Canonball
Episodes
How To Actually Learn Any Language
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textThis is a summary of what I think is the best approach to learning a language, based on my experience mastering a foreign language as an ad...
Discussing "The Life Of Saint Louis" By Jean De Joinville
28 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Life Of Saint Louis," which Jean de Joinville completed in 1309.Â
Discussing "The Libation Bearers" By Aeschylus With Evan
15 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textIn this video, Evan and I discuss "The Libation Bearers," which is the second play in the Aeschylus' trilogy Oresteia.The co...
Discussing The Fragments Of Heraclitus
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss the fragments of Heraclitus, who lived in the sixth and fifth centuries BC.Â
Discussing "The Civiliation Of The Renaissance In Italy" By Jacob Burckhardt
08 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Civilization Of The Renaissance In Italy," which was written by Jacob Burckhardt ...
Colleges Are Abandoning the Classics — Down 70% Since 2008
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThe data below are in the format indicated in the first line: The first word given is the term that I searched on opensyllabus.org, foll...
Discussing "The Revolt Of The Masses" By Jose Ortega y Gasset
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Revolt Of The Masses" which Jose Ortega y Gasset first published as a series of e...
Discussing "Agamemnon" By Aeschylus With Evan
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss the play "Agamemnon," by Aeschylus, which is the first part of the Aeschylus' onl...
Discussing "The Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism" By Max Weber
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism," which was written by Max Weber an...
Bookstore Talk: Exploring Frankenstein And The World In Which Mary Shelley Created A Monster
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis is a talk I gave at a bookstore in Western Maryland in October 2025 discussing the world in which Mary Shelley was living when she ...
Discussing "The Spirit Of The Laws" By Montesquieu
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Spirit Of The Laws," which was written by Montesquieu and published in 1748.Get a...
Discussing "Fathers And Sons" By Ivan Turgenev
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Fathers And Sons," which was written by Ivan Turgenev and published in 1862.Get a cop...
Discussing "We" By Yevgeny Zamyatin
10 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "We," which was written by Yevgeny Zamyatin and first published in 1924. Get a copy o...
Discussing "The New Science" By Giambattista Vico – Part II
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we continue discussing "The New Science," which was written by Giambattista Vico and first publis...
Discussing "The New Science" By Giambattista Vico – Part I
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we begin discussing "The New Science," which was written by Giambattista Vico and first published...
Discussing "The Devil's Dictionary" By Ambrose Bierce
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Devil's Dictionary," which was written by Ambrose Bierce and first published...
Discussing "The Last Man" By Mary Shelley
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Last Man," which was written by Mary Shelley and published in 1826.Get a copy of ...
Mendacious Impressions – An Original Short Story
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textThis is a short story I wrote. I hope you enjoy it. Get a copy of my edition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein at my website:Â Vollrat...
Discussing "Statesman" By Plato
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Statesman," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth...
Discussing "Sophist" By Plato
17 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Sophist," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth c...
Discussing "Theaetetus" By Plato
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Theaetetus," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourt...
Discussing "Cratylus" By Plato
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Cratylus," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth ...
Discussing "Phaedo," Or "On The Soul," By Plato
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Phaedo," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth ce...
Discussing "Crito" By Plato
20 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Crito," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth cen...
Discussing "Apology" By Plato
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Apology," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth c...
Discussing "Euthyphro" By Plato
09 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Euthyphro," which is one of the dialogues of Plato, who lived in the fifth and fourth...
Discussing "Growth Of The Soil" By Knut Hamsun
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Growth Of The Soil," which was written by Knut Hamsun and published in 1917.Get a cop...
Discussing "The Beautiful And Damned" By F. Scott Fitzgerald
06 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Beautiful And Damned," which was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published in ...
Discussing "Don Quixote" By Miguel De Cervantes
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote Of La Mancha," which was written by Miguel De Cer...
Discussing Books, Childbirth, And Stories To Read My Daughter
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textToday I wanted to let you know where I've been and what to expect going forward, then offer my thoughts on a few topics. Â Get a co...
