Episodes
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We hoped our Aesop's Fables episode would be a family-friendly romp just in time for the holidays. We could not have been more wrong. Compiled after 450 BCE, the hundreds of stories known to us as Aesop's Fables were not the children's morality tales we read today. They represent the earliest examples we have of Greek popular culture, and they started out mostly as bawdy or mean-spirited comedy bits you could memorize to deliver at a drinking party or even in a court of law.
In this episode, Rose talks about the historical context of Aesop, including when (and whether) he lived, how other writers thought about him, and then gives a summary of several of the most popular fables, along with some of the ones that shocked her most. We recommend that you do not listen with younger children around (unless you want to traumatize them); there's one rude word included in a title that Rose mentions in passing.
Want to read the transcript? Here you go!
Thanks for listening - don't forget to tell friends about us and share us on your socials. See you in 2025!
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He died dissatisfied and relatively obscure in 479 BCE, but Confucius, thanks to his disciples, had an afterlife for the ages. Learn how Confucianism adapted, evolved and survived for more than 2,000 years in spite of mass executions of its adherents, having to compete with Buddhism and then Christianity, and having to win over an emperor who kept peeing in Confucian scholars' hats.
Want to read the transcript? Urine luck! Click here to read it and see the reference list for this episode.
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Episode 20 expands the map of our show to eastern Asia, as we begin a two-part exploration of The Analects (Lunyu), collected sayings of the philosopher Confucius (551 - 479 BCE). He may just be the most influential educator and philosopher who ever lived. His ideas about virtue in rulers impacting the virtue of the people . . . are honestly kind of adorable in this day and age. In this first episode, Rose takes you through some of the major themes of the Analects, with lots of passages from the Master.
Want a transcript instead? Click here to read it. You can also check out the references Rose used to write the episode, and leave comments about the episode at the bottom of the transcript page. Don't forget to subscribe and rate us on your podcast app, and share us on social media. It helps!
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Episode 19 is here (after Rose finally busted through her writer's block about it). This special one-off episode covers the life and remaining poetry of Sappho (c. 630-570 BCE). Known widely as a lyric poet who wrote (mostly) about same-sex love between women, Sappho, in her social context, is even more interesting. Rose walks through what's known about the woman herself, some of the most famous fragments of her poetry, and a recent controversy surrounding the discovery of "new" Sappho poetry. Scholars (allegedly) behaving badly: a favorite theme here at Books of All Time!
Need a transcript? We've got you covered. Click this link to read Rose's script for the episode or visit the references section to do some research of your own.
Thanks for listening! Don't forget to share this show with friends or leave us a five-star rating or review on your podcast app.
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Our second episode on the Upanishads (c. 800-300 BCE), we look at some of the striking similarities between Greek mythology and philosophy and Indian mythology and philosophy, and walk through some of the evidence that shows how societies may have been far more interconnected than we thought in ancient times.
Also, Alexander the Great asks a bunch of nude yogis to dinner.
Want a transcript? Read it here. Don't forget to rate and review us! It helps others find this show (and so does sharing us on your socials).
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The Upanishads - commentary on commentary on the Vedas - emerged out of India sometime beginning around 500 BCE. The esoteric spiritual ideas they describe, including the oneness of all creation, the idea of karma, and the cycle of reincarnation, impacted religious thinkers from Buddha to the Beatles. This week's episode gives some of the background for this branch of Hindu scripture and summarizes four of the principal Upanishads.
Plus, it's true: pundits do not achieve enlightenment. Says so right there in the book. Next time you feel tempted to drop a hot take, try chanting OM instead.
Want a transcript? It's here at our website, booksofalltime.co.uk.
P.S.: Are you a fellow American living abroad? Rose wants you to know that only 8% of us actually bother to send in ballots during election years. You may still be able to request yours! Go to Vote from Abroad to get started.
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Ready for some comparative mythology? Of course you are. This episode follows up on Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days with what is probably our most meta meta-episode yet. Host Rose Judson looks back at the five cultures we've encountered on Books of All Time to date and compares their creation myths, pantheons, and concepts about the afterlife. She also reveals the song that would be playing on an eternal loop if she were ever sent to Hell.
Want to read a transcript or see our source list? Click here to visit booksofalltime.co.uk.
Love our show? Leave a rating or review and share us on your socials!
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Our latest episode introduces you to the first personality in European literature: a cranky shepherd-turned-poet who wants you to know that women are a calamitous trap and that you should wear a proper hat in winter. Yes, it's Hesiod, the Ancient Greek forbear of today's op-ed columnists and reply guys. Walk with Rose through Theogony, our earliest-known source for many key Greek myths, and Works and Days, a self-help poem that's also partly a burn letter. Or maybe it's the other way around.
Need a transcript? We've got you covered. Click here to read the episode script now.
Hey, are you following us? You should! We're @booksofalltime on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and (ugh) X, formerly known as Twitter. Say hi!
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Our second episode on the first two books of the Bible goes a little bit deeper into the historical context in which Genesis and Exodus were written - the Wild West(ern Asia) of the post-Bronze Age Collapse. Bonus callback to our second month of episodes about The Tale of Sinuhe!
As always, you can read a transcript of the episode on our website. We're also taking suggestions for the 2025-2026 reading list, which will cover roughly 500 BCE - 100 BCE. Have something from that time period you think we should read? (Bonus points if it's not Greek; there are So Many Greeks to cover next year.) Go here and pop a comment at the bottom of the page. Thanks for listening!
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(Thanks for bearing with us while this episode was delayedâRose was recovering from a bout of COVID!)
