield determination? The answer lies in one of the most extraordinary untold stories of the Russia-Ukraine war.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, few expected Ukraine to survive. Behind the scenes, American military leaders faced an unprecedented challenge: how to support Ukraine without triggering World War III. Their solution was revolutionary – a secret command center in Wiesbaden, Germany, nicknamed the "V-spot," where U.S. generals remotely guided Ukrainian forces without ever setting foot on Ukrainian soil.
At the heart of this story are the remarkable personalities who forged an unlikely brotherhood. General CD Donahue, described as having "the ability to befriend inanimate objects," formed an immediate bond with Ukrainian General Zabrodsky that transcended military and cultural differences. This human connection proved just as crucial as the sophisticated weaponry that followed – from M777 howitzers to satellite-guided HIMARS systems that transformed the battlefield.
The partnership achieved stunning successes, including devastating attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet that forced its retreat from Crimean waters. Yet the relationship later fractured during Ukraine's failed 2023 counteroffensive when Ukrainian internal divisions led to a fateful splitting of forces against American advice. The resulting failure created mutual recriminations that continue to this day.
New York Times investigative reporter Adam Entous brings unprecedented insights into this secret military alliance, revealing how personal trust, technological innovation, and strategic disagreements shaped the war's trajectory. As Ukraine now faces an uncertain future under a new American administration, understanding this remarkable partnership has never been more important. Join us for this exclusive deep dive into the hidden command structure that changed modern warfare.
Subscribe now to hear more extraordinary stories from the front lines of global conflict and the shadowy world of military intelligence.
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Professor Margaret MacMillan illuminates how decisions made at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 continue to shape today's geopolitical landscape, particularly in understanding current European conflicts including Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
• The Treaty of Versailles and related settlements redefined Europe through borders that still cause tensions today
• World War I was the war that made World War II possible, with unfinished business from 1919 leading to future conflicts
• Self-determination principles created challenges when applied to ethnically mixed regions of Central and Eastern Europe
• Personalities of leaders at Paris 1919 profoundly influenced outcomes, with Wilson, Clemenceau and Lloyd George negotiating for six months
• Germany's refusal to accept defeat and responsibility contributed more to future conflict than actual treaty terms
• Russia was excluded from Paris negotiations, reflecting a position of outsider status that continues today
• Yugoslavia's creation and eventual violent breakup stemmed directly from decisions made in 1919
• Current European security questions echo issues faced after both world wars about preventing future conflicts
• The 80-year European peace since WWII remains historically unusual given the continent's conflict-filled past
• Great powers today remain cautious about direct confrontation due to the potentially catastrophic consequences
Check out more at bookclues.com and on YouTube at Crossword Author Interviews – don't forget to like and subscribe!
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Like and subscribe to Crossword on YouTube at Crossword Author Interviews. You can also find us at bookclues.com and follow Michele McAloon on X, BlueSky and TrueSocial, all @MicheleMcAloon1.
Professor Margaret MacMillan joins us to explore how the 1919 Paris Peace Conference shaped our modern world and why understanding this pivotal moment is essential for making sense of today's European conflicts.
• World War I as the war that made World War II possible and ended the relatively peaceful 19th century
• The challenge of self-determination in ethnically mixed regions where borders created inevitable tensions
• How personalities of leaders like Wilson, Lloyd George, and Clemenceau influenced critical decisions at Paris
• The lasting impact of borders drawn in 1919 on conflicts in Yugoslavia, Ukraine, and beyond
• Russia's historical position on the edge of Europe, torn between European identity and Eurasian exceptionalism
• The dangerous precedent set by violating the principle that borders shouldn't be changed by force
• How historical grievances from 1919 continue to fuel nationalist rhetoric in Hungary and elsewhere
• Europe's current moment of reflection about defense and identity after decades of relative peace
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Step into a world where ancient customs still whisper the stories of generations in 'Custodians of Wonder.' In this episode, we chat with Eliot Stein, a passionate author and BBC journalist, who unveils the remarkable narratives of the last custodians of cultural practices across the globe. Eliot shares how a serendipitous encounter with an elderly lace-maker ignited his quest to document these fading traditions, revealing intricate tales from the balafon player in Mali to the thread-making women in Sardinia.
Through Eliot's storytelling, listeners will uncover how these traditions not only embody artistic expression but serve as essential connectors to community identity and history. The episode dives deep into the struggles of passing these rituals onto the next generation, fostering a dialogue about the very essence of culture in an ever-evolving world.
Eliot's reflections inspire hope, revealing that while the future may seem uncertain, the dedication of these last guardians embodies a profound resilience and love for humanity. Join us to explore the rich tapestry of our shared heritage and to reflect on the customs that resonate in our lives today. Don't forget to subscribe and share your thoughts on the traditions that shape your world!
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How has the Bible managed to influence cultures across the globe for over two millennia? Join me, Michelle McAloon, as I sit down with Professor Bruce Gordon, the distinguished Titus Street professor of ecclesiastical history at Yale Divinity School, to uncover the Bible's remarkable journey. Together, we promise to unearth how this sacred text has continued to evolve, both through its divine inspiration and as a cultural artifact. Professor Gordon offers a wealth of knowledge from his acclaimed work, "The Bible: A Global History," as we explore the intricate historical and linguistic transformations that have allowed the Bible to resonate with diverse communities throughout history.
Our journey through time delves into the formation of the New Testament, where we discuss the challenges faced by certain books like Revelation and Hebrews in securing their place in the canon. We also navigate the diverse landscape of Christian Bibles, including the Ethiopian Bible, showcasing how translation into vernacular languages played a pivotal role in spreading the Bible's message across cultures. From the advent of the Gutenberg Press to modern digital platforms such as the Hallow app, we examine how technological advancements have consistently shaped and been shaped by the Bible, reinforcing its adaptability and enduring significance.
Beyond its textual influence, the Bible has also served as a profound symbol within various cultural expressions. Our discussion touches on its evolution from a collection of texts to a revered object of worship, permeating medieval art, drama, and rituals. As we look forward, we reflect on how contemporary technology continues to enhance biblical engagement, defying the outdated narrative of conflict between science and religion. By weaving through history, philosophy, and theology, we present an enriching narrative that underscores the Bible's timeless impact and its role in shaping human experience.
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What if the mysteries of consciousness and the universe are more connected than we ever imagined? Esteemed physicist and author George Musser joins me, Michelle McElhoun, on Crossword for an enlightening conversation that explores the fascinating intersection of physics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. Musser shares his insights into why physicists are increasingly drawn to these fields, suggesting they may hold the key to a unified understanding of our universe. Drawing from his book "Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation," Musser provides a compelling narrative on bridging the gap between mind and matter, urging listeners to reconsider the role of the observer in quantum physics and the humble perspective we occupy in the vast cosmos.
Our discussion ventures into the complexities of neural networks and their potential implications for understanding human intelligence and consciousness. Musser compares these networks to intricate webs of tiny switches, processing information in ways that challenge traditional computing models. We explore theories like integrated information theory, which propose that certain neural networks might theoretically possess consciousness due to their sophisticated feedback loops, and examine how these loops mirror the human brain's intricate systems. Musser emphasizes the engineering challenges these concepts present, while also highlighting their potential to revolutionize our understanding of both artificial and natural cognitive processes.
Curiosity and free will take center stage as we discuss their roles in human and machine learning. Reinforcement learning emerges as a fascinating example of how curiosity drives both humans and AI to persist through challenges without immediate rewards. Musser reflects on philosophical tensions between deterministic laws and the human experience of free will, drawing on his own life experiences to enrich the conversation. We wrap up by considering how AI might enhance our self-knowledge and deepen our understanding of human nature, inviting listeners to explore George Musser's work further and ponder the profound mysteries of consciousness.
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Thanksgiving holds a special place in the heart of America, and Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of "Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience," joins us to uncover the layers of history and meaning behind this cherished holiday. What if Thanksgiving is more than just a day for turkey and football? We promise you'll gain a deeper understanding of its origins, stretching back to 1621, and how it has come to symbolize unity and gratitude across the nation. From presidential proclamations to modern-day cultural shifts, this episode offers a comprehensive look at Thanksgiving's role in shaping American identity.
Our conversation with Melanie navigates the rich cultural tapestry of Thanksgiving. We explore how it stands as a testament to America's values of generosity and renewal, and how these themes resonate with the histories of immigrants and Native Americans alike. We shed light on the fascinating evolution of traditions, like the role of presidential proclamations from George Washington's era to Abraham Lincoln's impactful declaration, as well as the intriguing story of how turkey became the iconic centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast. With insights into the interplay between federal and state influences, we also delve into contemporary critiques and the enduring spirit of gratitude that defines this holiday.
As we gather around the table to reflect on Thanksgiving, we also consider its influence beyond American borders, linking it to the global phenomenon of Giving Tuesday. Melanie shares captivating insights from her book, rich with historical reflections and recipes that capture the essence of Thanksgiving. Join us as we celebrate this uniquely American holiday, embracing its themes of community and charity, and learn why Thanksgiving continues to bring us together, transcending time and political divides. Don’t forget to check out more episodes on archangelradio.com and keep the conversation going with us on Twitter!
