Continuous Work Ethic and Self-Criticism

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The speaker works continuously, including weekends, without interruptions, resembling a potter's wheel that keeps spinning steadily. They confess to working even on holidays like Shabbat. They learned self-criticism from their father, who was harsh on himself and taught them to be critical, highlighting their favorite book, a collection of short stories called The Pacific.

For many men, surviving the test of battle intensifies the joy of being alive. A provocative claim, perhaps, but to novelist Mark Helprin, simply a fact, and one that drives his new book about men who commit themselves fully both to service during wartime and to the women they love. Listen as Helprin tells EconTalk's Russ Roberts how his service in the Israeli and American militaries, his decades of journalism and outdoor adventure, and his long career in defense and foreign policy enabled him to write The Oceans and the Stars, a lyrical and thrilling look at leadership in the crucible of war--and at sea. They also discuss Helprin's writing routine and sources of inspiration, his analysis of Israel's real-life war against Iran and its proxies, and his thoughts on the state of American culture today.