Quintus Curtius

A reader who is a teacher is troubled by the fact that one of his teenage students firmly believes in in fascist government. The teacher seeks advice on how to deal with this situation. He relates this situation to similar experiences he had as a soldier in Afghanistan when he was dealing with local villagers.

A former NKVD agent describes a meeting with Joseph Stalin and the special assignment he was given. We reflect on the fact that power and glory are fleeting, and that they can vanish faster than most people believe.

A reader wonders whether nature or nurture is more important in shaping our identities. The answer, of course, is complicated. We give some details. I close by reading the epilogue to my book "Thirty-Seven."

A reader from Italy writes to say he is frustrated and angry with the deceit and fraudulence of a certain political figure on the world stage. We explain why it is best to take a detached, philosophical view of such men, since experience shows that they eventually bring about their own ruin. What matters is to be a man of substance, not a man of straw, a hollow man. We close by reading T.S. Eliot's immortal poem, "The Hollow Men."

Two different readers ask questions from their own personal experience: 1. One man is trying to overcome feelings of discomfort when ordering his men to go places where they may face certain harm. 2. Another man is trying to deal with a boss whose passive-aggressive comments may mean trouble for him.

When your back is against the wall, you need to fight back however you can. Don't ever allow society or other people to denigrate you. Sometimes the best way to get people to listen is to force them to listen.

I've written before on the extreme social dangers that come about from excessive concentrations of wealth in the hands of a few. A very important series of articles by Robert and Pamela Bunker in Small Wars Journal has taken this idea one step further: they have identified the current vast income disparities as a form of insurgency warfare. This condition--in all its forms--they call the plutocratic insurgency. This podcast discusses some of their conclusions, and asks readers to ponder the implications of this insidious form of warfare on social health.

I recently saw the documentary "Metallica: Some Kind Of Monster." The film shows the group trying to keep itself together in the wake of band tension, personal issues, and creative deadlock. How these problems are confronted and solved make this a film very much worth watching. We discuss some of the lessons learned.

I received a great email the other day from an accomplished ex-military man who is currently enrolled in a higher degree program at a major US university. He wanted to know my thoughts on these questions: Why did you chose to become a civilian? Would you consider yourself patriotic? Is it possible to be a great general in this modern military that has been ravaged by regressive liberalism? What can a younger man do to affect positive change in today's society?

This summer I will be releasing a new book. It is an annotated edition of Sallust's great historical works "Conspiracy of Catiline" and "War of Jugurtha." It is a fully annotated and illustrated edition, specifically designed for those with no prior exposure to the subject matter.

Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, is generally considered to have been a dismal failure as chief executive. Less well known is the fact that he was a brilliantly successful organizer of humanitarian projects around the world before he became president. His career illustrates the principle that no man is capable at everything. As leaders we should focus on evaluating character and talent, and seek to find the right person for the right job.

Russia was torn apart by civil war from 1917 to 1922. On one side were the Bolshevik communists (Reds) and on the other were the Russian nationalists (Whites). How were the Reds able to win the military struggle? We explore some answers.

I recorded this podcast a few days ago but was only able to upload it today. We talk about some impressions from brief visits to Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico.

I visited Key West a few days ago and had a chance to see the retreat of former president Harry Truman. The experience generated some thoughts and observations.

Stephen Kotkin's masterful biography of Joseph Stalin has a very keen analysis of the outbreak of the First World War. I discuss some of the relevant points made. We draw some general conclusions from these lessons.

Some comments on the H2 Sierra folding knife. This recording accompanies the written review of this knife that appears on my site on December 3, 2016.

What is homesickness, and how can it be dealt with? What does the word "saudade" mean in Brazilian Portuguese? We discuss these subjects and some related issues.

A reader asks whether I like Cicero more than other writers, and wants to know my opinions on Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. This leads to larger questions about feeling kinship with certain writers. This podcast was brought to you courtesy of delta2alpha.com

A recent experience reminded me that we should not be too quick to judge others. We really don't know all the struggles or burdens that the other man may have in his background. This is why we should try, whenever possible, to look at things from others' perspectives.

In its character and results, the 2016 U.S. presidential election was perhaps the most incredible contest since the fragmented 1860 election. Donald Trump's coming challenges, though, may be the greatest test of his life.