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Finneran's Wake

by Daniel Ethan Finneran

Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives. Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard. As the great French essayist Montaigne once said, “To my taste, the most fruitful and natural exercise of our minds is CONVERSATION. I find the practice of it the most delightful activity in our lives”. It certainly is the most delightful activity in my life. I want it to be so in yours as well. To that end, I humbly welcome you to my channel.Here, we'll exercise our minds together. Here, we'll practice this delightful activity as friends. We'll engage, now and forever, in the art--the highest and most human art--of conversation! With affection,Daniel

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Episodes

  1. To Photograph is to Learn How to Live | Ulrich Baer

    Ulrich Baer is an author, editor, and a professor of photography at NYU. I wanted to chat with someone about photography in the “iPhone” age (along with a bunch of other things!), and Uli was kind enough to indulge me. I was dazzled by his breadth of learning and the expertise he has in so many...

  2. Art, Wonder, and Oscar Wilde | Joseph Pearce

    Joseph Pearce is an educator, essayist, and author of over two dozen books. I reached out to Joseph because I wanted to learn more about the great Irish playwright and wit, Oscar Wilde, about whom he has written extensively. Joseph’s excellent biography of Wilde, “Unmasking Oscar Wilde” is linked...

  3. Keju: The Ancient Test of China’s Strength | Yasheng Huang

    Yasheng Huang is a professor at MIT and the author of many books, including his most recent work, “The Rise and Fall of the EAST”. I reached out to Professor Huang because, after reading his book, I wanted to learn more about Chinese history. In this episode, Yasheng and I discuss: Imperial China...

  4. Run like a Philosopher | Sabrina Little

    Sabrina Little is an author, ultramarathoner, and a professor of philosophy. Her latest book, “The Examined Run” is suitable not only for competitive athletes, but for anyone who wants to: Strengthen his body, discipline his mind, learn the basics of philosophy, and, most importantly, cultivate...

  5. The Genius of Michelangelo | William Wallace

    William Wallace is an author, a lecturer, and a professor of art history at the University of St. Louis. Professor Wallace is America’s expert on Michelangelo, the great Renaissance sculptor, painter, architect, and poet. In this episode, Professor Wallace and I discuss: Michelangelo’s…

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  6. Race, Sports, and Revolutionaries: Black Quarterbacks in the NFL | John Eisenberg

    John Eisenberg is a sports columnist and an author. His latest book, Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football is an eye-opening account of the history of black quarterbacks in the NFL. It’s available for purchase everywhere books are sold. In this episode, John and I...

  7. What is Culture? | Marcus Collins

    Marcus Collins is a marketer, cultural translator, professor, and an author. His first book, For the Culture: The power behind what we buy, what we do, and who we want to be is now available for purchase. I strongly recommend it! In this episode, Marcus and I discuss: The definition of “culture”;...

  8. War, Douglas MacArthur, Israel, Hawaii & Investing | James Ellman

    James Ellman is an investor and author. His latest book, “MacArthur Reconsidered” treats its subject in a refreshingly unbiased way. With a steady hand, James carves away the hero-worship, and leaves us with a true picture of America’s most controversial general, the iconic Douglas MacArthur. For...

  9. Slavery, Freedom, & The Unsung Heroes Of The Underground Railroad | Scott Shane

    Scott Shane is a reporter, a research fellow, a lecturer, and an author. His latest book, Flee North, tells the story of the two men responsible for freeing hundreds of enslaved people and establishing the Underground Railroad: Thomas Smallwood and Charles Turner Torrey. In this episode, Scott…

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  10. John Muir, Yosemite, & The Fight To Protect America’s Crown Jewel | Dean King

    Dean King is an author, a journalist, and a documentarian. His latest book, Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that saved Yosemite is available at all reputable booksellers. This book, of which I strongly urge you all to get a copy, tells the fascinating story of John Muir,...

  11. Manliness, Modernity, Business, and Beauty | Logan Wright

    Logan Wright is the founder of Greco Gum. Greco Gum sells a premium mastic gum sourced from the Greek island of Chios in the Aegean Sea. Chewed since time immemorial, mastic gum offers a plethora of health and aesthetic benefits: it satiates hunger, cleanses the teeth, sharpens the mind,...

  12. Road Trips, Twizzlers, The Civil War & College Football | John Banks

    John Banks is an author, editor, a journalist, and a Civil War aficionado. His latest book, A Civil War Road Trip of a Lifetime is now available for purchase! The book is a really fun travelogue-cum-history that you’ll definitely want to add to your shelf. In this wide-ranging episode, John and I...