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Can a civil rights icon lose its way? That's the provocative question we tackle as we dive deep into the Southern Poverty Law Center's journey from revered champion of justice to a polarizing force in activism. We're joined by Tyler O'Neill, managing editor of the Daily Signal and insightful author of "Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center." Tyler unveils the SPLC's transformation under Morris Dees, from its initial noble victories against the Ku Klux Klan to its controversial expansion that targets mainstream conservative groups. Through Tyler's lens, we explore the potential motivations behind this evolution and the role money and power might play in reshaping the organization's mission.
Our discussion also brings to light the contentious labeling of groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council as hate organizations by the SPLC. Examining a chilling incident where the Family Research Council was victimized in a violent attack, influenced by the SPLC's hate map, we confront the troubling intersections between activism and real-world violence. Listen as we dissect the ongoing tensions between social conservatives and LGBTQ advocacy, while delving into the complex dynamics that fuel these clashes. Prepare for a thought-provoking dialogue that challenges perceptions and encourages critical thinking about the motives of influential entities.
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Join me as I engage with the esteemed Professor John M. Ellis, author of "A Short History of Relations Between Peoples: How the World Began to Move Beyond Tribalism," to uncover profound insights into the evolution of human relations. The conversation kicks off with a journey back to the pivotal transformations around 1500, spurred by the Age of Discovery and Gutenberg's printing press. Discover how these monumental shifts in communication and exploration began to erode the barriers of tribalism, fostering a nascent global consciousness that all humans belong to one family.
Our discussion then transitions to the profound societal changes influenced by the British Empire. We explore how the rise of literacy in Britain ignited a public capable of championing moral causes, paving the way for the abolition of slavery. With intellectual heavyweights like John Locke and David Hume at the forefront, these concepts of equality and human rights spread across the English-speaking world, challenging outdated notions and misconceptions about race and human progress. Through this historical lens, we delve into the British Empire's role in the global dissemination of these progressive ideas, while also engaging with contemporary dialogues, such as critical race theory.
As the episode unfolds, we tackle the nuanced legacy of colonialism, with a particular focus on Africa. We examine the contrasting methods of past colonial powers and modern influences like China and Russia, while reflecting on the positive role of American multiculturalism and the impact of diverse communities in shaping contemporary society. Professor Ellis offers his perspectives on critical race theory, encouraging rich discussions that bridge cultural divides. Through engaging conversation and insightful analysis, this episode highlights the transformative power of books and dialogue in inspiring societal change.
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Is the rise of new media reshaping the future of politics?" Join me, Michelle McElhune, as I sit down with Bradley Devlin, politics editor of the Daily Signal and the voice behind the new podcast, Signal Sit Down. Together, we dissect the evolving landscape of media bias, drawing parallels between the decentralized power structures in Congress and the historical breakdown of the Holy Roman Empire. With Trump's recent election victory, we discuss how genuine, unfiltered conversations can offer a fresh take on political dynamics that mainstream outlets often overlook.
In our discussion, we uncover how alternative media, especially podcasts, have transformed political campaigns, allowing figures like Trump to engage with audiences outside traditional channels. As corporate media grapples with this shift, we explore the potential risks and rewards of trading old media power structures for new ones dominated by social media platforms. By reflecting on the media's role during Nixon's era and its introspection—or lack thereof—since the 2016 elections, we highlight the need for a balanced media diet to truly understand the complexities of today's world.
Tune in as Bradley introduces his podcast, "The Signal Sit Down," which promises to bring a conservative perspective to light in a landscape crowded with noise. As we anticipate future episodes, the spotlight will be on whether corporate or alternative media will emerge more influential post-election. Our conversation sets the stage for a deeper analysis of the media's credibility and its crucial role in shaping public perception in the modern political arena.
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Join us for a lively and insightful episode as we explore the theatrical nature of the current election season. With our special guest, Tony Kennett from the Daily Signal, we dissect how figures like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are transforming the political landscape with their unconventional approaches. Witness how Trump's social media dynamism has turned political engagement into a spectacle, reminiscent of a national comedy. We reflect on how Obama's initial social media strategies paved the way, but Trump's style has undoubtedly painted a new picture in the world of political engagement.
Our conversation takes you into the heart of a shifting media landscape, where traditional strongholds like the Rust Belt are now fertile ground for new political alliances. The Trump campaign has ingeniously tapped into this transition, reshaping conservative identity with a rebellious flair. Amidst the fast-paced news cycle, we explore the role of podcasts as sanctuaries for deeper reflection and analysis. Delve into the intriguing possibility that this might be the last time mainstream media dominates election narratives, as podcasts and new media forms foster more authentic connections with audiences.
Finally, we unravel the chaotic undercurrents of political decision-making, where backroom deals and reactive strategies are more common than perceived master plans. We share bold predictions about a Trump victory and a Republican Senate majority, assessing how electoral integrity concerns might play out. Tony Kennett provides a fascinating look at the world of live streaming and broadcasting, underscoring the power of staying informed and active. This episode blends political satire, media insights, and engaging discussions to keep you both entertained and enlightened during this extraordinary election season.
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Discover how the digital revolution is reshaping education with insights from Dr. Mark Bauerlein, a senior editor at First Things and English professor at Emory University. Our conversation navigates the challenges posed by social media and smartphones, which are distracting students from engaging with traditional literature. We tackle the shift in educational priorities, moving from a deep dive into Western civilization to focusing merely on critical skills through brief text analysis. This transformation, influenced by progressive and libertarian agendas, has led to the erosion of classic texts and cultural literacy. Dr. Bauerlein provides a profound look into how this impacts students' analytical skills and cultural awareness, urging the need for a balance between contemporary skills and traditional knowledge.
We also address the pressing issue of declining literacy and educational standards, with the pandemic further unraveling student engagement and preparedness. The episode questions the role of federalism, with its uneven curriculum standards, and explores the political responses pushing for school choice through vouchers and charter schools. As we explore the potential of classical education and the recent push to ban cell phones from schools, we highlight the media's role in shedding light on the negative effects of digital tools on Gen Z. This episode is a call to action for supporting educational institutions that prioritize intellectual growth, and for recognizing the societal benefits of incorporating classical teachings into modern education.
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Discover the extraordinary journey of Ambassador John J. Sullivan, who navigated his path from South Boston's streets to the high-stakes world of international diplomacy as the U.S. ambassador to Russia. With a rich family legacy steeped in military service, Sullivan's early passion for foreign policy and national security carved his path through pivotal roles, including serving at the Justice Department during Operation Desert Storm. His career trajectory, marked by pivotal decisions and unique challenges, offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of law and diplomacy.
Continue with us as Ambassador Sullivan recounts his unexpected extension as U.S. ambassador to Moscow under President Biden, a role initially appointed by President Trump. Gain insights into the dynamic responsibilities of leading a U.S. embassy during the COVID-19 pandemic and the complexities of advocating for Americans wrongfully detained in Russia. Sullivan's compelling narrative sheds light on the intricacies of maintaining diplomatic relations and the emotional and moral obligations that accompany such positions.
As we conclude, the conversation shifts to the geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, where the resilience of Ukraine becomes a focal point against Russian aggression. Sullivan reflects on Vladimir Putin's nationalist ambitions and the broader implications for global security. The dialogue is rounded off with a heartfelt acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by those in public service and their families, underscoring a collective commitment to national duty. This episode promises an enlightening exploration of diplomacy, geopolitics, and the personal stories behind public service.
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Conservative women are reshaping the political narrative, challenging the status quo with boldness and tenacity. Virginia Allen, co-host of the 'Problematic Women' podcast and a contributor to the Daily Signal, sheds light on the pressing issues at the U.S.-Mexico border, providing firsthand insights from her travels across key regions like Eagle Pass, El Paso, and Yuma. Her vivid accounts reveal the realities faced by Border Patrol agents amidst the Biden administration's controversial policies and the influx of millions seeking a new life in the U.S.
From examining the Biden administration's attempts to curb illegal immigration to highlighting the ongoing menace of cartels exploiting vulnerable migrants, our discussion traverses the complex terrain of modern immigration challenges. We dissect policy shifts, such as the introduction of the CBP One app, and ponder their implications compared to the 'Remain in Mexico' era. Virginia's perspectives offer a critical look at the apparent inaction from authorities on both sides of the border, stressing the urgency for decisive leadership to confront these humanitarian and security dilemmas.
Amidst these pressing issues, we explore the broader implications of immigration on society, emphasizing the need for a streamlined legal process that supports both economic growth and immigrant assimilation. Echoing concerns seen across Europe, we discuss the strains on public resources and the importance of creating an effective system to aid immigrants in integrating into American life. Through candid conversations and cultural commentary, our episode seeks to inspire thoughtful dialogue and actionable solutions in the face of a multifaceted crisis.
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Could America's administrative state be the greatest threat to liberty today? Ned Ryan, author of "American Leviathan: The Birth of the Administrative State and Progressive Authoritarianism," joins us to tackle this monumental question. We trace the origins and growth of the administrative state from Woodrow Wilson's era to today's sprawling bureaucracy, which has evolved into a behemoth with over 440 departments. Ryan offers a thought-provoking critique of this centralized power, challenging its compatibility with the foundational principles of the United States and highlighting the risks it poses to American freedom and national security.
Engage with a detailed examination of the historical clash between progressivism and conservatism, as we explore how early progressives, influenced by thinkers like Georg Hegel, envisioned the state as a tool for societal perfection. This vision starkly contrasts with the founders' intent to diffuse power and safeguard individual rights. Our discussion extends to contemporary politics, pondering the potential consequences of a second Trump presidency on the administrative state and the complexities involved in dismantling entrenched bureaucratic structures.
