Meta Description: Join Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe in Ad Navseam Episode 165 as they explore their recent reading lists, Thomistic philosophy, true crime, and resources to master the Latin language.
Introduction: Drain Commissioners and the Hell Strip
Welcome back, classical gourmands, to Episode 165 of the Ad Navseam Podcast! Broadcasting from the subterranean depths of the vomitorium, your hosts, Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle, return to the microphones.
The episode opens on a stormy, rainy Election Day in America, a gloomy atmosphere that perfectly matches Jeff’s mood regarding the relentless cycle of political advertisements. Attempting to exercise his civic duty responsibly, Dave admits he wrote in a few trusted names for local races, though he deeply regrets forgetting to write Jeff in for the coveted position of Drain Commissioner.
Escaping the political noise, the hosts announce a sequel to an episode recorded over 150 weeks ago: Libris Helluari. Dave takes a moment to define the brilliant, first-conjugation Latin deponent verb helluari, meaning “to devour” or “to gourmandize”. Cicero utilized this vivid verb in De Finibus, grimly describing a political rival as a vast whirlpool guzzling down the blood of the Republic.
For this episode, however, the hosts are strictly devouring books. To set the literary mood, Dave reads a beautiful Latin quote from Cicero’s letters to Varro: Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit (If you have a garden in a library, you have everything you need). Jeff shares that his wife has successfully cultivated a magnificent garden in their “Hell Strip”—the narrow patch of grass between the sidewalk and the city road. Dave, operating with a similar Epicurean spirit, has built an elevated bookshelf system above the windows of his sunroom, filling the space with plants to create his own personal library-garden oasis.
The Perils of Book Gifting
Before sharing their recent reading lists, the hosts discuss the inherent social dangers of gifting books. Operating as a self-described “book club of one,” Dave admits he feels ornery and irritated when someone gives him a book. Because he considers books to be the professional tools of his trade, he compares receiving a random book to giving a dentist a set of dental instruments.
Jeff agrees that giving a book is a highly intimate gesture that assumes a deep understanding of the recipient’s intellectual and emotional wheelhouse. However, when the gift hits the mark, it can be profound. Dave recalls a perfect Father’s Day gift from his wife, Bobby Fischer Goes to War, which brilliantly combined his love for chess, history, and Cold War intrigue.
Jeff’s Reading List: True Crime and Classical Gags
Utilizing a set of questionnaire prompts from bookclub.com, Jeff shares his recent literary diet.
- The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson: Gifted to him by his wife, this popular history examines the narrow, intense window between Abraham Lincoln’s first inauguration and the attack on Fort Sumter. Jeff praises Larson’s novelistic ability to bring primary sources from South Carolina to life, though he was surprised to learn how many politicians across the aisle initially viewed Lincoln as a dolt or a controllable puppet.
- American Heiress by Jeffrey Toobin: This true-crime text details the 1970s kidnapping of Patty Hearst by the Symbionese Liberation Army. Jeff notes the sheer stupidity of the would-be revolutionaries, characterizing them as radicalized theater kids playing with gasoline and matches, which ultimately resulted in Hearst succumbing to Stockholm Syndrome and robbing banks.
- Freemasons by Paul Jeffers: Seeking to understand the secret society after a classroom discussion regarding ancient mystery cults, Jeff picked up this highly recommended book. He rates it a dismal 3 out of 10, noting the Freemasons are essentially as boring as the Stonecutters from The Simpsons, merely drinking beer and playing ping-pong. However, this leads to a good anecdote: when teaching Latin in the classroom, Dave frequently borrows a dollar bill from a student, explains the creepy, Illuminati-esque eye of Providence and the Latin phrases annuit coeptis and novus ordo seclorum, and then casually pockets the money until the student objects.
- Running with the Devil by Noel Monk: Written by the former manager of Van Halen during the David Lee Roth years, this backstage biography offers a highly repetitive, tabloidy look at keeping the famous rock band on the straight and narrow.
- Unearthing the Family of Alexander the Great by David Grant: Purchased as prep material for his new Greek archaeology class, Jeff calls this book a goldmine. It details Manolis Andronikos’s discovery of the unlooted royal tombs of Macedon at Vergina. Dave recalls visiting the stunning underground tumulus with colleague Ken Bratt, who flagrantly ignored the “No Pictures” sign to snap a photo, confidently assuring him that the flash wouldn’t harm 2,000-year-old bones.