Discussing Volume II Of "The Decline Of The West" By Oswald Spengler
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss Volume II of "The Decline Of The West," which, subtitled "Perspectives Of World-H...
Discussing Volume I Of "The Decline Of The West" By Oswald Spengler
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss Volume I of "The Decline Of The West," which, subtitled "Form And Actuality,"...
Discussing Volume III Of "The Gulag Archipelago" By Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
27 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss Volume III of "The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, which was written bet...
Discussing Volume II Of "The Gulag Archipelago" By Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
19 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss Volume II of "The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, which was written betw...
Discussing Volume I Of "The Gulag Archipelago" By Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss Volume I of "The Gulag Archipelago" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, which was published in ...
Discussing "Vanity Fair" By William Makepeace Thackeray
04 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Vanity Fair," which was written by William Makepeace Thackeray and first published in...
Discussing Selected Writings By George Orwell
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss selected writings by George Orwell. I forgot to mention that Orwell was shot in the neck in the ...
Discussing "The Foundations Of Arithmetic" By Gottlob Frege
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Foundations Of Arithmetic," which was written by Gottlob Frege and published in 1...
Discussing "The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" By Laurence Sterne
30 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman," which was written by Laurence S...
Discussing "Motley Stones" By Adalbert Stifter
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Motley Stones" which was written by Adalbert Stifter and published in 1853.Get a copy...
Discussing "Science And Method" By Henri Poincare
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Science And Method," which was written by Henri Poincare and published in 1908.Get a ...
Discussing "The Value Of Science" By Henri Poincare
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Value Of Science," which was written by Henri Poincare and published in 1904.Get ...
Discussing "Science And Hypothesis" By Henri Poincare
02 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Science And Hypothesis," which was written by Henri Poincare and published in 1902.Ge...
Discussing "Notes From Underground" By Fyodor Dostoevsky
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Notes From Underground," which was written by Fyodor Dostoevsky and published in 1864...
Discussing "Physics And Philosophy" By Werner Heisenberg
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Physics And Philosophy," which was written by Werner Heisenberg and published in 1962...
Discussing "What Is Art?" By Leo Tolstoy
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "What Is Art?" which was written by Leo Tolstoy and published in 1897. Get a copy of m...
Discussing "The Country Of The Blind And Other Stories" By H.G. Wells
27 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Country Of The Blind And Other Stories,"Â is a collection of stories which was w...
Discussing Selected Writings By Jonathan Swift
21 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss selected writings by Jonathan Swift, who lived from 1667 to 1745.Get a copy of my edition of Mar...
Discussing "Chrestomathy" By Henry Louis Mencken
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Chrestomathy," a collection of articles that Henry Louis Mencken wrote between 1918...
Discussing "The Rider On The White Horse" By Theodor Storm
06 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Rider On The White Horse" and other novellas by Theodor Storm published between 1...
Discussing "Ninety-Three" By Victor Hugo
30 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Ninety-Three" by Victor Hugo, which was published in 1874.Get a copy of my edition of...
Discussing Essays By Robert Louis Stevenson
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss essays that Robert Louis Stevenson wrote between 1874 and 1888.Get a copy of my edition of Mary ...
Discussing Poetry And Letters By John Keats
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss the poetry and letters of John Keats, who wrote between 1814 and 1821.The cover art for this epi...
Discussing "The Chronicles" By Jean Froissart
10 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Chronicles," which Jean Froissart completed in 1400.The painting used for the cov...
Discussing "Martin Eden" By Jack London
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Martin Eden," written by Jack London and published in 1909. Get a copy of my edition...
Discussing "Under Western Eyes" By Joseph Conrad
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Under Western Eyes," written by Joseph Conrad and published in 1911.  Get a copy of...
Discussing "Parzival" By Wolfram Von Eschenbach
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Parzival," which Wolfram Von Eschenbach completed between 1200 and 1210. The cover ar...
Discussing "The Canterbury Tales" By Geoffrey Chaucer
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Canterbury Tales,"Â written by Geoffrey Chaucer, who died in 1400 before complet...
Discussing "The Annals" By Tacitus
04 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Annals,"Â written by Tacitus and completed in 117 AD.The cover image for this ep...