Explore the necessity of executive reform and state and local governance's pivotal role in American life. We contemplate the modern political landscape, where the concentration of power and the influence of money sustain the status quo. With Trump's unique position challenging the status quo, questions arise about how to restore the original intent of the Constitution. We conclude with strategic reflections on personnel and political operations from Trump's first term, offering key lessons for future governance and emphasizing the critical importance of informed leadership in navigating political warfare.
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Is America's housing crisis a ticking time bomb? Join us as we welcome James Burling, author of the thought-provoking book "Nowhere to Live," to uncover the staggering statistics and alarming realities facing millions of Americans. With many individuals spending more than half their income on housing and states like California battling a severe shortage of homes, this episode promises to reveal the foundational role of private property rights in American liberty and how modern regulations are throttling our ability to build and afford homes.
Discover how zoning laws, once tools for socio-economic exclusion, continue to shape our neighborhoods and property values. Burling sheds light on the morally and economically inefficient practices of early 20th-century zoning laws, upheld by the Supreme Court, which still influence today's housing landscape. Learn about the pivotal steps states like California and Oregon are taking to create more inclusive zoning policies that aim to promote economic equity and social justice for all, particularly for younger generations who bear the brunt of these outdated regulations.
Finally, we tackle the multifaceted barriers to housing development, from restrictive zoning laws to stringent environmental regulations. Burling draws parallels to the higher education sector, highlighting how increased funding without addressing underlying constraints only leads to soaring costs. The conversation questions whether extreme environmental viewpoints should always prevail over the urgent human need for affordable housing. By exploring potential solutions and the importance of prioritizing human needs, this episode is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the future of America's housing market.
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Ever wondered how a city could be divided by more than just a wall? Join me, Michele McAloon, as I sit down with the brilliant Bryn Turnbull to navigate the poignant and gripping world of historical fiction in her latest book, "The Berlin Apartment." We promise you'll gain a deeper understanding of Berlin's turbulent history post-World War II, from the city's division by Allied powers to the eventual rise of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Through the compelling story of Lise, a medical student caught on the West side while her fiancé remains trapped in the East, Bryn highlights the profound emotional and physical divides that affected real lives.
In another segment, we uncover the invasive surveillance tactics of East Germany and their impact on families split by ideology. Discover the contrasting paths of Lise, who leans towards Western ideals, and her brother Paul, a devout East German police officer influenced by the harrowing aftermath of World War II and Soviet occupation. We also have an enlightening conversation with Bryn Turnbull herself, discussing her inspirations and intricate writing process behind "The Berlin Apartment." Don't miss this captivating episode that blends historical insight with compelling storytelling, perfect for those looking to enrich their summer listening. And be sure to check out my new website at http://michelemcaloon.squarespace.com
What happens when the fate of an entire nation hinges on a series of critical, split-second decisions? Sir Laurie Bristow, the last UK ambassador to Afghanistan, pulls back the curtain on the frantic final months preceding the fall of Kabul in August 2021. From the ramifications of the 2020 Doha Agreement to the chaotic evacuation scenes, he offers a gripping narrative of the UK’s exit from Afghanistan, sharing unparalleled insights and personal anecdotes that bring this pivotal historical moment to life.
We dissect the complex decision-making processes and coordination efforts among international allies and NGOs that occurred within the Green Zone, navigating through the murky waters of unpredictable intelligence. Sir Laurie vividly recounts the rapid collapse of Afghan regional capitals, the logistical nightmare of transitioning to Camp Taipan, and the hair-raising ordeal of the evacuation operation. The emotional toll, strategic decisions, and sheer bravery involved in these efforts paint a vivid picture of the human side of diplomacy and military operations.
Finally, we reflect on the extraordinary courage displayed by young soldiers and officials during this crisis, spotlighting personal stories of resilience and sacrifice. Sir Laurie’s book, "Final Call Kabul," encapsulates these intense moments and offers a broader analysis of the strategic implications of the withdrawal. For those looking to understand the profound impact of these events on global politics and the socio-political landscape of Kabul, this episode promises a compelling and deeply informative journey. Tune in and join the conversation on one of the most significant geopolitical events of our time.
Leadership and Common Sense. What did Machiavelli and St Augustine have in common? Can we learn leadership from the failures of Napoleon? Why did President Lincoln's impeccable timing create a more equal nation? Join me in this fascinating conversation with Yale professor and Pulitzer Prize winner John Lewis Gaddis, author On Grand Strategy (Penguin Press 2018). From Ancient Greece to Ronald Reagan, Professor Gaddis traces a path of common sense and leadership for both the individual and the nation state. In a light hearted conversation filled with nuggets of brilliance (Professor Gaddis) travel through time to get a first hand glimpse of how successful leaders succeed.
Here is a link to Professor Gaddis's course https://jackson.yale.edu/academics/grand-strategy-program/
Human rights? Do they exist in a post Christian America? Can democracy even survive in a world without religion? John Daniel Davidson a senior editor at the Federalist https://fedsoc.org/ has written a soul searching and searing book Pagan America: The Decline of Christianity and the Dark Age to Come. All the social issues of our times are touched by the role of religion in society. Join me for this thought provoking conversation. Learn. Listen. Engage.
mysteryhints@gmail.com email for Michele McAloon
Presidential history was made this past week whether or not you agree or disagree with the verdict. The President of the United States of America. There is no other political office in the world like it. The 45 men who have filled the office have come from diverse backgrounds to embrace the many different challenges unique to the American experiment. Mary Carol Ghislin, a seasoned teacher and author has written a very charming and important book; Growing Up to Be President: U.S. history for kids (Journey to Freedom). BUT This isn't just for kids. Each of the 45 presidents are presented from a historian's perspective as Mary Carol Ghislin recounts relevant events of their respective childhoods that influenced their decision making. Presidents who were enslavers are who freed slaves are also noted along with each presidents position on civil rights and immigration. There is also a focus on Founding Fathers who were not presidents. From George Washington to the consequences of the Dred-Scott Case to Vietnam and fall of the Berlin Wall learn how US presidents have met each of these challenges. Our US democracy now more than ever needs both adults and children to Fill in the Knowledge Gap.
What is really behind the campus protests and possibly all the vocal ills of current society? Didn't Marxism die when the Berlin Wall fell? Dive in with me as we discuss NextGen Marxism with authors Katie Gorka and Mike Ryan. We talk about how a Marxism shaped by European Intellectuals and adapted by 1960's radicals has once again reared it's ugly head in the campus protests, the reduction of individuals to their sex, race and ethnicity, widespread anti-semitism and the indoctrination of children into radical ideologies.
In all this chaos there is a glimmer of hope as Americans push back on radical liberal ideologies to once again try to re-establish the strength of American democracy.
Paris..a charachter in it's own right. Join me in conversation with Professor Mike Rapport Author of City of Light, City of Shadows: Paris in the Belle Epoque published by Basic Books https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/imprint/basic-books/
If you are traveling to Paris this summer, have traveled to Paris or have ever dreamed of traveling to Paris this is a book you MUST read. A great history book that can easily serve as a travelogue for the curious.
The Eifel Tower, the Metro, Department Stores, Cabarets, the word Bohemian, and Sacre Coeur all came to life in Paris in the years prior to World War I. The mythical age known as the Belle Epoque in the years from 1870-1914 still lives in the imagination of the Western World. Join me in discussion with Professor Rapport as we describe these tumultuous creative years in the decades leading up to the tragedy of the Twentieth Century European Wars.
Anna Reid, author of Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine writes about the history of Ukraine in a prosaic story of the people who through the centuries have claimed Ukraine as home. From saber rattling Cossacks to Kiev Rus, to Poles, Jews, Lithuanians and Crimean Tatars all who have walked and fought in Ukraine have woven a tale of hardship, endurance and determination to become a a fiercely proud Ukrainian people. Borderland is an entertainingly informative book to understand Ukraine, past, present, and future and why the independence of Ukraine is so important to Europe and the United States.
Two royal princesses from a small principality in late 19th century German lands marry into the House of the Russian Romanovs. Princess Alex of Hesse and her sister Princess Ella lives end tragically when killed by the Russian Communists in 1918. Clare McHugh in her second novel tell the history of the fate of these two young women. Join me in conversation as we talk about Clare McHugh's latest novel The Romanov Brides. published by William Morrow Paperbacks.Check out Clare McHugh's website http://claremchugh.com
A French scandal over 125 years ago that still reverberates around the world. Alfred Dreyfus was a captain in the French Army whose faith was Jewish. He was accused of spying for the German Army. His conviction in 1894 and subsequent acquittal gripped the attention of the world and forever changed France.
Join me in conversation with Dr Maurice Samuels about his recent book Alfred Dreyfus; The Man at the Center of the Affair published by Yale University Press
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/
Also my podcast now is on the the Crusade Radio Network ...Check it out!!
https://crusadechannel.com/
Did you know that American soldiers actually went to war in Russia in 1918?
Listen to this discussion with Anna Reid, author of "A Nasty Little War; The West's Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution" published by Basic Books. It is a tale of heroes and scoundrels that few in the West know about much less understand.
Check out Basic Books ...they have some very well written history books.
