In this episode, Yascha Mounk discusses his book on identity politics and its rapid spread. They explore the origins and negative consequences of identity politics, its influence on education, and the challenges of defending political moderation against radicalism.

On episode 44, Charles talks to NPR's Steve Inskeep about his excellent new book on Abraham Lincoln, Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America. Among the topics discussed are whether the book is a call for engagement in the modern era, whether practical politics gets a bad rap, what Lincoln really thought about African-Americans, whether Lincoln intuited that he was going die in office, what challenges are presented by the fact that Lincoln was murdered when he was, whether Lincoln's occasional dishonesty was justified, and what class-based "equality" meant in his era.The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Heather Mac Donald discusses her book on race and merit, challenging diversity policies in institutions and standardized testing. They explore the impact of deconstructing Western art, evolution of literature, and addressing discrimination in universities.

On episode 42, Charles answers a question about the game of Rugby, and then talks to Douglas Brunt about his fascinating new book about Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine and, at one point, one of the most famous and interesting people in the world. Among the questions asked are: Why have we not heard more about Diesel? What sort of world was he inventing in? Why were the world's militaries so interested in his work? What did he believe in? What did he think of America? Did he get on with Thomas Edison? How did he come up with the idea for his engine? How did he disappear—and what are the main theories as to how it happened?The book is The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I.The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

Explore the concept of Cold War 2.0 between the US and China, the shifting dynamics in their relationship, and the potential for a second Cold War. Delve into the history of empires and their influence on historical records. Examine the perception of America among Chinese people and analyze the potential duration and outcomes of Cold War II.

Winkfield Twyman Jr., author of Letters in Black and White, and Jennifer Richmond discuss their groundbreaking book on race in America, exploring topics such as racial solidarity, improved conditions for African-Americans, and the value of 'Old Americans' in moving forward. They also touch on concerns about critical race theory and the importance of having authentic conversations about race. The chapter highlights refraining from engaging with online bullies and emphasizes substantive conversations over meaningless Twitter banter. Parallels with China's cultural revolution and concerns about education and authoritarianism are also discussed.

This podcast episode delves into the ongoing Hollywood writers' strike, discussing its justification and potential impact on the entertainment industry. It explores the challenges faced by writers, the role of unions, and the threat of Artificial Intelligence. The episode also speculates on the length of the strike and explores the negative impacts of excessive TV consumption.

On episode 38, Charles begins by rebuffing a takeover attempt from a ghostly Luther Ray Abel. Afterwards, he talks to the novelist Lionel Shriver about immortality, the topic of her recent cover story at National Review. What are the personal and societal implications of immortality? What drives her to write about that topic? Does Lionel want to live forever herself? What would be her biggest fear if she could attain eternal life? Is she more bored than she was 15 years ago? What does she feel when she thinks about the size of the universe? Is Charles wrong to find it sad that, at some point soon, all his memories will be completely and permanently obliterated? Is there any point in living for a long time if you spend all your time extending your life and not much time living it?The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

On episode 37, Charles talks to historian, Andrew Roberts, about Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, King George III, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and others. Among the topics discussed: Where did Churchill get his literary ability? What would have happened if Britain had made peace with the Nazis in 1940? Was Napoleon a 'tyrant'? Is the U.S. uninvadeable? Was George III a good king? Is the Declaration of Independence accurate? Were the Allies lucky that Hitler made the strategic decisions? And does Andrew miss his subjects when he's finished writing about them?The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.

On episode 36, Charles begins by highlighting his favorite parts of Becky Pringle's astonishing speech to the 2023 NEA Conference, and then chats with "school-choice evangelist" Corey DeAngelis about the dramatic increase in interest in his prescriptions since COVID-19 changed the world. Among the questions Corey answers are: "What is school choice?" "What is a charter school?" "What is a voucher?" "Which state has the best system?" "Do school-choice advocates oppose public schools?" "Should there be an income cut-off for school-choice programs?" And: "Does American democracy require an education monopoly?"The dial-up tone in the introduction was recorded by lintphishx and is used under a CC 3.0 License.