Ascend - The Great Books Podcast - podcast cover

Ascend - The Great Books Podcast

Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihanascend-the-great-book.captivate.fm
Welcome to Ascend! We are a weekly Great Books podcast hosted by Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan. What are the Great Books? The Great Books are the most impactful texts that have shaped Western civilization. They include ancients like Homer, Plato, St. Augustine, Dante, and St. Thomas Aquinas, and also moderns like Machiavelli, Locke, and Nietzsche. We will explore the Great Books with the light of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Why should we read the Great Books? Everyone is a disciple of someone. A person may have never read Locke or Nietzsche, but he or she thinks like them. Reading the Great Books allows us to reclaim our intellect and understand the origin of the ideas that shape our world. We enter a "great conversation" amongst the most learned, intelligent humans in history and benefit from their insights. Is this for first-time readers? YES. Our goal is to host meaningful conversations on the Great Books by working through the texts in chronological order in a slow, attentive manner. Our host Adam Minihan is a first-time reader of Homer. We will start shallow and go deep. All are invited to join. Will any resources be available? YES. We are providing a free 115 Question & Answer Guide to the Iliad written by Deacon Harrison Garlick in addition to our weekly conversations. It will be available on the website (launching next week). Go pick up a copy of the Iliad! We look forward to reading Homer with you in 2024.

Episodes

Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus with Dr. Jared Zimmerer

How would you respond to the will of a tyrant? Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jared Zimmerer of Benedictine College to discuss Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound - the first play in an otherwise lost triad. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule! WHY SHOULD YOU READ PROMETHEUS BOUND? From the guide: Prometheus Bound is the story of man and civilization. Within the contrast of Prometheus’ rebellion and Zeus’ tyranny, Aeschylus provides a narrative that explores the co...

May 06, 20251 hr 49 min

How to Read the Bible like St. Thomas Aquinas and Dante

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. Thomas Lackey and Mr. Adam Minihan to discuss how to read the Bible like Jesus, St. Paul, the Early Church Fathers, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Dante! There are four senses: literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical. The guys explain Divine Authorship, Dante's thesis that you read his Comedy like you Scripture, and then explain each sense and give examples. Check our thegreatbookspodcast.com for resource...

Apr 29, 20251 hr 30 min

Lying as Contraceptive Speech: Lessons from Dante's Inferno

Lying is a sterile act that impedes the purpose of the intellect. Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Sean Berube and Shannon of Catholic Frequency to discuss "Lying as Contraceptive Speech." Dcn. Garlick gives several short talks pulling from Dante's Inferno, the Gospel of St. John, and liberalism with responses from Sean and Shannon from a live recording on X (Twitter). Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more help to read the great books! Master Adamo lies a bloated mass of “watery r...

Apr 22, 20252 hr 16 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 7: Cantos 32-34 with Evan Amato

The frozen heart of hell. Today, Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mr. Evan Amato to discuss the frozen wastes of the 9th Circle of Hell - the damned guilty of treachery (or complex fraud). Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for other great books to read! A few questions from our guide to Dante's Inferno: 78.     What happens in the ninth circle of hell: Treachery (Complex Fraud) (Canto 34)? Pressing onward, Virgil leads the Pilgrim to “Judecca”—named after Judas Iscari...

Apr 15, 20251 hr 44 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 6: Cantos 26-31 with Dr. Donald Prudlo

We finish the 8th Circle of hell! Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Donald Prudlo of the University of Tulsa discuss pits 8-10 of the 8th Circle of Dante's Inferno (Cantos 26-31). Dr. Prudlo is an incredibly talented Catholic scholar! You'll want to hear what he has to say - especially about Odysseus, Troy, and the Garden of Eden. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources! From our guide: 64.      What happens in the eighth ditch (Cantos 26-27)? Overlooking the ...

Apr 08, 20251 hr 57 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 5: Cantos 18-25 with Noah and Gabriel of CLT

Seducers, Flatterers, Sorcerers, and more! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Noah Tyler, CFO of the Classic Learning Test, and Gabriel Blanchard, a staff writer for CLT, to discuss the first part of the 8th Circle: Simple Fraud (Cantos 18-25). Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. Check out our written GUIDE to Dante's Inferno: 80+ Questions and Answer . FROM THE GUIDE: 53.      What happens in the Eighth Circle of Hell: Simple Fraud (Canto 18) T...