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/imprint/basic-books/
A conversation with Father Fessio, Founder of Ignatius Press about "He Left Us So Much" A Tribute to Pope Benedict XVI written by Cardinal Robert Sarah. Pope Benedict XVI -Cardinal Ratzinger was an amazing man. His life spanned the 20th century. He saw the rise of Nazi Germany to the 21st Century crisis in the Church. Throughout it all he followed a spiritual itinerary that lead him to an ever closer friendship with God. The late Pope Benedict was probably one of the most cultured and educated men to hold the Chair of St Peter. His writings today stand as a testament to a European past and what the culture of Europe can still offer to the world today.
You can find this beautiful book and many more at Ignatius.com,
Did you know that Stalin, Hitler and Mao were voracious readers? Where did the paper book pocket book come from? Join me in this conversation with renowned historian Andrew Pettegree, as we discuss his latest The Book at War, How Reading Shaped Conflict and Conflict Shaped Reading. We discuss the fascinating and often overlooked role of books in warfare, exploring how reading shapes conflict and how conflict, in turn, shapes reading. Professor Pettegree reveals that books are not just hapless victims of destruction in wars but powerful tools for war making, as they can motivate populations and fuel ideologies that lead to wars. The conversation highlights historical examples, such as the destruction of libraries during World War II and the weaponization of book culture by dictatorships like Nazi Germany and Russia. Furthermore, we explore how books have influenced major conflicts, including the American Civil War and both World Wars. Overall, this episode sheds light on the enduring power of books and how they continue to play a significant role in the development and battle of ideas in society.
The Book at War, How Reading Shaped Conflict and Conflict Shaped Reading is published by Basic Books
Napoleon Bonaparte was not only a brilliant military strategist but also a master of propaganda. Join me in this conversation with Professor David A Bell from Princeton University. He is an author of several books to include
- Napoleon: A Concise Biography (Oxford University Press, 2015) is a short study written for Oxford's "Very Short Introductions" series.
You can find more information about Professor Bell at https://history.princeton.edu/people/david-bell
To my listeners who have been so patient! Thanks for encouraging me back to podcasting. It's a joy to be back to talk all things books!!
Who has not wondered through the Christmas Tree lot trying to avoid the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree? In 1965 A Charlie Brown Christmas made its debut. The first TV special based on the comic strip Peaunts garnered wide acclaim and throughout the decades it has become an American Christmas tradition. Join me in conversation with Blake Ball author of Charlie Brown's America: The Popular Politics of Peanuts.
My apologies for the re-runs. I will start a new season January 2023
Join me in conversation with Melanie Kirkpatrick to talk about all things Thanksgiving!! Have a great Thanksgiving!
What is purgatory? is it horrible? Does it lack joy? What is it suppose to achieve? Join me in conversation with first time author Michael Norton to discuss his book A Hitchhiker's Guide to Purgatory published by Ignatius Press. This is a charming tale of the possible journey toward eternity.
Find Michele McAloon @MicheleMcAloon1
To some it was a disaster and the ruin of the Roman Catholic Church to others a saving grace..Vatican II from its very inception until today has been the center of a storm of controversey. Join me in conversation with none other than the leading Catholic intellectual in the world today--Mr. George Weigel as we talk about his book To Sancitfy the World ; The Vital legacy of Vatican II (Basic Books)You can find George Weigel's writings at the Catholic Difference on https://eppc.org/
Because you can never get enough Dracula this time of year. This is a repeat performance! Dracula..the Motherlode of all horror stories just in time for all hallows eve and all souls day .
Join me in conversation with Dr Doug Mitchell, my friend with a PhD in literature, as we talk about Brahm Stoker"s 1897 classic Dracula. Redemption. purity, bats and werewolves all rolled into this towering gothic novel. We discuss the Catholic and literary themes that have long held a fascination for a classic Halloween tale
Ignatius Press Critical Edition of Dracula
https://www.ignatius.com/promotions/ignatiuscriticaleditions/stoker-dracula.htm
Meet the Minds behind the Dracula Edition
Eleanor Bourg Nicholson is the assistant executive editor for Dappled Things and assistant editor for the Saint Austin Review (StAR). She is editor of several Ignatius Critical Editions volumes, and has collaborated with other editors to provide footnotes for numerous others.
Looking for a fabulous faithful Catholic High School try:
https://stmichaelchs.org/
St Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama
ST Michael Pray for US!!!
The Sassoon family was one of the richest families in the world in the 19th century, From a Baghdadi Jewish community to the dizzying heights of British aristocracy the Sassoons were an economic success story mirroring the fortunes of colonial Britian. Join me in conversation with Joseph Sassoon, author of The Sassoons: The Great Globbal Merchants and the Making of an Empire published by Pantheon Books.
Want io understand why individualism does not work for human beings, familiies or communities? Want to understand how our individualistic understanding of our selves is not the turth? Join in Conversation with Father Timothy Vivarek, author of as I have Loved You. published by Emmaus Road Publishing. BE A RADICAL listen to this PODCAST!
You can read Father Timothy Vivarek's article on https://www.thecatholicthing.org/
Find Michele @michelemcaloon1
Casey Chalk is one of the premier Catholic voices in the US today. Join me in conversation with Casey as we discuss his book, The Persecuted: The Stories of Courageous Christians Living Their Faith in Muslim Lands published by Sophia Institute Press.
You can find Casey at https://www.caseychalk.com/
Talk to Micele on Twitter @michelemcaloon1
One of my most interesting conversations yet! Join me as we discuss Islam in view of Christianity , with Dr David Pinault, author of The Crucifix on Meccas Front Porch (Ignatius Press) This is not an apology for Islam but an analytical view of Islam in order to better understand Christianity.
Dr Pinault is also the author of Providence Blue, a fictional tale of kenotic theology. Youn can listen to my interview here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1677349/9414830-providence-blue.mp3?download=true
Join me in conversation with Joesph Pearce, author of Faith of Our Fathers, A History of True England (Ignatius Press) as we talk about St Albin, Edward the Confessor, the Glastonbury thron tree, middle English and Shakespeare as a Catholic.
Find Michele on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1.
The family of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is an integral part of the history of Europe. Join me in conversation as we talk about some of the cousins of the Queen. Two young girls Alexandran and Ella, also Prince Phillip's great aunts, of the royal Hesse family in Darmstadt Germany marry into the Russian royal family for love. They both come to a tragic end at the hands of Russian Bolsheviks. Authr Clare McHugh discusses her research on the lives and deaths of these two young royal women.
Clare McHugh is author of A Most English Princess, A novel of Queen Victoria's daughter.
Find Michele on twitter @michelemcaloon1.
If alien life is discovered on another planet or in another universe how woud they relate to us and God? Would they be marked by origninal sin like us? Would aliens need baptizing? join me in conversation with Dr Paul Thigpen author of ETI and Catholic Theology, published by Tan Books. Dr Thigpen traces the history of man's wandering about the existence of alien life. From the ancient Greek to the Foo Fighters humanity has always looked to the heavens and wondered who else may be in the universe. I BELIEVE! They are
out there!
Find Michele@
https://twitter.com/michelemcaloon1
In a world without God can suffering and evil be understood? What makes a Mass Shooter? Kaye Park Hinkcley author of Shooting At Heaven's Gate explores these questions in her well written fictional story set in Alabama. Ms Hinkcley creates a crisp, poignant and sometimes humorous narrative in asking how does suffering and faith shape our lives. Summer Reading at its Best!
Find Kay's Book at https://chrismpress.com/
July 31st is the Feast Day of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order. Join me in dicussion with German Professor Markus Friedrich as we discuss his book The Jesuits; A History, an Amazon's Editor's pick. (published Princeton University Press) From St Ignatius, a wounded war veteran to Pope Francis I, Jesuits have always been on the forefront of contemproary history and controversey. Learn about the history of this storied order.
Who really was this man President Andrew Jackson? Join me in conversation with David S. Brown author of The First Populist; The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackon published by Scribner. Andrew Jackson looms large in the American historical imagination Find out who the man really was from frontiersman, war hero to the seventh president of the Untied States. A very well informed and balanced bigoraphy of the historical figure of Andrew Jackson
July 14 is Bastille Day. A great way to commenorate this auspicious event is to grab a glass of chmpagne or a good bordeaux and listen to my interview with Professor Olivier Zunz, author of The Man Who understood Democracy: The Life of Alexis de Tocqueville published by Princeton University Press. A wonderfully well crafted biography about a French man who truly beleived in democracy in both the US and France .
You can find out more about the works of Professor Zunz https://press.princeton.edu/our-authors/zunz-olivier
Follow Michele on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
How does a person live with the moral injury of war? Through hope and faith. Benjamin Sledge, combat veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq battlefields, author of Where Cowards Go To Die -Regnery Gateway Publishing, talks about PTSD, loss, growth and hope. How does one grow out of horrific expereinces? Sledge tells of his path of resiliency and coming home after combat.
Connect with Bejamin Sledge https://benjaminsledge.com/
Join me to discuss the hottest topic in the nation with Alexandra Desanctis coauthor of Tearing US Apart; How Abortion Harms Everything and Solves Nothing, published by Regnery.Written before the Court decsion to overturn Roe vs Wade, Ryan Anderson and Alexandra DeSanctis were able to foretell some of the logic used by the Supreme Court justices to come to their historical decsion.
Read the Supreme Court decsion yourself! Dont let the media tell you what is in the decsion..you can find it here https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/19-1392_6j37.pdf Then read this book to understand why the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe vs Wade and Casey vs Planned Parnthood. Be informed, not emotional.
