Books of Titans Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

I’m the business manager at Landmark Booksellers in Franklin, TN. Our owner recently purchased this book for all staff members so that we could read and discuss it. I’m so glad he did. I loved this book and it reignited a deep love and passion for bookstores.

It also provided a number of ideas that I highlight in this episode. I share three things that stuck out to me and got me thinking and then talk about some of my favorite bookstores over the years.

I read an illustrated edition of Aesop’s Fables earlier this year and came away quite disappointed. I knew Aesop lived in the 7th century BC, but the book of fables contained elements from much later during the Roman period. I came away confused and wanting to know more.

Someone suggested I pick up the Loeb Classical Library version of Babrius and Phaedrus to dig deeper. I’m so glad I did.

We don’t have actual writings or fables from Aesop. We do have collections from 600+ years later from these two, Babrius and Phaedrus, who collected, added, and made innovations to Aesop’s Fables. Babrius wrote in Greek and Phaedrus in Latin. So, technically, this Loeb book should look like this:

Here’s my original episode covering the illustrated Aesop’s Fables:

In his introduction to The Theban Plays, Charles Segal highlights the question Sophocles asks in his plays:

“Why should a man or woman of noble character and good intentions have to bear a life of suffering?”

If Antigone is the woman of nobel character and Creon the man of, arguably, good intentions, why must they suffer? Why must bad things happen to good people?

Sophocles uses character, circumstances, and divine agency to address this question.

In this episode of the podcast, I highlight the themes, important ideas, and the one image I still have in my head after having read Antigone by Sophocles.

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In this episode, Erik Rostad compares Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert Moses, discussing the similarities and differences in their use and abuse of power. Show Notes Author: Robert A. Caro Other Robert Caro Podcast Episodes: First Episode: The Path to Power Second Episode: Means of Ascent Third Episode: Master of the Senate Fourth Episode: The...

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In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses books 30 & 31 from his 2021 Reading List – Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life by Zena Hitz and The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks. Show Notes Author: Zena Hitz Author: David Brooks Support the Podcast! Buy me a Book...

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In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 28 from his 2021 Reading List – The Civil War Volume I: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote. Show Notes Author: Shelby Foote Support the Podcast! Buy me a Book for my 2022 Reading List – Amazon Wish List My thoughts about the book Purchase the Book Reading Resources Books...

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In this episode, Dr. Jason A. Staples joins Erik Rostad to discuss his book The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism: A New Theory of People, Exile, and Israelite Identity. Show Notes Author: Jason A. Staples Purchase a Signed Copy of The Idea of Israel Join the Fall 2021 Seminar with Jason as he...

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In this episode, Erik Rostad discusses book 26 from his 2021 Reading List – The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro. Show Notes Author: Robert A. Caro Other Robert Caro Podcast Episodes: First Episode: The Path to Power Second Episode: Means of Ascent Third Episode: Master of the Senate Fourth Episode: The Passage of Power The Years of...

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In this episode, Erik Rostad takes stock of his reading status at the mid-point of 2021. He highlights the current status of his 37-book goal, provides a reading project update, and highlights key takeaways from the books so far this year. 2022 Reading List Support the Podcast! Buy me a Book from my 2022 Reading...

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In this episode, Erik Rostad interviews Gene Hanratty about his 10-year project of reading through a book about each president. Show Notes Guest: Gene Hanratty Gene’s Presidential Reading List 1776 by David McCullough (decided to add this book to the library because without the significant events of this year the rest of the list would...

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