Apr 01, 20252 hr 18 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 4: Cantos 12-17 with Fr. Thomas Esposito, O. Cist.

We enter the circle of violence. This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Fr. Thomas Esposito, O. Cist., a Cistercian priest who teaches at the University of Dallas, to discuss the seventh circle of Dante's Inferno: (1) violence against neighbor (2) violence against self and (3) violence against God & nature. Check out our website for more info: thegreatbookspodcast.com . Check out our 80+ Question and Answer Guide to the Inferno. From the guide: 43.      Wh...

Mar 25, 20251 hr 43 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 3: Cantos 6-11 with Dr. Jason Baxter

Today, we finish lower hell. Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jason Baxter of Benedictine College to discuss cantos 6-11 of Dante's Inferno. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for other great books! Check out our Patreon for our 80+ Question & Answer guide to the Inferno. From our guide: 27.     The Third Circle of Hell – Gluttony (Canto 6)   Musa explains the third circle and the contrapasso , “the shades in this circle are the gluttons, and their punishm...

Mar 18, 20251 hr 54 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 2: Cantos 2-5 with Dr. Jennifer Frey and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson

Dante approaches the gates of hell! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jennifer Frey, the Dean of the new Honors College at the University of Tulsa, and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson, the Fletcher Jones Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University, to discuss cantos 2-5 of Dante's Inferno. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com . Check out OUR GUIDE to Dante's Inferno: 80+ Questions and Answers . 13.      What happens in the Vestibule of Hell (Cantos 2-3)? The narrativ...

Mar 11, 20251 hr 40 min

Dante's Inferno Ep. 1: Intro and Canto 1 with Dr. Jeremy Holmes

We are reading the Inferno together! Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jeremy Holmes of Wyoming Catholic College to give an introduction to Dante's Inferno and discuss the first canto. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. Reading Schedule for Lent 2025: Introduction & the Dark Woods 1. Intro & Canto 1 (3.4.25) with Dr. Jeremy Holmes (Wyoming Catholic) Vestibule of Hell, Limbo & Lust 2. Cantos 2-5 (3.11.25) with Dr. Jennifer Frey (TU) and Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson...

Mar 04, 20252 hr 1 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: The Eumenides Explained Part Two

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss the end of the Oresteia, the second part of the Eumenides. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com . Check out our guide to the Oresteia . The first half of the Eumenides demonstrates Aeschylus’ ability to dramatize philosophical questions. The old system of justice, bound to the Furies’ blood-soaked vengeance, has proven incomplete. The Olympian purity rituals are not a sufficient answer either. Athena’s brillian...

Feb 25, 20251 hr 46 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: The Eumenides Explained Part One

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is once again joined by Dr. Frank Grabowski and Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss the first part of the Eumenides, the third play in Aeschylus' Oresteia. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. Check out our written guide to the Oresteia. The final play of Aeschylus’ Oresteia , The Eumenides , sets forth the transformation of justice from the familial mechanics of the blood avenger to a more mature procedural justice set within the polis. It is a story of civili...

Feb 18, 20251 hr 27 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: Libation Bearers Explained Part Two

Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Mr. Thomas Lackey, and the Adam Minihan come together to discuss the second part of the Libation Bearers, the second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for guides and more information. Support us on Patreon and get access to guides! The second half of the Libation Bearers moves decisively toward the climax of Orestes’ role as blood avenger, culminating in the deaths of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. He will enact the justice that is demanded, and in t...

Feb 11, 20251 hr 2 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: Libation Bearers Explained Part One

This week Dcn. Garlick is joined by Mr. Thomas Lackey and the Adam Minihan to discuss part one of the Libation Bearers, the second play in Aeschylus' Oresteia. Check out thegreatbooksdpodcast.com for more resources. Check out our Patreon for a written GUIDE to the whole Oresteia. From our guide: The Libation Bearers presents Orestes as both the hero and the victim. The cycle of violence will both demand his action and condemn it. “The one who acts must suffer,” as Aeschylus observes. The play bu...