Find Michele on twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
The Best Years of Our Lives was a 1946 movie classic. The movie narrates a story of three veterans returning from the front lines of World War II and their struggles to adapt to the front lines of home life, work and family. Alison Macor, film critic and author has written a charming book about the making of this award winning classic . Join me in discussion as we talk about her recently published book *Making the Best Years of Our Lives; The Hollywood Classic that Inspired a Nation.
You can find this book on*https://utpress.utexas.edu/
In light of DDay June 6, I have decided to rerun this interview made for Veteran's Day of last year. The M-1 Garand, the standard rifle for World War II Infantryman. becomes a microphone for the living members of the Greatest Generation. Join me in conversation with Mr. Andrew Biggio, US Marine, combat veteran, and Massachusetts police officer, author of The Rifle: Combat Stories From America's Last WWII Veterans, Told Through an M1 Garand.. published by Regnery History. Mr. Biggio traveled the country to speak with over 200 living veterans from World War II. He shares with us their stories of war, deprivation, courage, and tenacity both on the battlefield and in the decades after the war. This show is dedicated to my father-in-law, Colonel James J. McAloon who was truly the very best of the Greatest Generation.
You can connect with Mr. Biggio's nonprofit to help wounded veterans Boston's Wounded Vet Run @ Theyfoughtweride.com.
D-Day is June 6. We have all heard of Easy Company, the Band of Brothers and Dick Winters but little has been written of Ronald Speirs, the longest serving commander of Easy Company. Join me in conversation with co-author Jared Frederick as we discuss his new book Fierce Valor: The True Story of Ronald Speirs and His Band of Brothers published by Regnery History.
Beware of Davos and the World Economic Forum. Join me in conversation with authors Michael D. Greaney and Dawn K. Brohawn as we talk about their recent book; The Greater Reset: Reclaiming Human Sovereignty Under Natural Law published by Tan Books https://tanbooks.com/Forget the conspiracy theories but find out why the solutions of Karl Schwab and the Great Reset might not be good for human community or the dignity of the created human being .
Michael D. Greaney and Dawn K. Brohawn can be found on their website Center for Economic and Social Justice https://www.cesj.org/
Zelensky: The Unlikely Ukrainian Hero Who Defied Putin and United the Worldis a compelling account of this fascinating, enigmatic leader. Join me in conversation with Andrew Urban as we discuss Zelensky's childhood, family history, and astonishing transformation from TV celebrity to president of Ukraine. We also talk about the anti- hero Putin and what the world community faces as this war grinds on.
https://www.regnery.com/9781684513789/zelensky/ Regnery Publishing
Find Andrew Urban @ https://wrongfulconvictionsreport.org/author/andrew/
On May 15, 2022 Pope Francis will declare Father Charles de Foucauld a saint. Learn the story of this enigmatic man of the dessert who began life as a champagne drinking French aristocrat to become a follower of Jesus Christ in the middle of the Saharan dessert. Join me in conversation with Dr David Pinault, a Middle Eastern scholar and a Roman Catholic to talk about the Church's newest saint. The book is Charles de Foucauld written by Jean Jacques Antier and published by Ignatius Press,
https://ignatius.com/ Ignatius press
Follow me on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
The most beautiful and famous ballerina of the world may have been poisoned by Stalin, the brutish dictator of the USSR. There is an eerie line between Stalin's grim poison lab and Covid 19. Join me in conversation with John E. O'Neill and Sarah C. Wynne coauthors of The Dancer and The Devil; Stalin. Pavlova and the Road to the Great Pandemicpublished by Regnery Publishing. A fascinating true life crime story of communist dictators and the lengths they will go to kill the opposition. This book is an absolute must read for everyone who wants to understand the true depth of evil perpetuated by communist regimes.
Watch Anna Pavlova dance the dying swan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMmx_8oshU
Check out the website the dancer and the devil here https://www.danceranddevil.com/
St Michael the Archangel Pray for us
Catholic literature is on fire these days. Catholic publishing houses, press, and journals are booming. Join me in conversation with Dr Joshua Hren, one of the founders of the University of St Thomas at Houston Master of Fines Arts programming in Creative Writing--a series of comprehensive seminars in the Catholic literary and intellectual tradition. Dr Hren is also the founder of Wiseblood Books and the author of Infinite Regresspublished by Angelico Press and Contemplative Realism; A Theological-Aesthetical Manifesto The Benedictine Institute .
Wiseblood Books https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/
Angelico Press https://www.angelicopress.org/
The Benedictine Institute /https://benedictinstitute.org/
University of St Thomas at Houston Master of Fines Arts programming in Creative Writing-
https://www.stthom.edu/Academics/School-of-Arts-and-Sciences/Division-of-Liberal-Studies/Graduate/Master-of-Fine-Arts-in-Creative-Writing/Index.aqf?Aquifer_Source_URL=%2FMFA&PNF_Check=1
Padre Pio is a spiritual superstar. In his 80 year life, he bore the wounds of Christ, he could be located in two places at once, fought the devil, healed people, read souls, and prophesized. None other than the former Chief Exorcist of the Vatican tells the story of Padre Pio's life Tony Ryan of Ignatius press joins me in conversation to talk about Padre Pio Stories and Memories of My Mentor and Friend written by FR. GABRIELE AMORTH and published by Ignatius Press
FR Gabriele Amorth (1925–2016), a priest of the Congregation of San Paolo, was the chief exorcist at the Vatican and internationally recognized as the world's foremost exorcist. Two of his major books are An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories.
you can find Ignatius Preshttps://ignatius.com/s
You are designed to be happy and you can be happy.
What is Happiness? Why is it important to the Human Experience? How Can you Be Happy?
Join me in conversation with Professor J. Budziszewski author of How and How Not to be Happy published by Regnery Gateway!
Find Dr Budziszewski on his website The Underground Thomist https://www.undergroundthomist.org/
Find Regnery publishing at https://www.regnery.com/
What is the difference between sex and gender? How did these two realities diverge in modern culture? Join me in conversation with Dr John Grabowski, author of Unraveling Gender published by Tan books. Understand what is at the heart of gender confusion and personal identity.
You can Dr Grabowski's book on Tan Books https://tanbooks.com/
You can find me on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
Good Grief Brown! We talk to Dr Blake Ball, author of Charlie Brown's America, The Popular Politics of Peanuts about the social commentary of the Peanuts. The security blanket of Linus, the Christmas pageant and Franklin were Charles Schulz's gentle commentary about American society in the last half of the Twentieth Century. If you are a Peanuts Fan, no matter what age, you will discover some nuggets of interesting facts about Charlie, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, Franklin, Snoopy and the rest of the gang. This charming and well written book features Peanuts comic strips, advertisements, and some rarely seen original artwork by Charles Schulz.
You can find the book at Oxford University Press https://global.oup.com/academic/product/charlie-browns-america-9780190090463?cc=ro&lang=en&
You can find more of Dr Ball's work on his website https://blakescottball.medium.com/
Who was the worst president in US history? Often Warren G Harding is ranked at the bottom but Ryan S Walters author of the The Jazz Age President: Defending Warren G. Harding published by Regnery History shows how this much maligned president earned a reputation he did not deserve. Mr. Walters writes an engaging history about this little known and much criticized president. Warren Harding 's presidency occurred after World War I and the Spanish Flu. When he took office in 1920 there was runaway inflation and widespread unemployment. 100 years later there are deep similarities in the problems and challenges being faced in today's America. Join me in interview with Ryan Walters as we talk about the Jazz Age President.
.
Find Regnery History here https://www.regnery.com/books/regnery-history/
What are Putin's real intentions? Last Fall I had the opportunity to interview Rebekah Koffler author of Putin's Playbook; Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America by Regnery Publishing. Much of what Rebekah Koffler predicted we are watching play out on the world stage. There are other events of which she writes that have yet to happen but could still happen...these are particularly frightening events connected with our satellites and nuclear capabilities. Her book is written in a way which allows for all to understand the true intentions of Putin's actions.
Many people have contacted me asking what they can do to help the people of Ukraine..
I highly recommend considering a donation to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund organized by the Knights of Columbus.
The relief funding will be used to provide shelter, food, medical supplies, clothing and religious goods, as well as other humanitarian needs as identified, both directly in Ukraine and through refugee sites in Poland. The Knights will work with both the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches in Ukraine, with dioceses and K of C councils in Poland, and with international humanitarian aid agencies to address needs quickly and effectively.
For additional information about the Knights of Columbus Ukraine Solidarity Fund and how to donate, please click here: kofc.org/secure/en/donate/ukraine.html
What do you get when you mix a fictional history, and a mystery thriller with a touch of humor? The Father Gabriel series written by Fiorella De Maria and published by Ignatius Press. In this charming mystery series set in the immediate aftermath of World War II Father Gabriel. an amateur detective, bumbles around the English country side solving murders while dealing with some of the very serious issues of post war Europe. The Catholic theme of the book enriches the story in ways that are subtle yet profound. Listen to this discussion as we talk about history, PTSD, Catholicism in the UK, long term effects of Covid and MURDER!
The Father Gabriel series can be found at Ignatius Press https://ignatius.com/see-no-evil-snep/
Fiorella di Maria can be found on https://www.fiorellademaria.com/
In this achingly beautiful book about parenthood, Maya Sinha in her debut novel The City Mother narrates a tale of humanity and salvation. Her literary down to earth description of the Holy Mother reverberates truth and meaning that echo's though the lived reality of every parent facing the challenge of raising children and supporting a family. If you read one novel this year this is the one you want to read.