  13. Camping, Architecture, Nature, And The Hidden History Of S’mores | Martin Hogue

    Martin Hogue is an author, architect, and a professor at Cornell University. Martin’s latest book, Making Camp: A Visual History of Camping’s Most Essential Items and Activities is available everywhere fine books are sold. I can assure you, this conversation will inspire you to unfold your tent,...

  14. Blues Guitar, Communist China, SRV, and The Allman Brothers Band | Alan Paul

    Alan Paul is an author, a journalist, and a musician. He was the founding member of the Beijing-based blues group, Woodie Alan, for which he served as the frontman. Along with a delightful autobiography about his life as an expat living in China, Alan has written oral histories about Stevie Ray...

  15. Rockets, Race Cars, Cameras, and Extreme Weather | Scott Schilke

    Scott Schilke is a photographer who specializes in capturing breathtaking images of rocket ships, race cars, and extreme weather events. At the youthful age of sixty-two, after having worked in property management for four decades, Scott spurned retirement and embarked upon a new career. When all...

  16. Exposing The MYTH of The Free Market | Naomi Oreskes

    Naomi Oreskes is the Henry Charles Lea Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University. She is the author of many books, including Why Trust Science?, The Collapse of Western Civilization, Merchants of Doubt (upon which an acclaimed documentary was based), and, her most recent work, The...

  17. Jackie Kennedy: America’s Most Alluring Lady | J. Randy Taraborrelli

    J. Randy Taraborrelli is an author, editor, reporter, journalist, and biographer whose latest work, “Jackie: Public, Private, Secret” is now available for purchase. (For what it’s worth, I strongly encourage you to get yourself a copy!) Some of Randy’s other popular works include, Madonna: An...

  18. Raw Milk, Metaphysics, and Marxism: Nourishing the Mind and Body | Sally Fallon

    Sally Fallon Morell is an author, a farmer, a businesswoman, and the founder of multiple organizations dedicated to human flourishing. And how, as humans, do we flourish, you might ask? Simple: it all begins with our nutrition! Inspired by the under-acknowledged genius of Dr. Weston A. Price…

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  19. Become a LION! Courageous, Carnivorous, and FREE | Dr. Robert Kiltz

    Dr. Robert Kiltz is a physician, businessman, YouTuber, potter, pilot, and poet. (I challenge you to repeat those last three words as quickly as you can without stumbling!) One of America’s leading experts on the Carnivore Diet (of which he’s been both an advocate and adherent for the past…

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  20. Quarks, the Cosmos, Carmina Burana, and the Big Bang | Dan Levitt

    Dan Levitt is a director, documentarian, and an author. His latest book, What’s Gotten Into You: The Story Of Your Body’s Atoms, From The Big Bang Through Last Night’s Dinner, is now available for purchase! For the promulgation of good science to the general public–in a format and a language that...

  21. Bulls, Booze, and Broken Bones: A Cowboy’s Story | Barry Brown

    Barry Brown is an author, cowboy, horse breaker, bull rider, and rodeo competitor to whom the nickname, “The Bionic Bull Rider” has been, I think, very fittingly applied. Barry began competing as a bull rider at the tender age of 15. Despite its perils, he fell in love with the sport, in which he...

  22. Peter Freuchen, Arctic Exploration, Cartoons, Country Music, and Whiskey | Reid Mitenbuler

    Reid Mitenbuler is an author, a journalist, and an Air Force veteran. His latest book, Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, An Epic Journey, A Lost Age tells the untold story of the twentieth century’s most interesting man. Peter Freuchen was a Danish explorer, globetrotter, novelist, journalist,...

  23. Dominate Each Decade: How To Stay Fit In Every Stage Of Life | James Flood

    Alas... How quickly (and imperceptibly!) the years accrue! Before you know it, you're departing your second, and entering your third (or fourth, or fifth…) decade of life and wondering, as you pass another milestone, celebrate another birthday, and add another number to anno domini: "How should I...

  24. 5 Things To Do Outside The Gym To Optimize Your Time Inside The Gym | James Flood

    The beard is back! Recurring (and undeniably burly) guest James Flood joins me to discuss the five most important things you can do outside the gym in order to optimize your performance once you re-enter. In brief, he advises you to focus on: 1. Hydration (with electrolytes) 2. Nutrition 3. Sun...

  25. Movies and Madness, Through a Psychiatrist’s Eyes | James Charney

    James Charney is a psychiatrist, cinephile, professor, and author. His latest book, “Madness at the Movies” examines the mental disorders by which Hollywood’s most infamously deranged characters (Travis Bickle from Scorcese’s “Taxi Driver”; Norman Bates from Hitchcock’s “Psycho”) are afflicted.…

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  26. Welcome to Finneran's Wake!

