{"podcast":{"title":"Ascend - The Great Books Podcast","slug":"ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379","podcast_index_feed_id":6733379,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/ascend-the-great-book/","website_url":"https://ascend-the-great-book.captivate.fm","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/91cb8b50-c0b7-49d8-9476-279514463e73/TfaX-DfFN1GQWT2CL2LiBMBS.png","author":"Harrison Garlick and Adam Minihan","episode_count":141,"summary":"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…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-14T20:18:29.696270+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379"},"episode":{"title":"The Odyssey Books 2-4 with Dr. Frank Grabowski","slug":"the-odyssey-books-2-4-with-dr-frank-grabowski","published_at":"2026-05-05T11:45:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379/the-odyssey-books-2-4-with-dr-frank-grabowski","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379","url":"http://mcidfrxn.podcastwebsites.com/episodes/the-odyssey-books-2-4-with-dr-frank-grabowski","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/0e47fe1d-ecbf-4869-af05-0ae6cadc7210.mp3","summary":"Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski discuss the famous \"Telemachy\" or the coming of age story of Telemachus, Books 2-4 of the Odyssey. Check us our on X, Instagram, Facebook, and more ! Check out our WRITTEN GUIDE to the Odyssey . In this rich second episode of our 12-week Odyssey series, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski dive deep into Books 2–4 — the Telemachy — exploring Telemachus’s powerful coming-of-age journey from a fatherless, disordered Ithaca to the ordered poleis of Pylos and Sparta. They unpack how Homer paints a vivid picture of political decay: twenty years without an assembly, a missing generation of men, and suitors devouring the household while logos itself loses its force. Yet as Telemachus steps into his father’s seat and sets sail under Athena’s guidance (disguised as Mentor), we witness not only his maturation but a masterclass in what makes a healthy polis. The conversation shines especially when they examine the suitors’ impiety, the beautiful practice of guest-friendship ( xenia ), and the threefold piety it reveals — toward the gods, the city, and the family. From Nestor’s sacrifices and storytelling to Menelaus and Helen’s double wedding feast, the episode is packed with insight, humor, and timely wisdom. Whether you’re reading the Great Books for the first time or returning to Homer with fresh eyes, this conversation will deepen your appreciation for the political, moral, and spiritual layers of the Odyssey. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Odyssey Study 06:18 Telemachus' Journey and Athena's Role 08:01 Political Instability in Ithaca 09:38 The Assembly and Telemachus' Leadership 15:48 Penelope's Dilemma and Guest Friendship 17:47 Xenia: The Importance of Hospitality 24:16 The…","meta_description":"Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Harrison Garlick and Dr. Frank Grabowski discuss the famous \"Telemachy\" or the coming of age story of Telem…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":6832,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379/episodes/the-odyssey-books-2-4-with-dr-frank-grabowski/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ascend-the-great-books-podcast-6733379/the-odyssey-books-2-4-with-dr-frank-grabowski.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}