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
Iliad: Book 15 | The Achaean Armies at Bay
Deacon Harrison Garlick welcomes Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson to the podcast to discuss Book 15 of The Iliad, The Achaean Armies at Bay.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book fifteen?
- What …
Iliad: Book 14 | Hera Outflanks Zeus
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan welcome Thomas Lackey back to the podcast to discuss Book 14 of The Iliad, Hera Outflanks Zeus
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book fourteen?
- Wh…
Iliad: Book 13 | Battling for the Ships
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan welcome Thomas Lackey back to the podcast to discuss Book 13 of The Iliad, Battling for the Ships
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book thirteen…
Iliad: Book 12 | The Trojans Storm the Rampart
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan welcome Thomas Lackey and David Niles to discuss Book 12 of The Iliad, The Trojans Storm the Rampart.
In this episode we will discuss:
- Our Sunday Great Books gr…
Iliad: Book 11 | Agamemnon's Day of Glory
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about Book 11 of the Iliad, Agamemnon's Day of Glory.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in Book 11?
- What should be noted about Patro…
Iliad: Book 10 | Marauding Through the Night
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about Book 10 of the Iliad, Marauding Through the Night.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in Book 10?
- Hector calls for a spy.
- Diomed…
Iliad: Book 9 | The Embassy to Achilles
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about the embassy to Achilles in Book 9.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book nine?
- Who is Phoenix?
- What is the relationship bet…
Iliad: Book 8 | The Tide of Battle Turns
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about the tide of battle turns in Book 8.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book eight?
- Do the Achaeans actually need Achillies?
- W…
Iliad: Book 7 | Ajax Duels with Hector
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about the duel between Ajax and Hector in Book 7.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book 7?
- What does Nestor, the old Achaean war…
Iliad: Book 6 | Hector Returns to Troy
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan sit down to talk about Hector returning to Troy.
In this episode we will discuss:
- What happens in book six?
- What should be noted in the duel between Glaucus and …
Iliad: Book 5 | Diomedes Fights the Gods
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan are joined by Grayson Quay. Grayson Quay Grayson Quay is a writer and News and Opinion Editor for the Daily Caller. He earned his M.A. from Georgetown Univers…
Iliad: Book 4 | The Truce Erupts in War
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan discuss Book 4 of the Iliad - The Truce Erupts in War
Book Four
The Truce Erupts in War
The Iliad is a poem that lives and moves and has its being in war.
Bernar…
Iliad: Book 3 | Helen Reviews the Champions
Deacon Harrison Garlick welcomes Dr. Karl Schudt to Ascend to discuss Book 3 of the Iliad - Helen Reviews the Champions
In this episode Dcn. Garlick and Dr. Karl Schudt will discuss:
- What happens in th…
Iliad: Book 2 | The Great Gathering of Armies
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan take a slow read of Book 2 of The Iliad. Adam is not sure about this book, but by the end of the discussion, Deacon Garlick has talked Adam off the ledge.
Book…
Iliad: Book 1 | The Rage of Achilles
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan jump into The Iliad Book 1.
Commentary on the text
Book One
The Rage of Achilles[1]
Rage—Goddess, sing of Peleus’ son Achilles.
Iliad (1.1)
6. What happens…
Introduction to Homer
Deacon Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan answer the question, "Who is Homer?"
We announce a year with Homer! Who is Homer? Was he a real person? Did he write the Iliad and the Odyssey?
1. Who wa…
How to Read the Great Books Well
Dr. Richard Meloche, Dr. Aaron Henderson, Dcn. Harrison Garlick, and Adam Minihan ask the question, "Why read the Great Books and how do you read them well?"
In this episode, they discuss:
- What are the…
Introduction to Ascend: The Great Books Podcast
Who are we and why did we start this podcast?
In this episode Adam and Deacon Garlick discuss:
- Who is Adam Minihan and Deacon Harrison Garlick?
- Why did we start this project?
- What should the listener exp…