Ascend - The Great Books Podcast
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.
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 83 minutes
- Episodes
- 98
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
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 Cat…
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 infor…
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 …
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 thegreatbookspodcas…
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 pod…
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…
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 th…
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 gui…
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 profes…
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…
The Odyssey Book Fifteen: The Prince Sets Sail for Home
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan continue the YEAR WITH HOMER by discussing Book 15 of the Odyssey: The Prince Sets Sail for Home.
Check out our guide at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
80. What …
The Odyssey Book Fourteen: The Loyal Swineherd with Alec Bianco
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Alec Bianco of the Circe Institute to discuss Book Fourteen of the Odyssey: The Loyal Swineherd.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more!
From …
The Intellectual Life with Alan Cornett and Dr. Richard Meloche
In this episode, Deacon Harrison Garlick, along with guests Alan Cornett and Dr. Richard Meloche, delve into the french Dominican A.G. Sertillanges' influential book "The Intellectual Life."
They exp…
The Odyssey Book Thirteen: Ithaca at Last with Dr. Papadopoulos
Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Dr. Pavlos Papadopoulos of Wyoming Catholic College to discuss BOOK THIRTEEN of the Odyssey.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more.
From our guide:
7…
The Odyssey Book Twelve: The Cattle of the Sun
Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book Twelve of the Odyssey: The Cattle of the Sun.
Check out more at thegreatbookspodcast.com.
From our guide:
68. What happens in book twelve?
Odysseu…
The Odyssey Book Eleven: The Kingdom of the Dead
Dr. Frank Grabowski and Thomas Lackey return to discuss Book Eleven of the Odyssey with Dcn. Garlick.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
From the guide:
60. What happens in boo…
The Odyssey Book Ten: The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea
Dcn. Garlick flies solo to explore the depths of BOOK TEN of the Odyssey: The Bewitching Queen of Aeaea.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
From the guide:
53. What happens i…
The Odyssey Book Nine: Odysseus and the Cyclops
Dcn. Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss BOOK NINE of the Odyssey: Odysseus and the Cyclops. Odysseus finally gives his name and starts to tell his story.
Book Nine is one of the most important books in…
The Odyssey Book Eight: A Day for Songs and Contests
This week Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone, formerly of the TU Great Books Honors College and now teaching at a classical school, discuss Book VIII of the Odyssey: A Day for Songs and Contests…
The Odyssey Book Seven: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens
This week Dcn. Garlick and Mr. Eli Stone discuss Book Seven of the Odyssey: Phaeacia’s Halls and Gardens.
Check out thegreatbookspodcast.com for more resources.
FROM THE GUIDE:
36. What happens in…