The Great Books of Literature Podcast

In this bonus episode of the IPA's Great Books of Literature Podcast, John Roskam and Andrew Bolt talk about which book was their favourite, which characters stuck out for them, which author's life was most interesting to learn about and what they learned from reading 10 of the great books of Western Civilisation

The Brothers Karamazov is one of the most influential books ever written. Dostoevsky uses the book to explore morality, religion and the concept of free will. In this episode, John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss the book, its themes and the life of Dostoevsky 

Pride and Prejudice is the most popular romantic comedy of all time. This comedic look at marriage and relationships has sold over 20 million copies since being published in 1813. John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss the book, its themes and the life of Jane Austen

The Radetzky March is one of the most important novels of the 20th Century. Spanning three generations of the Trotta family, The Radetzky March explores culture and patriotism amidst a dying empire in the lead up to the First World War. John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss these themes, the book and the life of Joseph Roth

The Way We Live Now is Anthony Trollope’s searing criticism of the corruption at the top of British society. It was listed at number 22 in The Guardian’s top 100 books of all time. In this episode, John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss Trollope's life, the book and its themes.

Heart of Darkness is one of the most famous and most important works to come out of the colonialist era. Marlow’s venture into the Congo to find Kurtz is gripping and dark, and raises many questions about civility and the savagery that lies in every person. Andrew and John discuss whether, after reading the book, one can view Western Civilisation and its history in the same way as they had before. John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss the book, its themes and the life of Joseph Conrad

In Don Quixote, Cervantes does more than simply tell funny, engaging and warm stories about a knight and his faithful squire. Below the surface of the funny stories is a deep psychological analysis of what it means to pursue our life's goals. John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss the book, its themes and style and the life and impact of Cervantes.

Zorba The Greek is a life-changing work, which follows an unnamed narrator and his Cypriot companion Zorba as they discuss life, love, religion and everything else while working on a coal mine in Crete. In this episode, John and Andrew discuss the book, the life of Nikos Kazantzakis and the themes that emerge from the novel

Wuthering Heights centres around the doomed relationship of its two main characters - Heathcliff, the adopted son of wealthy landowner Mr Earnshaw, and Earnshaw's daughter Catherine. It is a tale of love and obsession - and it is often violent. Emily Bronte presents a picture of a series of relationships all destined to end in destruction. In this episode, John and Andrew discuss the book, its themes and the life of Emily Bronte.

The Leopard is set in Sicily in the 1860s at the time of the unification of the Italian states and in the midst of sweeping political and social upheaval. The book centres on a Sicilian nobleman, Don Fabrizio, Prince of Salina, and his family.  A central theme of the novel is how individuals and societies respond to change and it contains the famous words of the Prince - "If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change." John Roskam and Andrew Bolt discuss the book, the life of Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa and what the message of change means to the world today. 

Bleak House is held to be one of Dickens's finest novels, containing one of the most vast, complex and engaging arrays of minor characters and sub-plots in his entire canon. At the novel's core is long-running litigation in England's Court of Chancery, Jarndyce v Jarndyce, which has far-reaching consequences for all involved.  Andrew Bolt and John Roskam discuss the book, its themes and Charles Dickens' life and times.