Feb 04, 20251 hr 32 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: Agamemnon Explained Part Two

We are reading Aeschylus' Oresteia. This week Dcn. Garlick, Adam Minihan, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Frank Grabowski discuss part two of Aeschylus' Agamemnon, the second part of the first play of the Oresteia. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more sources. Check out our written guide to the Oresteia. I.             Clytemnestra and Agamemnon: Murder, Manipulation & Denial (795) Clytemnestra dominates Agamemnon as a complex fi...

Jan 28, 20251 hr 21 min

Aeschylus' Oresteia: Agamemnon Explained Part One

Dcn. Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Thomas Lackey are reunited to discuss the first part of Agamemnon, the first play in Aeschylus' Oresteia. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. From our written guide available to our supporters: The first play of the Oresteia tells of the homecoming of Agamemnon and is predominately animated by revenge. Aeschylus presents us with questions concerning the legitimacy of the Trojan war, how Argos has suffered without its king, and why Clyte...

Jan 21, 20251 hr 50 min

An Introduction to Aeschylus, the Father of Greek Tragedy

Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are reunited to intro Aeschylus, the Father of Greek Tragedy. Aeschylus (b. 525 BC) was a warrior, statesman, and the father of Greek tragedy. Born into nobility, he grew up in Athens during its pivotal transition from tyranny to democracy. Furthermore, he famously fought in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC), defending a nascent Western civilization against Persian invasion. Aeschylus died in 456 BC, leaving behind a legacy that shaped the foundation of Greek...

Jan 14, 202539 min

A Discussion on Hesiod's Theogony

Dcn. Harrison Garlick, Dr. Frank Grabowski, and Mr. Thomas Lackey come together to discuss Hesiod's Theogony - a poem about the origin of the gods and the cosmos. Key conversations: The role of the Muses The four primordial gods - especially Chaos Eros as the generative and binding force of the cosmos Zeus as a bringer of civilization The Prometheus myths Women as the beautiful evil Hesiod is a contemporary of Homer. Homer composed the Iliad around 750 BC and the Odyssey around 725 BC, and Hesio...

Jan 07, 20252 hr 48 min

Why You Should Read the Greek Plays with Ascend

You can read the Greek plays with Ascend! Dcn. Harrison Garlick flies solo this week as he explains why you should read the Greek plays. He discusses how the plays are an intellectual bridge between Plato and Homer and explains some of the major themes you can expect in their writings: justice, eros, fate, divinity, etc. He'll then introduce each Greek play to be read and why it is worth reading. Join us! Schedule below: HESIOD'S THEOGONY & GREEK PLAYS (2025) 1/1 Intro to the Greek Plays 1/7...

Jan 01, 202536 min

The Tower of the Elephant by Robert E. Howard with Alberto Fernandez

This week Dcn. Garlick is joined by Alberto Fernandez, a former U.S. diplomat and Vice President of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) in Washington, D.C., to discuss "The Tower of the Elephant," one of the best Conan the Barbarian stories by Robert E. Howard. Deacon and Alberto discuss the life and philosophy of Robert E. Howard along with key elements of the "Tower of the Elephant" short story (which is available online for free). Topics: Civilization v. Barbarism HP Lovecraft Ni...

Dec 31, 20241 hr 15 min

The Odyssey as the Restoration of Culture with President Washut

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Kyle Washut, President of Wyoming Catholic College, to discuss the Odyssey as the restoration of Catholic Culture and the unique educational approach of Wyoming Catholic College. Eastern Catholicism John Senior Odyssey as the restoration of culture President Washut takes on the question: "Why go to a great books college" and gives an excellent answer. They have a brief detour into the importance of Eastern Catholicism before discussing the influence of John Sen...

Dec 24, 20241 hr 17 min

The Odyssey Book Twenty-Four: Peace with Roundtable Discussion

THE FINAL BOOK! Dcn. Garlick is joined by Adam Minihan, David Niles, Thomas Lackey, and Dr. Frank Grabowski to discuss Book 24 of the Odyssey: Peace. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. From our guide: 111.    What happens in book twenty-four?  Hermes leads the souls of the suitors to Hades, to the fields of asphodel, where they meet Achilles and Agamemnon (24.130). One of the suitors tells Agamemnon their story, and Agamemnon praises Odysseus callin...