This episode takes us into the first two books of the Bible, written c. 580 BCE during the Babylonian Captivity of the Judeans and Israelites. Stretching from the creation of the world to the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt, these two books contain some of the most memorable and influential stories that inform the faith of Jews, Christians, and Muslims around the world.
Want to read the transcript? It's here at the website for our great books podcast, www.booksofalltime.co.uk. You can also find us on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook (we also post at Formerly Twitter, but just for the SEO). If you like what you hear, leave us a rating or review!
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How did the works of Homer become so central to education in the west for so long? This episode tries to answer that question by exploring the roots of "classical" education, with a brief digression about Alexander the Great using Homer's Odyssey for municipal planning purposes. This episode also mentions E.A. Wallis Budge, in case any of our regular listeners missed him.
Need a transcript? Want to read some of Rose's references for yourself? Visit the Books of All Time website. Don't forget to rate, review, and share the show - it really does help new listeners find us.
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The Odyssey is very different from The Iliad - so different that some people thought it was actually written by a woman. This week, Rose walks you through the plot of the second great work of European literature, and recommends editions to try reading yourself. (You can also search for an audiobook version narrated by Sir Ian McKellan!)
As always, a transcript of this episode is available at our website, booksofalltime.co.uk, here. Please leave us a rating or review - it really helps others find the show. Thanks for listening!
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âIn Homeric studies, every manâs hand is raised against his brother, and one never knows from what corner the next dead cat will come.â Jump into the Homeric Question(s) in our second episode covering the Iliad. Was there a Homer? Does The Iliad reflect any kind of real history? Who's more annoying: Homer nerds or Star Wars nerds? This episode features cameos from Dante Aligheri, Friedrich Nietzsche, William Gladstone (again), and Aristotle. You know, Aristotle.
As always, you can read the episode transcript (and check out links to Rose's sources) at our website, www.booksofalltime.co.uk. Click here to make the jump.
Like listening to us? Follow us on social media! We're on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook, and [the site formerly known as Twitter]. Don't forget to share us with friends, rate or review!
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An epic poem deserves an epic, hour-long episode. Rose walks you through the great Homeric epic covering (a very small part of) the Trojan War. The Iliad is almost certainly the most-studied work in Western literature, but it can still surprise you. Come hear of the wrath of Achilles, and the Real Housewives of Mount Olympus, and that one poor guy who gets stuck headfirst in the ground.
Want to read the transcript? Visit our website to read it (and to see the references we used to write the episode). You can also find us on social media! We're on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and (ugh) the site formerly known as Twitter. Subscribe, rate, review and share!
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In this episode, we grapple with the limitations of translation and the ethics of Western examination of other people's religions. Covering controversies involving the Indologists Max MĂŒller (1823-1900) and Wendy Doniger (b. 1940), Rose explores the how the Sanskrit word Aryan became linked to the worst kind of racists, learns that fringe reactionary groups filing lawsuits to ban books aren't just an American thing, and squeezes in a reference to Miller's Crossing (Coen Brothers, 1990),
Want to read our transcript? In addition to providing an accessible version of the show for people with hearing impairments, it also includes links and the list of references used to create this episodeâideal if you want to learn more about the issues we talk about or find our social media links. Click here to head to our website and read the transcript now.
Don't forget to leave a rating and review, and share us with your friends!
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The Rig Veda (c. 1400-1500 BCE) is a massive collection of 1,028 hymns written by ancient people living in northwestern India, and it forms part of the foundation of Hindu faith. The hymns span myths, philosophy, spirituality, love, grief, and practical tips for making an incredibly powerful hallucinogenic drink. In this episode, Rose investigates some of the major themes in the Rig Veda and compares some of the themes in it to myths from other traditions.
PLEASE NOTE: This episode describes some scenes of human and animal sacrifice. If you're squeamish, take care.
Want to read the transcript or see the references Rose used to write this episode? Visit our website. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Instagram, or Facebook.
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We weren't expecting multi-episode character arcs when we launched this show, but here we are. Rose wraps up the Egyptian Book of the Dead - and one of its most prominent early interpreters, E.A. Wallis Budge (1857-1934) by looking at how late 19th and early 20th-century occultists pilfered Egyptology for ideas. Also, Budge has a dream that helps him pass an exam at Cambridge.
Additional research for this episode by Matt Brough. Want to read the transcript or see the reading list for this episode? It's available here.
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In ancient Egypt, if you were rich enough, you'd be buried with a handy manual for surviving the afterlife within easy reach of your coffin â like having a novel on your nightstand. Find out what awaits you in the Duat where Osiris reigns, guarded by gatekeeper spirits with names like "Eavesdropper," "Hot Legs", and "One Who Eats the Putrefaction of His Posterior" in our summary of The Egyptian Book of the Dead
Transcript and reading list are available, as always, at our website, www.booksofalltime.co.uk.
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Episode four looks at two key figures in the history of Egyptology: one, Jean-François Champollion, is well known as the man who cracked Egyptian hieroglyphics. The other, Giovanni Belzoni, was a carnival strongman and hydraulics engineer before becoming a renowned explorerâand excavatorâof Egyptian monuments. Bonus cameo: Napoleon Bonaparte, ruining everything for everyone.
Read the transcript and see the reading list for this episode at our website. You can also follow us on Instagram!
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We're off to Ancient Egypt for the next work on the Books of All Time reading list: The Tale of Sinuhe (c. 1875 BCE). It's a story about a royal advisor who runs away from Egypt after learning that the pharaoh has been assassinated, then creates a new life in another country. Host Rose Judson walks you through the plot, then muses on what it's like to be an immigrant, even in a country where you more or less speak the language. Transcript and additional reading available at our website!
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