- Nothing But the Night by Greg King: Exploring the 1920s Leopold and Loeb thrill-killer case in Chicago, this well-sourced true-crime book details the horrific actions of two wealthy, bored aristocrats. When asked who he would cast in a film adaptation, Jeff suggests a younger Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt to capture their suave, monstrous duality.
Dave’s Reading List: Thomistic Donuts and Prison Orchestras
Dave shares a mix of heavy philosophical lifting and gripping historical tragedy.
- Five Proofs of the Existence of God by Edward Feser: Dave praises this contemporary Thomist philosopher for producing an absolute page-turner. Feser expertly breaks down five distinct proofs (Aristotelian, Neoplatonic, Augustinian, Thomistic, and Leibnizian) using a conversational, highly approachable structure before swiftly dismantling the objections of “New Atheists” like Richard Dawkins. Dave loved the book so much that he directly emailed Professor Feser to thank him and received a gracious reply.
- Alma Rose: Vienna to Auschwitz by Richard Newman: This tragic biography follows Alma Rose, a violin virtuosa and the niece of composer Gustav Mahler. Born into the highest echelons of Viennese society, she failed to escape Europe before the Nazi annexation. Captured and sent to a concentration camp, she utilized her immense musical talent to form a prison orchestra, saving the lives of numerous women by forcing them to practice intensely to please their captors. Dave notes the story reads exactly like a Greek tragedy, complete with elite royalty, horrific reversals of fortune, and terrifying recognition scenes.
- Aquinas’s Way to God by Gavin Kerr: Dave admits this dense philosophical text regarding Thomas Aquinas’s De Ente et Essentia was an absolute grueling slog. However, the intellectual workout paid off. Kerr utilizes a brilliant metaphor regarding a donut to explain the metaphysical difference between existence and essence. A donut is a circular pastry with a hole in the center; the hole is nothing of the donut, yet without the hole, the donut ceases to be a donut. Thus, the hole is utterly transcendent yet fundamentally immanent. Kerr argues that the author of Exodus managed to capture this exact, profound metaphysical reality of God’s pure existence (esse tantum) without any formal philosophical training when he recorded the phrase “I am who I am”.
Sponsors: Fueling the Classical Renaissance
Before sharing the parting shot, the hosts extend their gratitude to the sponsors keeping the podcast operational.
- Hackett Publishing: For over four years, Hackett has supported the podcast by providing highly affordable, beautiful translations from all corners of academia. They thread the needle between high quality and low cost, avoiding the extortionate pricing of other publishers. Build your personal library at hackettpublishing.com and use the code AN2024 to receive a 20% discount and free shipping on your entire order.
- Ratio Coffee: Dave and Jeff rely heavily on their Ratio 8 and Ratio 6 machines to brew the perfect morning cup. With the push of a single button, these beautiful machines execute a proper bloom cycle to off-gas nasty CO2, ensuring the coffee never develops an acrid, brackish tang. The hosts are thrilled for the upcoming release of the agile Ratio 4, a half-batch machine perfect for the home office. Visit ratiocoffee.com and enter the promo code ANCO3R to receive 15% off your order.
- LatinPerDiem & MossMethod: For listeners inspired to read ancient texts in their original form, Dave offers tailored educational solutions to master the Latin language and ancient Greek. From comprehensive Greek instruction via the Moss Method to Latin deep dives using Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, these courses offer the perfect path from neophyte to erudite. Visit latinperdiem.com.
The Gustatory Parting Shot
To officially close out Episode 165, the hosts thank Mishka the sound engineer for her tireless work, and musicians Ken Tamplin and Scott Van Zen for the ripping, wailing bluesy guitars that frame the show.
Jeff then delivers a highly pragmatic Gustatory Parting Shot, courtesy of his lovely wife, Rebecca Winkle.
Regarding the harsh realities and competing biological interests of family road trips, Rebecca laid down the law with this brilliant piece of modern wisdom:
“Bladders before burgers.”
Check out the “Lurch with Merch” section on the website to grab a QVAE NOCENT DOCENT t-shirt, beware of gifting books to ornery classicists, and keep taking in the classics. Valete!
