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 
We begin our next “close read” series with the first two sections of Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which conclude with the famous line “God is dead.” Lise, Jeff, and Brian discuss Nietzsche’s imagery, allusions, and treatment of questions concerning love, envy, and humanity. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #32: Veterans Education Project
Brian interviews Daniel Elkins, founder and director of the Veterans Education Project, which works to address issues faced by veterans in higher education. You can find more information on the Project’s website. And tune in to the Project’s podcast “Coffee with Congress” here, where it shares conversations with members of Congress about everything but politics. Get more Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #31: Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”
We're joined today by actor Matt Eitzen, who is also a Shakespeare and Roman History aficionado. You can catch Matt in upcoming productions at The Guinea Pig Theater in Dallas, Texas through this link: https://www.facebook.com/theguineapigdallas/. You can rent Brian's favorite interpretation, Caesar Must Die on YouTube Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #30: Shakespeare’s “King Lear”
Brian is joined by guest George Eckerle, St. John's College grad and co-founder (with Brian) of the Plato Project, a series of online seminars for discussion of Plato’s complete works. In this episode they discuss one of William Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies, King Lear. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #29: Emerson’s Divinity School Address
How does speech move the human soul? How can a leader use speech inspire others to action? Lise, Jeff, and Brian tackle those questions in their discussion of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s address to the graduating class of Harvard’s divinity school in 1838. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #28: Aristotle’s “Politics” Bk. I, Part 4
Jeff, Lise, and Brian continue a "close-read" series on Aristotle's Politics. They continue to tackle Aristotle's discussion of slavery, which raises questions about nature, law, and virtue. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #27: Interview with Jennifer Wright
Brian sits down with St. John's College alum Jennifer Wright, who is a writer and the author of several books including It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History. They talk about Ms. Wright's informed and fun take on history, as well as her career path from SJC to professional writer. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. 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 …
Combat & Classics #16: Interview with Anne Kniggendorf
Brian interviews St. John’s College alum and US Navy veteran Anne Kniggendorf. They have an engaging discussion about the relationship between liberal arts and the military. Check out Anne’s website and her article, mentioned in the pod. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #15: Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein”
I beheld the wretch – the miserable monster whom I had created. –Frankenstein Why did Victor Frankenstein create his monster? What role did beauty, love, science, and education play in his endeavor? Join Lise, Brian, and Jeff in a discussion of this classic, widely known novel. Get more C&C on the PEL site or at combatandclassics.org. Continue Reading …
Combat & Classics #14: Chekhov’s “Rothschild’s Violin”
How should human life be valued? Is death something to suffer, or something that provides relief? Jeff, Lise and Brian discuss those questions and more in examining Anton Chekhov’s short story “Rothschild’s Violin” (or “Rothschild’s Fiddle”). Listen to more Combat and Classics Continue Reading …