Watch for Chrism Press. They are a brand new publisher on the scene releasing very solid literature with beautiful themes of faith and hope.
Find Chrism Press at https://chrismpress.com/
In this interview with Father Joseph Fessio, president of Ignatius Press, we talk about the publishing industry, books, beer and being a Jesuit. In 1978, Father Fessio began Ignatius Press with the publication of two books. Today, almost two million copies a year are published by Ignatius Press, who has became a standard bearer for quality publishing in both the secular and Catholic world.
You can find Ignatius Press https://www.ignatius.com/
Many of the books we discuss in this interview can be purchased on the website
Check out my podcasts of Ignatius Authors...
follow me on Twitter @michelemcaloon1
From 1536-1540 king Henry VIII closed 850 monasteries in England and Wales. The consequences of this decision have reverberated from his day until now. Join me in a fascinating conversation with James Clark, author of The Dissolution of the Monasteries published by Yale University press.
You can find Professor Clark's book https://yalebooks.yale.edu/author/clark-james
You find Michele on Twitter @MichelemcAloon1
John Fisher and Thomas More lived in a time as difficult as ours, but chose to live with truth and fidelity, even at the expense of their earthly lives . Join me in conversation with the Honorable Judge Robert Conrad, author of John Fisher and Thomas More; Keeping Their Souls While Losing Their Heads published by Tan Books. Judge Conrad writes an extraordinary account of how two courageous and holy men stood up for the truth and for what they believed by denying King Henry VIII a divorce from his first wife of 18 years, Catherine of Aragon. Their courage and exemplary lives serve as timeless models for courage truth in the face of power.
You can find Tan Books https://tanbooks.com/
Yon can find Michele on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
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Join me in a great conversation with Dr Jay Cost, author of James Madison, America's First Politician published by Basic Books. This book should be mandatory reading in for every American citizen. Dr Cost not only tells the story of James Madison's life but the story of how the US government was formed.
James Madison was probably the most qualified man ever to hold the office of the presidency. He was the author of the US Constitution, the Federalist Papers and one of the principal framers for the American Bill of Rights. In addition to serving as the fourth president of the United States, Madison also served as secretary of state for eight years. He was Thomas Jefferson's best friend and the husband of America's true first lady, Dolly Madison. An intellectual giant in the founding of America.
You can Find Dr. Jay Cost's work at The American Enterprise https://www.aei.org/profile/jay-cost/
You can find Basic Books at https://www.basicbooks.com/
You can find Michele on Twitter @ MicheleMcAloon1
Happy New year. we start this year off bigger and bolder than ever! I speak with Robert R Reilly author of America on Trial: A Defense of the Founding published by Ignatius Press.
Mr. Reilly traces the intellectual history of the founding of the United States Constitution. The ideas of consent by the governed, no taxation without representation, voting rights and even revolution against tyranny are a natural application of rational and organized thought. When society deviates from rationality the will of the ego and power dominate and personal liberty is destroyed. Now, more than ever, it is important to understand what the Founding Fathers were trying to achieve in order to preserve the Union and our freedom.
Robert Reilly is unafraid to tackle the big issues facing American society today. In this in-depth conversation about the historic roots of the US constitution an appreciation for the true depth and magnificence of this document is rediscovered.
Find Robert R Reilly at https://westminster-institute.org/
Find Michele McAloon at Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
Fact or Fiction? we talk about the Three Magi with Father Dwight Longenecker. Author of Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men, published by the fabulous Regnery History. The story of the Magi is biblical archeology at it best as Father Longenecker tries to unravel the age old story of who were the three wise men.
You can connect with Father Longenecker at https://dwightlongenecker.com/
You can connect with Regnery History at https://www.regnery.com/books/regnery-history/
Find me at Twitter @MichelemcAloon1
Pope John Paul II is undisputedly one of the towering men of both the Twentieth and Twenty-first Century. As a Charismatic, Energetic, and Intelligent man, he left a stamp not only on the Church, but the world. His greatness is measured by his love of the Church and the breadth of his extraordinary accomplishments throughout his life. Join me in conversation with Patrick Nevocoskey, author of 100 Ways John Paul II Changed the World, published by Our Sunday Visitor as we talk about his personal encounter with the saintly pope.
To order Patrick's book or to engage him as a speaker contact him at his website
https://patricknovecosky.com/
Charles Coulombe's excellent book Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacypublished by Tan Books provides a glimpse of the crumbling world of Europe in which Pope John Paul II was raised. https://tanbooks.com/
George Weigel's book Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II is the definitive biography of Pope John Paul II
What does Bela Lugosi, the Korean War and a charming Irish story teller have in common? A great novel! Join me in conversation with K.V. Turley, co author of the fabulous new novel The Thing of Darkness published by Ignatius Press. What is one willing to do to gain fame and fortune? Trading the light of the soul for the darkness of sin is a perilous decision. Turley and his co author Fiorella De Maria have crafted a hauntingly beautiful novel about sacrifice, suffering, and ultimately redemption.
Follow me on Twitter MicheleMcAloon1
Everyone has seen the coffee table book of the world's most beautiful libraries but what about the books in the library? Join me in discussion with Professors Andrew Pettegree and Arthur Der Weduwen authors of the The Library: A Fragile History by Basic Books. as we talk about the history of collections, the people who collect books, and why human knowledge is such a fragile thing. Are books a thing of the past to be replaced by smart phones and ereaders? You will be surprised to learn the answer. This is a magnificent opus of a work covering the span of Western history seen through the eyes of book collectors. A great Christmas gift idea for any history or bibliophile buff.
You can find Basic books https://www.basicbooks.com/
You can find Andrew Pettegree https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/andrew-pettegree(340dbf3b-538e-4134-bcac-812a85351014).html
You can find Arthur Der Weduwen https://www.arthurderweduwen.com/
You can find me on twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
Many were surprised by the election of Pope Francis.
Author Julia Melonia, in her meticulously researched and well written book, ST Gallen Mafia; Exploring the Secret Reformist Group in the Church, published by Tan Books, shows how the papacy of Pope Francis was not a haphazard chance but the result of many years of planning and scheming by some of the most radical leaders in the Church. Ms. Melonia traces how an obscure Latin American cardinal was elevated to the Papacy and why this elaborate scheme should concern all faithful Catholics. Pope Francis is 84 years old . As his papacy and life draws to an end many of the radical transformations that the ST Gallen group hoped to achieve will now happen at a quickening pace. The destruction of the Latin mass and a World wide synod are only the beginning of what a progressive group of cardinals who called themselves the ST Gallen Mafia hoped to achieve.
You can find Tan books https://tanbooks.com/
Julia Melonia's website https://www.juliameloni.com/
Looking for a great hostess gift for Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving; the Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience is a fun, fact filled, well written, and beautifully illustrated book that would make a perfect gift.
Did you know America will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the original Thanksgiving dinner this year? Join me in a great conversation with Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of Thanksgiving; the Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience published by the fabulous Encounter Books. Mrs. Kirkpatrick, a Senior Fellow at the prestigious Hudson Institute, traces the origins of Thanksgiving and what this most American holiday has come to mean to our national identity. In separating myth from fact, she very adroitly shows why Thanksgiving is an important day of national unity for all American citizens. History, politics, religion, economics. food and football are interwoven in the story of a holiday four centuries in the making. The book is filled with tidbits of historical facts and anecdotes about our most cherished holiday. Be sure to check out the recipes in the back. I am going to try the Indian pudding!! The Hudson Institute can be found at https://www.hudsoninstitute.org Encounter Books can be found at https://www.encounterbooks.com Melanie Kirkpatrick can be found at https://www.melaniekirkpatrick.com find Michele on twitter @michelemcaloon1
let me know what is your favorite Thanksgiving dish. Mine is cranberries and corn bread sausage stuffing!!!
This episode is not for the faint of heart..but is worthwhile in considering where the truth may stand in media reporting. Bill Donahue author of The Truth about Clergy Sexual Abuse; Clarifying the Facts and the Causes published by Ignatius Press challenges many of the media allegations in the reporting of the Clergy Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Roman Catholic Church. He presents a well documented presentation about the two scandals that have occurred in the Church ; the actual clergy abuse scandal and the reporting of the clergy abuse scandal. Mr. Donahue questions the media in their accuracy of reporting while never downplaying or dismissing the actual abuse that did occur in the Church. Both Catholics and non Catholics will benefit from considering his research and presentation of the facts and the agenda of a powerful and liberal media.
The Catholic League of which Mr. Donahue is president can be found at https://www.catholicleague.org/
Ignatius Press can be found at https://www.ignatius.com/
What is happiness? Michael Warren Davis author of The Reactionary Mind; When Conservative isn't Enough publishedby Regnery Gateway answers this question by imagining a better past in order to imagine a better future. Since it's release at the end of October, this book is flying off the shelves. Join me in conversation with Mr. Davis as we talk about Kings, Medieval Man, blissful ignorance, smart phones and dating as a pathway toward revolt of the modern world. Rejecting the forces that purport to make us happy may be in the end what truly makes us happy.
When you buy the book be sure to study the appendices....the reactionary's guide to cocktails and dogs.
You can find Michael Warren Davis's writing on his blog site..https://northofboston.blog/
BE REACTIONARY!!!!!! Your happiness depends on it!!!
Drop me a line on twitter Michele McAloon!
Dracula..the Motherlode of all horror stories just in time for all hallows eve and all souls day .