Dec 17, 20241 hr 59 min

The Odyssey Book Twenty-Three: The Great Rooted Bed

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mrs. Rachel Greb to discuss Book 23 of the Odyssey: The Great Rooted Bed. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources! From our written guide: 108.    What happens in book twenty-three? The old maid Eurycleia, laughing with delight, runs and tells Penelope that the day she’s dreamed of is here: Odysseus has come home (23.05). “Penelope’s heart busts in joy” upon hearing that the beggar in the hall was actually her husband (23.34). ...

Dec 10, 20241 hr 3 min

The Odyssey Book Twenty-Two: Slaughter in the Hall with Dr. Adam Cooper

Slaughter in the hall! This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Adam Cooper of Wyoming Catholic College to discuss Odysseus' revenge upon the suitors in Book 24. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information! 103.    What happens in book twenty-two? The time has come. Odysseus stands at the threshold of his home, cries out to Apollo, and lets loose an arrow straight through the neck of Antinous (22.15). It is chaos in the hall, as the “bread and meats [were]...

Dec 03, 20241 hr 11 min

The Odyssey Book Twenty-One: Odysseus Strings His Bow with Dcn. Conque

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by another Catholic deacon, Dcn. Adam Conque to discuss Book 21 of the Odyssey: Odysseus Strings His Bow. Check out more at thegreatbookspodcast.com Help support the podcast and get access to guides! From the guide: 100.    What happens in book twenty-one? The time has come for Penelope’s test and the slaughter the suitors (21.05). Penelope brings out Odysseus’ bow, one he received as a gift of friendship (21.40), and Telemachus sets out a line...

Nov 26, 20241 hr 9 min

The Odyssey Book Twenty: Portents Gather with Dr. Jennifer Frey

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jennifer Frey of the University of Tulsa Honors College to discuss Book 20 of the Odyssey: The Portents Gather. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for guides and more! From the written guide: 97.      What happens in book twenty? After his conversation with Penelope, Odysseus the beggar lays in bed alert to the fact the maidservants are leaving the house to go sleep with the suitors (20.08). Athena causes him to fall asleep (20...

Nov 19, 20241 hr

The Odyssey Book Nineteen: Penelope and Her Guest with Mary Pat Donoghue

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mary Pat Donoghue, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Catholic Education at the USCCB, to discuss Book 19 of the Odyssey: Penelope and her guest. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more! From our written guide: 93. What happens in book nineteen? With the suitors retired for the evening to their own houses, Odysseus and Telemachus clear the hall of weapons, as Athena carries a golden lamp to light their way (19.35). Odysseus is harassed by the maidserv...

Nov 12, 20241 hr 1 min

The Odyssey Book Eighteen: The Beggar-King of Ithaca

Dr. Jared Zimmerer of Benedictine College returns to the podcast to discuss Book 18 of the Odyssey with Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more. From our written guide: 90.      What happens in book eighteen? Another beggar, a man nicknamed Irus, arrives at Odysseus’ palace and begins to harass Odysseus, the beggar in disguise (18.13). Antinous, the suitor, elects to host a battle between Odysseus the beggar and Irus—the winner wil...

Nov 05, 202450 min

The Odyssey Book Seventeen: The Stranger at the Gates w Dr. Zimmerer

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Dr. Jared Zimmerer to discuss Book 17 of the Odyssey: The Stranger at the Gates. Dr. Jared Zimmerer is the Content Marketing Director and Great Books adjunct professor for Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. The former Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute and the Dean of Pastoral Fellows. He holds a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University and a master’s degree in Theology from Holy Apostles College. He and his wife Jessica live in Atchison, Kan...

Oct 29, 20241 hr 6 min

The Odyssey Book Sixteen: Father and Son

Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by independent scholar and friend of the podcast Mr. Thomas Lackey to discuss book 16 of the Odyssey: Father and Son. Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for our written guide! From the guide: 83.      What happens in book sixteen? Telemachus arrives at the home of the Swineherd and, the Swineherd greets him like a father welcoming “home his darling only son” (16.19). Telemachus meets Odysseus disguised as a beggar, and the three men d...

Oct 22, 20241 hr 25 min
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