Finneran's Wake

Barry Brown is an author, cowboy, horse breaker, bull rider, and rodeo competitor to whom the nickname, “The Bionic Bull Rider” has been, I think, very fittingly applied. 

Barry began competing as a b…

Reid Mitenbuler is an author, a journalist, and an Air Force veteran. 

His latest book, Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, An Epic Journey, A Lost Age tells the untold story of the twentieth century’s…

Alas...

How quickly (and imperceptibly!) the years accrue! 

Before you know it, you're departing your second, and entering your third (or fourth, or fifth…) decade of life and wondering, as you pass an…

The beard is back! 

Recurring (and undeniably burly) guest James Flood joins me to discuss the five most important things you can do outside the gym in order to optimize your performance once you re-e…

James Charney is a psychiatrist, cinephile, professor, and author. 

His latest book, “Madness at the Movies” examines the mental disorders by which Hollywood’s most infamously deranged characters (Tra…

Welcome to Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives. 

Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard. 

As the great French essayist Montaigne onc…

I realized, while reflecting on the last few conversations of which I partook, that I twice made reference to one special book: 

“The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera. 

Kundera, a Czech-…

Svetlana Slapšak is an author, editor, anthropologist, philologist, expert in gender studies and the history of the Balkans. 

Born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1948, she now resides and works in Ljubljana, …

Glenn Ellmers is an author, journalist, political scientist, and fellow at the Claremont Institute. 

The late Harry Jaffa–of whom Glenn was a student–is the subject of his excellent 2021 book, The Sou…

Dan Willingham is a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and the author of many celebrated articles and books.

His latest work, Outsmart Your Brain, offers invaluable advice for the s…

Neema Naz is a comedian, an actor, and the creator of The Estupid Club and NeemaNazTV. 

This conversation–my first with a REAL, card-carrying comedian–was an absolute delight! 

Of course, if you’re amo…

Edward Larson is a lawyer, historian, professor, and Pulitzer-Prize winning author. 

A distinguished professor at Pepperdine University, his most recent work, American Inheritance explores the tension…

In this inaugural episode of “Finn and Flood” (a segment focused on vitality, fitness, and wellbeing!), I sit down with my good pal, James Flood! 

Aside from being an all-around swell (*swole*) guy an…

Marty Gallagher is an author, powerlifter, trainer, and coach. 

Bearing nicknames such as the “Iron Monk”, the “Carefree Psychotic”, and the “Hibernian Hulk” (okay…I just made that last one up!) Marty…

Noah Charney is an art historian, lecturer, author, and expert on art thievery. 

His latest book, The 12-Hour Art Expert, is the perfect entree for the layperson (like me!) who’s interested in learnin…

Evan Mandery is a professor, lawyer, (former standup comedian!) and the author of eight books. 

His latest work, Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us is available for purchase at all reputable (an…

Eric Lager is an academic and entrepreneur who lives and teaches in South Carolina. 

A native of Illinois, Professor Lager obtained his Ph.D in antebellum American History from the University of Tenne…

Jason Stephenson is the founder and host of the wildly popular YouTube channel, “Jason Stephenson: Sleep Meditation Music” to which some 3 million people (and counting!) are subscribed. 

Since joining…

On a bright, sunny February day, a couple of curious Montanans happened to look up and notice a peculiar flying object. 

At a slow, leisurely pace, what appeared to be a massive balloon was traversing…