Join me in conversation with Dr Doug Mitchell, my friend with a PhD in literature, as we talk about Brahm Stoker"s 1897 classic Dracula. Redemption. purity, bats and werewolves all rolled into this towering gothic novel. We discuss the Catholic and literary themes that have long held a fascination for a classic Halloween tale
Ignatius Press Critical Edition of Dracula
https://www.ignatius.com/promotions/ignatiuscriticaleditions/stoker-dracula.htm
Meet the Minds behind the Dracula Edition
Eleanor Bourg Nicholson is the assistant executive editor for Dappled Things and assistant editor for the Saint Austin Review (StAR). She is editor of several Ignatius Critical Editions volumes, and has collaborated with other editors to provide footnotes for numerous others.
Looking for a fabulous faithful Catholic High School try:
https://stmichaelchs.org/
St Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama
ST Michael Pray for US!!!
From HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, and to Penitent Angels join me in with Dr David Pinault, author of Providence Blue; A Catholic Fantasy , published by Ignatius Press. Dr Pinault's book is a great example of the Catholic literary explosion occurring in the US today. A well written narrative, with great character development, Providence Blue is a rollicking read using historical and fictional characters to ultimately tell a story of redemption. Set in Providence, Rhode Island, Catholic author and professor of religious studies, Dr Pinault weaves a tale between the present day and 1936 when HP Lovecraft and Robert E Howard were creating out of the world characters. A great primer for Halloween
You can order Providence Blue and other great Catholic Books on https://www.ignatius.com/
You can follow Michele on Twitter @ MicheleMcAloon1
Race Crazy is a great book club read for lively conversation and perhaps the beginning of change. Do not buy what BLM and 1619 are selling. Black or White think for yourselves. Listen to this interview. Buy this book.
The most explosive issue in the United States today is race. How can we discuss race and liberty in a manner that is logical, and absent of excessive emotion? Mr. Charles Love, author of Race Crazy; BLM, 1619 and the Progressive Racism Movement published by Post Hill Press shreds the false claims made by both BLM and the 1619 project. While recognizing racism is present in our society, as with every human society, Mr. Love shows how the false logic and the out of context arguments of both these movements has hurt not only the Black population but all of American society. Admittedly, many will not agree because BLM and the 1619 project have been so dangerously effective in teaching Americans to unquestionably believe in their arguments of hatred and oppression. The most important point Mr. Love makes, is that all American must begin thinking for themselves, challenge the rhetoric and to start speaking the truth.
Dr Robert Tracy McKenzie of Wheaton College, author of We The Fallen People ;The Founders and the Future of American Democracy , published by Inter Varsity Press discusses how the Founding Fathers constructed the US Constitution based on on a realistic understanding of human nature. When Alex de Tocqueville visited America he asked himself how liberty could reign amongst a group of greedy but yet industrious people. Dr McKenzie argues that our success as a democracy does not lie in a fairytale myth that we as Americans are morally good. Instead it lies in the Founding Fathers understanding of the true nature of sin and what was needed to govern a sinful people. Our true understanding of who are as Americans comes ultimately from an understanding of human nature. The US Constitution was created and more importantly imagined to fit the doubts of the Founders in the moral goodness of fallen man.
You can follow Dr McKenzie @https://faithandamericanhistory.wordpress.com/about/
Order the book from https://www.ivpress.com/
follow Michele on Twitter@ MicheleMcAloon1
Many have said Catholic literature has produced nothing new since Tolkien and O'Connor. First time novelist, Katy Carl in her beautifully written new book "As Earth Without Water" published by Wiseblood Books shows Catholic writers are indeed producing new faithful creative masterpieces. Ms. Carl's book is truly astounding in her literary prose and masterful story telling. The story follows the lives of two artists as they come to know themselves and eventually come to know God. This weaving of a story between the reality of relationships and the journey toward faith is nothing short of beautiful. One of the rare times when a reader can realize that within a young artist, like Katy Carl a of literary genius is unfolding. Highly recommend for a book club reading and discussion.
Ms. Carl is part of the newly launched Masters of Fine Arts in Catholic and Creative writing at the University of St Thomas. You can find a link to the program here.
ttps://www.stthom.edu/Academics/School-of-Arts-and-Sciences/Division-of-Liberal-Studies/Graduate/Master-of-Fine-Arts-in-Creative-Writing/ This beautiful book can be ordered from Wiseblood.com @ https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/
Yu can follow me on twitter @michelemcaloon1
want to truly understand what happened in the 2016 election? Why it happened may be scarier than what happened. While the purported collusion between President Trump and the Russians was disproven with the findings of the Mueller Investigation and now the Durham Investigation, Russian malfeasance was still very much present in the 2016 election. Rebekah Koffler, author of Putin's Playbook; Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America published Regnery Gateway talks about how President Putin's ultimate goal is to defeat America. Ms. Koffler, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union and now an American citizen worked as an intelligence analyst for the Defense Intelligence Analyst. She uses her incredible experience and knowledge to warn all US citizens about President Putin's true intentions and ambitions toward the United State. An absolute must read for all Americans.
You can follow me @MicheleMcAloon 1
Join me in this dynamic interview with Dr Louis Markos, author of From Plato to Christ; How Platonic Thought Shaped the Christian Faith. People of all religious backgrounds or no religious backgrounds will benefit from this very accessible and enjoyable discussion about Plato and Socrates. These old dusty philosophers are actually more important than ever as we talk about the social cultural issues of the day. Dr Marko writes "I can attest that reading Plato has made me want to become a better man. a better teacher, and a better Christian, to ascend the rising path and to find my true telos, the higher purpose for which I was born." Socrates and Plato talk to us through the centuries to find the truth of who are and who we can become as individuals and a society.
You can follow Dr Markos on https://www.amazon.com/Louis-Markos/e/B001JSBEBG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Follow Michele on twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
This is a heck of an interview with the one and only Mike Duncan, creator of the History of Rome series podcast about his blockbuster, best seller Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution published by Public Affairs. Mike Duncan has written an engaging biography of the Marquis de Lafayette, famous and infamous in both America and France. From the dizzying heights of the world of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI to a prison in Eastern Europe, Mr. Duncan follows the life of the irrepressible Lafayette as he pursues the ideals of freedom and liberty. Lafayette's life is a glimpse into the foundation of Modern Europe and the birth of America. His life is a novel and Mr. Duncan writes the biography of Lafayette in a way that is both profound and fun to read.
Help celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Lafayette's 1824-1825 return trip to the United States. Check out http://thelafayettetrail.org
- Follow me on twitter MicheleMcAloon1
A discussion with award winning author Mary Jo Thayer about her novel Close to the Soul, published by Full Quiver Publishing. The story follows the life of a sixteen year old girl, in the early 1960's. who is sexually assaulted at a party. When she chooses to carry the child her life takes a predictably difficult, but rich and rewarding path. Ultimately Close to the Soul is a story about choices and love. This is a timely discussion in the wake of last week's Supreme Court decision not to block a Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks.
You can connect with the author at maryjothayer.com
and Michele at Twitter: MicheleMcAloon1
Join me in a great discussion with author Rhonda Ortiz about her historical romantic fictional tale In Pieces. For those out there who think "I do not read this genre," I understand. This is not what I am normally search to read either. Foolish me. This is a great story about the adventure of human relationships and the enduring tale of life's questions of family, marriage and careers. The novel set in 18th century Boston follows the travails of a young beautiful woman who tries to establish an adult life after suffering a traumatic loss. Only when she is able to see clearly can she truly come to know the reality of herself and those around her.
Catholic fiction is an emerging genre on the literary scene. Chrism Press is a new exciting publisher paving the way for high quality fiction with a Catholic character.
You can connect with Rhonda at https://rhondaortiz.com/ and Chrism Press at https://chrismpress.com/
Follow Michele on twitter @michelemcaloon1.
Mystery tales and morality in a medieval setting woven into a charming coming of age story. Join me in my discussion with author Antony Barone Kolenc as he talks about his award winning mystery series The Harwood Mysteries Series published by Loyola Press. A three book series that follows the life of a 12 year old boy in 12th century England as he discovers his identity and learns of life, faith, and friendship.
Follow Michele on twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
Antony Barone Kolenc can be found at www.antonykolen.com
An interview with Dr Ronald J Pestritto , author of America Transformed: The Rise and Legacy of American Progressivism published by the fabulous Encounter Books. Dr Pestritto of Hillsdale College illustrates how progressive thought, in the past and today. endangers the fundamental understanding of basic freedoms as framed in the US Constitution. Go to my twitter account to see where I had to record this episode @MicheleMcAloon1.
Where are the Werewolves?? Join me for a thrilling discussion with Catholic author Eleanor Bourg Nicholson in her new Gothic Catholic Thriller Brother Wolf published by the brand new Chrism Press. A thrilling adventure story with the truth of Catholic teaching.
You can find Eleanor at eleanorbourgnicholson.com and Chrism Press @ chrismpress.com.
Where do we go after this life? Join in a fascinating discussion with author Catherine Wolff about her book Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven published byRiver house Books an imprint of Penguin Random House Publishing. In this wonderfully well researched and well written book Catherine explores the realms of human imagination through a survey of beliefs and faiths about the afterlife. Her work is simultaneously informative and uplifting as she tells the history of our pursuit to define heaven, humanity, divinity. and consciousness.
