Combat and Classics is a series of podcasts and online seminars that explores the nature of man in conflict and cooperation through socratic dialogue and the great books. For more info visit 
Brian and Jeff are joined by Michael Grenke, St. John's College - Santa Fe, to discuss Lise van Boxel's posthumously published book "Warspeak" from PoliticalAnimalPress.com. Purchase your copy here. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 45: Xenophon’s “The Education of Cyrus,” Book IV
Shilo Brooks returns for Book IV of Xenophon's "The Education of Cyrus." We discuss Cyrus' attack on the Assyrians, consolidation, cavalry, and Cyrus' first boyfriend returns (::kiss::kiss::) and the Susan woman. For more info check out combatandclassics.org. We now have a newsletter, Instagram (@combatandclassics), and twitter (@combat_classics). Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 44: The Education of Cyrus, Book III
Shilo Brooks returns for another episode of "The Education of Cyrus" by Xenophon. We discuss moderation, virtue, risk and a brief mention of the ugly boyfriend. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 43: Pierre Manent’s “The Metamorphoses of the City”
Dr. Joseph Wood (Institute for World Politics and Cana Academy) joins Brian and Jeff to discuss Pierre Manent’s “The Metamorphoses of the City,” Chapter 2: The Poetic Birth of the City. We discuss the relationships between war and politics, especially as it relates to The Iliad. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 42: The Education of Cyrus Book II
Shilo Brooks returns to continue our exploration of Xenophon's "The Education of Cyrus" Book II where Cyrus goes to war against the Assyrians and we try to tease out what fundamentals of warfare Cyrus discovers versus what he's taught by the Persians. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 41: Xenophon’s “Education of Cyrus” Book I
Shilo Brooks returns to discuss Book I of Xenophon's "Education of Cyrus" where we discuss Cyrus' early upbringing and the nature of government. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 40: Thucydides Part II with Andrea Radanasu
Andrea Radasanu of Northern Illinois University returns to discuss the Sicilian Expedition by the Athenian Empire from Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian War." Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 39: The Wright Brothers with Shilo Brooks
Jeff and Brian are joined by Shilo Brooks, Director of the Engineering Leadership Program at the University of Colorado - Boulder, to discuss the role of engineering in the liberal arts and his lovely essay on the Wright Brothers for Scientific American: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/why-did-the-wright-brothers-succeed-when-others-failed/ Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 39: Thucydides Part I with Andrea Radasanu
Jeff and Brian are joined by Dr. Andrea Radasanu, Acting Director of the University Honors Program at Northern Illinois University, to discuss Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian War," specifically the Athenian plague and Pericles funeral oration. For more info on Andrea and NIU, click here: https://www.niu.edu/honors/about/staff.shtml Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics Ep. 37: “Strategic Humanism” by Claudia Hauer
Brian and Jeff are joined by Claudia Hauer, St. John's College tutor and visiting professor of moral philosophy at the United States Air Force Academy to discuss her new book "Strategic Humanism: Lessons on Leadership from the Ancient Greeks." To pre-order, click below: https://www.politicalanimalpress.com/product/strategic-humanism/ Get more C&C on the PEL Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #26: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher”
What is the relationship between the natural world and the human world? In this belated Halloween episode, Lise, Jeff, and Brian discuss Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #25: Aristotle’s Politics, Part 3
What is slavery? What does slavery have to do with the household or the state? Brian, Lise, and Jeff dig deeper into the Politics in part 3 of their discussion of this series. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #24: Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”
How do human beings confront a crisis? Anne Kniggendorf and Matt Young join Brian for a conversation about Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants.” In case you missed them: Tune in to Brian’s interviews with Anne and Matt in previous episodes. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #23: Aristotle Politics Bk. I, part 2
Man is by nature a political animal. Lise, Jeff, and Brian continue their conversation about Book I of Aristotle’s Politics, in which that famous line appears. They address Aristotle’s discussion of how a city comes to be, and his assertion that humans reach their full potential by living in a city. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #22: Interview with Matt Young
Brian interviews Matt Young, Marine Corps veteran, English professor, and author of Eat the Apple, a memoir that has been described as “The Iliad of the Iraq war.” They begin by discussing maintaining your humanity (or not) while serving in and returning from war. They go on to talk about the relationship between civilian and military citizens and how literature and writing can Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #21: Aristotle’s Politics Bk. I
Jeff, Lise, and Brian roll up their sleeves and dig in to Aristotle’s Politics. How are this and other “Great Books” relevant to how we live our lives? What is good political rule? What does it mean to be “just” within a political system? What problems can politics solve? What problems can it not solve? The team tackles those questions and much more in this episode. Get Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #20: Interview With Doug Lensing
Douglas Lensing joins the show to talk about his path from the Navy to St. John’s College and his paper “Passion and Mind: Homer’s Formula for Victory in the Iliad.” Doug joined the Navy on a Naval Special Warfare contract, but after failing to complete BUD/S went to Defense Language Institute, learned Farsi and worked at Fort Gordon, Georgia as a linguist. Doug will be Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #19: Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”
Is human life “nada”—nothing? In their discussion of Hemingway’s (very) short story, Brian, Lise, and Jeff examine the contrast between youth and old age and the states of being hurried versus unhurried. How are those distinctions related to the question of whether there is a difference between those who need a clean, well-lighted place and those who do not? Get more C&C Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #18: Racine’s “Phèdre”
Can you simultaneously hate and love the same thing? What is the relationship between virtue and love? Lise, Jeff, and Brian tackle those questions and more in this episode on Jean Racine’s play, Phèdre. Also, as promised, you can find Jeff’s Frankenstein lecture here and the book with Lise’s essay here. Enjoy! Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #17: Freud’s “On Transience”
Jeff, Lise, and Brian discuss "On Transience," in which Freud ruminates on the transitory nature of, and beautiful things in, life. The piece prompts a conversation about a variety of topics Freud raises, from death to libido to war. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …