Josh dissects which books are truly read and which are just for show. Find out what he thinks about popular titles like "Fahrenheit 451," "Dune," and "Lonesome Dove," and stick around for the Q&A that reveals the quirks of being a book influencer.

Also, because he can't help himself, thoughts about the Civil War.

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Timestamps:

0:00 - What I've been reading

8:50 - "Pretending I read it" list

21:09 - Mailbag

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You might think writing like Cormac McCarthy is impossible. He may seem unapproachable or unreachable. But there are a few practical 'structural' techniques he uses in his writing that we can emulate.

The practice of strategy today is a history-adjacent discipline, but it is one that history informs and one that shapes history. John Gaddis is one of the United States' foremost strategy thinkers, and he joins me on the show to talk about Venezuela, the war in Ukraine, how democracies and autocracies differ with regard to strategy, and much more.

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There's a lot to love in this episode. That is, if you love discussions about nationalism, slavery, and pre-Civil War politics.

Notes:

Impending Crisis by David Potter

Apostles of Disunion by Charles Dew

Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson

Historian Barry Strauss joins me to talk about his new book, Jews Vs Rome! We also look at some of the greatest commanders in history, what they did well and what they struggled with, as well as why YOU should read history.

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Did Alexander beat Darius because he was a better field commander, or because he was a greater gravitational force? Josh wonders if perhaps his secret weapon was something a bit more mundane?

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What happens when a 90-day war goes longer than 90 days? You get a soupy melange of nerves, avarice, and confusion. Nobody at the time is equipped to deal with it, least of all the men in charge.

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Check out the Distant Guns series Bibliography

Political violence is becoming a disturbing norm. The partisan divide grows wider. Can we close the gap? Can we resolve our disagreements through reason? For whatever they are worth, Josh shares a few thoughts.