You can purchase Beyond at The Kings English Bookshop in Salt Lake City Utah or online at https://www.kingsenglish.com/
You can follow Michele on Twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
The Church and America is in Crisis. But there is hope for a brighter future. Todd Hartch author of A Time to Build Anew ; How to Find the True, Good and Beautiful in America, published by the beautiful Angelico Press, describes how different groups are courageously and boldly building from Tradition to find innovative and loving solutions for today. Yes things are bad, but we can find our way by ordering our reality to what is good true, and beautiful. This is truly an uplifting conversation.. a self help book for society.
If you are doing something that is true, good and beautiful in your community contact me Michele McAloon @ michelem@archangelradio.com or twitter @michelemcaloon1
Is staying informed all the time, healthy or sane for an individual or a community?. Join in a great conversation with Dr Jefferey Bilbro, editor in Chief of the The Front Porch Republic, about his excellent book Reading the Times A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News., published by Inter Varsity PressDr Bilbro examines the question of how staying informed shapes us both spiritual and communally. He offers advice on how to counteract common ills tied to the poison of media obsession in order to cultivate healthier ways of reading and being.The Front Porch Republic can be found on https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/.Follow Michele @MicheleMcAloon1
An interview with Eric Sammons, editor in chief of Crisis magazine, discussing his latest book Deadly Indifference (Crisis publications of Sophia Institute Press) We discuss why all religions are not the same and why forms of religious pluralism are actually heretical to Catholic belief.
You can fine Crisis Magazine at crisismagazine.com
You can follow Michele @ MicheleMcAloon1.
A discussion with Julien Icher about the Lafayette Trail . The Marquis de Lafayette, French Aristocracy and American Revolutionary Hero returned to the United States in 1824, fifty years after the American Revolution. He traveled the United States pulling together a fractured country. The national celebrations for Lafayette helped to give a young country a new identity and sense of self. Mr Icher's organization the Lafayette Trail places markers where Lafayette visit and curates this historic moment in American history. You can learn more on lafayettetrail.com.
Folllow Michele on twitter @MicheleMcAloon1
The M-1 Garand, the standard rifle for World War II Infantry man. becomes a microphone for the living members of the Greatest Generation. Join me in conversation with Mr. Andrew Biggio, US Marine, combat veteran and Massachusetts police officer, author of The Rifle: Combat Stories From America's Last WWII Veterans, Told Through an M1 Garand.. published by Regnery History. Mr. Biggio traveled the country to speak with over 200 living veterans from World War II. He shares with us their stories of war, deprivation, courage, and tenacity both on the battlefield and in the decades after the war. This show is dedicated to my father-in-law, Colonel James B. McAloon who was truly the very best of the Greatest Generation.
You can connect with Mr. Biggio's non profit to help wounded veterans Boston's Wounded Vet Run @ Theyfoughtweride.com.
This is my 20th episode. Let me know what you think of the show. michelem@archangelradio.com
Now more than ever it is necessary to speak about the US Civil War. Join Michele McAloon in a discussion with J. Geoffrey Barber, author of Three Rogues in Gettysburg., published by Milford House, an imprint of Sunbury Press. Mr. Barber has written a wonderful historical novel set in the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg. His detailed narrative brings to life the true difficulties and the conflicting emotions and realities of people caught in historical events. The complexity of the characters Mr. Barber has created reminds us, in an entertaining way, there is still much to learn about our nation and ourselves in studying the complex history of the Civil War. Highly recommend this book for a book club reading or even a young adult classroom. You can follow Michele on Twitter Michelem@MicheleMcAloon1.
Join me in a delightful interview about a delightful book as I talk to Professor F.H. Buckley about his new book Curiosity and Its Twelve Rules for Life. published by Encounter Books. It is a rollicking romp through the canons of Western history and culture as Professor Buckley explains the most curious thing about our common humanity is our sense of curiosity. With curiosity we live deep and meaningful lives, without curiosity we become less than human. The true tragedy of the 2020 pandemic was the muting of our curiosity.
You can follow me on twitter MicheleM@MicheleMcAloon1. If you have any questions, have written a book or if you are a reader with a suggestion for an author interview, please contact me.
To interview the author of one of the most currently talked about books today is always a great opportunity. To talk to an author who has written about the subject that Mr. Sohrab Ahmari has written about and the fact that his book is being so widely discussed in both conservative and liberal circles could be called a Providential moment! Join me in my conversation with Sohrab Ahmari about his book. The Unbroken Thread; Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos published by Convergent Books of Penguin Random House
When Jimi Hendrix played the Star Spangled banner at Woodstock was he breaking tradition or displaying a distinctly American heritage created along the Eastern Shores of the Ohio River. Take a barge ride with Will Hoyt author of The Seven Ranges, Ground Zero for the Staging of America as he discusses the landmarks along the shores of our American history. You can purchase Mr. Hoyt's book from Front Porch Republic Books and other book sellers.
James Matthew Wilson, one of the foremost literary artists in America today talks about his beautiful book "The Strangeness of the Good," published by Angelico press. A poet and political philosopher, Dr Wilson talks about poetry in a way that is interesting and not intimidating. His landmark work, the Quarantine Notebook, is a true testament to the experience of the Corvid 19 lockdown. In decades to come readers will find his work as a literary testament to the world's response to the worldwide pandemic.
If you find poetry inaccessible, this is the podcast for you.
This one book could save our society. A stunning interview with Brad Miner, author of The Compleat Gentleman; The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry. Our nation was founded by gentlemen and to this day our country's very existence depends upon the gentlemen ideals of our founders. What is a gentlemen and why is that ideal so important, especially now in our history. Can the ancient ideals of chivalry form modern civilization? Why is being a gentlemen more than just behaving civilly but rather a path of perfection to attain. This is the self help book America needs now.
There is no Finer Time to be a FAITHFUL Catholic. A great interview with Austin Ruse, author of Under Siege: There is No Finer Time To Be A Faithful Catholic ( Crisis Publication of Sophia Institute Press) Yes times are dark as Austin Ruse looks into the abyss of a morally decaying society. However, ready made halos abound. In these dark times , we have the opportunity to shine, to become saints, to charge the sniper's nest as we bring a message of love to a world so in need. This is the best pregame locker room talk you will have ever hear. Enemy snipers be ready ...the company of heaven is going in!!
A marvelous interview with Dan Leroy author of Liberty's Lions; The Catholic Revolutionaries Who Established America" published by Sophia Institute Press. A truly remarkable book that reflects on "stories of great patriotism and also of human frailty" We discuss American Catholicism in the context from George Washington to the one and only Adrienne de Lafayette and many more. The author is as interesting as his book. I hope you enjoy it. If you do please subscribe and rate my podcast. Thank you. God Bless. Michele McAloon
A wonderful interview with first time novelist Kathryn Goodwin Tone about her coming of age young adult novel "The King's Broad Arrow." Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, Kathryn deftly spins a tale of factual history and fiction as we follow the adventures of young teenage boy. This is is a very well told and well written story that includes some fascinating history..Washington's gamble by inoculating soldiers against small pox, the printing of Common Sense, Enlightenment ideals and the power of books. More information about Kathryn's work can be found at her website www.revolutionrings.com.
A fun and inspiring interview with one of the busiest shepherds in the Church. Bishop Thomas John Paprocki author of Running for a Higher Purpose; 8 steps for spiritual and physical fitness discusses how running brings health, energy, and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ .
A charming interview about money and the American psyche with a truly great American author Lance Morrow . He talks about sin , a fish, and money in his latest book "God and Mammon"
A delightful conversation with Michael Heseman, author of Jesus of Nazareth, "Archaeologists retracing the footsteps of Christ" Listen carefully, there is much to be learned in this conversation with the very charming Mr. Heseman.
In the 21st century few positions garner as much attention as the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Who will be the next Pope? What qualities will he need to lead the Church in to the 21st century? In an engaging discussion with none other than the towering figure of George Weigel author of The Next Pope: The Office of Peter and the Church in Mission leadership, mission and qualities needed by a future pope are discussed.
A Discussion with Dr Joshua Mitchell on his sensational book An American Awakening : Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time.
From a Robert Frost poem to a faded postcard how do we find the influence of Our Mother? Dr Michael Pakaluk, an Aristotelian scholar and master of Ancient Greek, joins us to discuss his newest book Mary's Voice in the Gospel According to John (Regnery Publishing)
A tale of politics, royalty, family, and the commitments which define us all. An interview with author Clare McHugh "A Most English Princess, A Novel of Queen Victoria's Daughter" about the life of Princess Victoria, daughter of Queen Victoria. This is a charming and informative historically based romantic tale that accurately explains some very serious history about the unification of Germany..
Why is the Roman Catholic Church still shrouded in Secrecy? An interview with Dr Dyan Elliot, author of The Corruptor of Boys, Sodomy, Scandal, and the Medieval Clergy . It is a tough interview but a history that must be explored to understand how secrecy is still in every corner of the Roman Catholic Church today. Dr Elliot is a Professor of Medieval historian specializing in Church history.
In times of Change and Danger we must look backward to look forward. This is an interview with Dr Wilfred McClay of the highly acclaimed "Land of Hope-An invitation to the Great American Story" Without polemics Dr McClay tells the story of an imperfect America. A story that is uniquely the American story and one in which all American's should see themselves as the author of this story.
Michele McAloon speaks with Charles Coulombe the author of the recently published book Blessed Charles of Austria. In this delightful 30 minute interview we talk about the mystique and heroism surrounding the last Hapsburg emperor.