Discussing "First Principles" By Herbert Spencer
28 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "First Principles,"Â written by Herbert Spencer and published in 1862.Get a copy of m...
Discussing "Tess Of The d'Urbervilles" By Thomas Hardy
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Tess Of The d'Urbervilles," a novel written by Thomas Hardy and published in 189...
Discussing "The House Of The Seven Gables" By Nathaniel Hawthorne
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The House Of The Seven Gables," written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1851....
Discussing "Njal's Saga"
23 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Njal's Saga," which was written sometime in the 13th century by an unknown autho...
Discussing "The Decameron" By Giovanni Boccaccio
16 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Decameron" by Giovanni Boccaccio, the final revisions of which were completed in ...
Discussing "Dead Souls" By Nikolai Gogol
03 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Dead Souls" by Nikolai Gogol, which was published in 1842.Get a copy of my edition of...
Discussing "On Heroes, Hero-Worship, And The Heroic In History" By Thomas Carlyle
12 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "On Heroes, Hero-Worship, And The Heroic In History" by Thomas Carlyle, which was publ...
Discussing "Of Plymouth Plantation" By William Bradford
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford, which was completed in 1651. I said 1647...
Discussing "The Origins And Deeds Of The Goths" By Jordanes
29 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Origins And Deeds Of The Goths" by Jordanes, which was completed in 551. Get a c...
Discussing "The Prince" By Niccolo Machiavelli
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli, which was published in 1532, five years after Mac...
Discussing "In Praise Of Folly" And "Against War" By Desiderius Erasmus
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "In Praise Of Folly," which Desiderius Erasmus wrote in 1511, and "Against War,&q...
Discussing "The Divine Comedy" By Dante Alighieri
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Divine Comedy," which was written by Dante Alighieri and completed in 1320. Get ...
Discussing "The Imaginary Cuckold," "The Bungler," "Don Juan," And Other Plays By Moliere
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss some of the writing of the 17th-century French playwright Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, better known a...
Discussing "Sir Gawain And The Green Knight"
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Sir Gawain And The Green Knight," written in the late 14th century by a poet whose na...
Discussing "A Journal Of The Plague Year" By Daniel Defoe
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "A Journal Of The Plague Year," which was written by Daniel Defoe and published in 1...
Discussing "On The Aesthetic Education Of Man" By Friedrich Schiller
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "On The Aesthetic Education Of Man," which was written by Friedrich Schiller and pub...
Discussing "The Notebooks Of Malte Laurids Brigge" By Rainer Maria Rilke
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Notebooks Of Malte Laurids Brigge," which was written by Rainer Maria Rilke and...
Discussing "The Red And The Black" By Stendhal
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Red And The Black," which was published in 1830 and written by Marie-Henri Beyle,...
Discussing "The Consolation Of Philosophy" By Boethius
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Consolation Of Philosophy," which was written by Boethius in about 524.Get a copy...
Discussing "Self-Reliance," "Heroism," "The American Scholar," And Other Essays By Ralph Waldo Emerson
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Self-Reliance," "Heroism," "The American Scholar," and other essa...
Discussing "The Song Of Roland"
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The Song Of Roland" a French epic whose author is unknown and which was put to paper ...
Discussing "Discourse on Method" by Rene Descartes
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in th...
Discussing "The History Of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia" by Samuel Johnson
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia," which was written by Samuel Johnson ...
Discussing "Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful" by Edmund Burke
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful," w...
Discussing "Outlines Of Pyrrhonism" By Sextus Empiricus
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Outlines Of Pyrrhonism," which was written by Sextus Empiricus in the second century....
Discussing "The Liberty Of Unlicensed Printing" By John Milton
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Areopagitica; A Speech Of Mr. John Milton For The Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, To ...
Discussing "On Crimes And Punishments" By Cesare Beccaria
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "On Crimes And Punishments," which was written by Cesare Beccaria and first published ...
Discussing "Rameau's Nephew" By Denis Diderot
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Send us a textIn this episode of Canonball we discuss "Rameau's Nephew," which was written by Denis Diderot and first published in 1805...