McConnell Center Podcast

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Natalie Fuehrer Taylor for a presentation on the importance of the Henry Adams novel Democracy!

Natalie Taylor is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Skidmore College. She is the author of The Rights of Woman as Chimera: the Political Philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft and the editor of A Political Companion to Henry Adams.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Dr. Gary Houchens and explains why it is important to read Return of the Strong Gods by R.R. Reno!

Gary Houchens is a former social studies teacher, assistant principal, principal and district administrator, serving in both public and private school settings.  He joined the WKU faculty in 2010. Dr. Houchens is active in education policy efforts, serving on the Board of Scholars for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions and as Senior Fellow with the Pegasus Institute. From 2016-2019 he was a member of the Kentucky Board of Education.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven’t yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville’s McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter 
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter 
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Grace Olmstead as she explains the importance of the book Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry!

Grace Olmstead is a journalist who focuses on farming, localism, and family. Her writing has been published in The American Conservative, The Week, The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Review, The Wall Street Journal, and Christianity Today, among others. A native of rural Idaho, she now lives outside of Washington, DC, with her husband and three children.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Jerry Salyer and he explains to us the importance of the book Last of The Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper!

Jerry Salyer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics from Miami University and a Master of Arts from the Great Books Program of St. John's College, Annapolis. A veteran of the US Navy, Mr. Salyer has navigated ships, deployed to the Persian Gulf, and served as an assistant security officer at the American naval base in Naples, Italy. He works as an educator and as a freelance writer.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Dr. Abby Hall Blanco as she attempts to convince us of the importance of the book The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek!

Abigail Hall Blanco's research focuses on issues related to defense, war, and peace. Blanco has authored more than 40 academic articles and book chapters. She is the coauthor of four published books including How to Run Wars: A Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite (2024, Independent Institute),

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Christopher Beckham as he explains the importance of reading The Thread That Runs So True by Jesse Stuart!

Christopher Beckham is Associate Professor of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education at Morehead State University.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter as we welcome Tim Simpson as he attempts to convince us of the importance of the book Apology by Plato!

Timothy L. Simpson is Associate Dean of the Volgenau College of Education and Professor of education at Morehead State University. He was born in Evansville, IN and lived in Kentucky and Tennessee during his youth. He studied philosophy with Dr. Peter Schuller, who further instructed him in the wonder of philosophy through Socrates and Plato. He teaches the history and philosophy of education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter for a discussion regarding the importance of the Edith Hamilton's book The Roman Way, led by Dr. John Wilsey.

Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at Southern Seminary and Boyce College.

Dr. Wilsey's primary areas of teaching are in modern church history, history of Western thought, and American history. He supervises PhD dissertations in the areas of American church history and history of philosophy.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join the #McConnellCenter for a discussion regarding the importance of the Edith Hamilton's book The Greek Way, led by Dr. John Wilsey.

Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology at Southern Seminary and Boyce College.

Dr. Wilsey's primary areas of teaching are in modern church history, history of Western thought, and American history. He supervises PhD dissertations in the areas of American church history and history of philosophy.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center

Join #McConnellCenter Director Dr. Gary Gregg for a discussion regarding the importance of the play Cato: A Tragedy.

An award-winning political science teacher and expert on the U.S. presidency, Gregg has written or edited several books, including Securing Democracy: Why We Have an Electoral College.

We all know we need to read more and there are literally millions of books on shelves with new ones printed every day. How do we sort through all the possibilities to find the book that is just right for us now?

Well, the McConnell Center is bringing authors and experts to inspire us to read impactful and entertaining books that might be on our shelves or in our e-readers, but which we haven't yet picked up.

We hope you learn a lot in the following podcast and we hope you might be inspired to pick up one or more of the books we are highlighting this year at the University of Louisville's McConnell Center.

Stay Connected

• Visit us at McConnellcenter.org
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Facebook: @mcconnellcenter
• Instagram: @ulmcenter
• Twitter: @ULmCenter

This podcast is a production of the McConnell Center