Ascend - The Great Books Podcast
Harrison Garlick and Adam MinihanWelcome 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 th... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 144 | Founded | 3 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | EducationBooksSelf-ImprovementArts | |||
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Latest Episodes
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Garlick invites you into a rich, methodical exploration of eros: the primal desire to satiate in beauty and be happy.
What if the restlessness in your soul—the endless craving for more beauty, more f... more
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Harrison Garlick delivers an unapologetically curmudgeonly critique of Christopher Nolan’s new film The Odyssey.
Check out our LIBRARY on the great books. www.patreon.com/cw/greatbooks/collect... more
Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Dcn. Garlick hosts Dr. Patrick Deneen to discuss his NEW BOOK: The American Odyssey: What an Ancient Story Reveals About Our Divided Souls.
Pick up the AMERICAN ODYSSEY out today!
2... more
Today, we end our 12-week study of the Odyssey with a discussion on Books 23-24 with Dr. Justin Jackson and Dr. Benedict Whalen of Hillsdale College alongside host, Dcn. Harrison Garlick.
There is yelling, laughter, cursing, and general chaos--but m... more
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- 10/10 Recommend
I desired to begin my journey through Homer's Iliad and Odyssey but I didn't know where to go. I stumbled across this podcast and I am so grateful I did. I'm only a few episodes in and I find this podcast so insightful. They make The Iliad approachable while still digging into deep themes and history.
Apple Podcasts5Taryn L. Davidson
United States10 months ago - Loving it as a STEM guy
This podcast made ancient texts unexpectedly addictive. Now I understand why they been read for hundreds of years.
Apple Podcasts5Sylvan OdysseyUnited Statesa year ago - Great Idea - Co-Host (Adam) is Unlistenable
The only reason this doesn’t go any lower is because i love the idea of this podcast and want to support at all cost
But Adam is atrocious and hard to suffer through, in order to get Deacon’s insight & discussion points
Apple Podcasts3showboat_goodmanUnited Statesa year ago - Awesome podcast
This is such a fantastic podcast! It has been a please to journey through The Iliad with Harrison and Adam. Both hosts provide a wealth of insight
Apple Podcasts5PjoordzUnited Statesa year ago - Great Podcast and Guests
Decided to mix some of the great books into my reading list last year and knew it would be beneficial to do so with a podcast to guide me. So glad I found this one! The hosts are a great example of the intellectual revival we should be having thanks to the internet and podcasting. I was pleasantly surprised that they’re involved Catholics as well.
Apple Podcasts5MtdillnUnited Statesa year ago
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Apple Podcasts | #100 | United States/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #48 |  Canada/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #128 | Canada/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #200 |  United Kingdom/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #90 |  Australia/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #177 |  Germany/Arts/Books |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ascend
What is Ascend about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A thoughtful, education-forward series exploring foundational Western texts through close reading and Catholic intellectual tradition. The show grounds conversations in the Great Books—Homer, Dante, Augustine, and others—favoring accessible discussion for first-time readers while gradually delving into deeper themes like virtue, leadership, and the human search for meaning. Episodes pair scholarly context with practical pedagogy, often featuring humanities professors, theologians, and classical educators as guests. A notable strength is its blend of accessible teaching style with rigorous analysis, making timeless works approachable for curious listeners who want to read along and learn how these texts shape modern thought.
What stands out... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Ascend?
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How many listeners does Ascend get?
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What are the audience demographics for Ascend?
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How many subscribers and views does Ascend have?
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Which podcasts are similar to Ascend?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Ascend:
1. The Thomistic Institute
2. Pints With Aquinas
3. The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture
4. Godsplaining
5. First Things Podcast
How many episodes of Ascend are there?
Ascend launched 3 years ago and published 144 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Ascend?
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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Ascend?
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What guests have appeared on Ascend?
Recent guests on Ascend include:
1. Dr. Benedict Whalen
2. Dr. Alex Priou
3. Jack Drury
4. Dr. Alex Petkas
5. Dr. Gregory McBrayer
6. Dr. Glenn Arbery
7. Frank Grabowski
8. Patrick Deneen
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.