    Welcome to Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives. Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard. As the great French essayist Montaigne once said, “To my taste, the most fruitful and natural exercise of our minds is CONVERSATION. I find...

  27. This Book Has Had the BIGGEST Impact On Me (So Far This Year!)

    I realized, while reflecting on the last few conversations of which I partook, that I twice made reference to one special book: “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera. Kundera, a Czech-French author who is (at the time of this posting) an incredible 94 years of age, is an...

  28. Escaping the Secret Police, Studying Ancient Greece, and Defending Human Rights | Svetlana Slapšak

    Svetlana Slapšak is an author, editor, anthropologist, philologist, expert in gender studies and the history of the Balkans. Born in Belgrade, Serbia in 1948, she now resides and works in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Svetlana is the type of person to whom I could talk for hours: the breadth of her...

  29. Nietzsche, Shakespeare, Aristotle, And The Soul Of American Politics | Glenn Ellmers

    Glenn Ellmers is an author, journalist, political scientist, and fellow at the Claremont Institute. The late Harry Jaffa–of whom Glenn was a student–is the subject of his excellent 2021 book, The Soul of Politics (of which I strongly urge you to buy a copy!) His forthcoming work, The Narrow...

  30. How to Outsmart Your Brain, Procrastinate Less, Read More, and LEARN More! | Dan Willingham

    Dan Willingham is a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and the author of many celebrated articles and books. His latest work, Outsmart Your Brain, offers invaluable advice for the student whose goal is to maximize his or her fullest learning potential. But you don’t have to be…

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  31. Canada’s FUNNIEST Young Comedian! | Neema Naz

    Neema Naz is a comedian, an actor, and the creator of The Estupid Club and NeemaNazTV. This conversation–my first with a REAL, card-carrying comedian–was an absolute delight! Of course, if you’re among his quarter-million followers on Instagram, this will come as no surprise; Neema is not only an...

  32. The Tension Between LIBERTY & SLAVERY At America's Founding | Edward Larson

    Edward Larson is a lawyer, historian, professor, and Pulitzer-Prize winning author. A distinguished professor at Pepperdine University, his most recent work, American Inheritance explores the tension between liberty and slavery in America’s founding era. In this episode, Professor Larson and I...

  33. Open the FLOOD Gates! James Flood’s Bio, Inspiration(s), and Diet | James Flood

    In this inaugural episode of “Finn and Flood” (a segment focused on vitality, fitness, and wellbeing!), I sit down with my good pal, James Flood! Aside from being an all-around swell (*swole*) guy and a dear friend, James is one of the most knowledgeable trainers I know, with many years of...

  34. Achieve RADICAL Physical Transformation! | Marty Gallagher

    Marty Gallagher is an author, powerlifter, trainer, and coach. Bearing nicknames such as the “Iron Monk”, the “Carefree Psychotic”, and the “Hibernian Hulk” (okay…I just made that last one up!) Marty is one of those rare specimens around whom legends are formed. A champion powerlifter before the...

  35. Become an ART EXPERT in just 12-Hours! | Noah Charney

    Noah Charney is an art historian, lecturer, author, and expert on art thievery. His latest book, The 12-Hour Art Expert, is the perfect entree for the layperson (like me!) who’s interested in learning more about art, but doesn’t quite know where to begin. It’s scholarly, but not abstruse; simple,...

  36. How Elite Ivy League Schools POISON Everything | Evan Mandery

    Evan Mandery is a professor, lawyer, (former standup comedian!) and the author of eight books. His latest work, Poison Ivy: How Elite Colleges Divide Us is available for purchase at all reputable (and even some disreputable) booksellers. I highly recommend you go out and pick up a copy of this...

  37. South Carolina, Secession, and the CIVIL WAR | Eric Lager

    Eric Lager is an academic and entrepreneur who lives and teaches in South Carolina. A native of Illinois, Professor Lager obtained his Ph.D in antebellum American History from the University of Tennessee. He currently lectures at The Citadel–that famous Charleston military academy from which so...

  38. Life Lessons From The Internet's SLEEP Guru! | Jason Stephenson

    Jason Stephenson is the founder and host of the wildly popular YouTube channel, “Jason Stephenson: Sleep Meditation Music” to which some 3 million people (and counting!) are subscribed. Since joining the platform in 2011, Jason’s videos on sleep, mindfulness, meditation, music, nature, life, and...

  39. Nikki Haley Announces Presidential Bid; Fetterman Hospitalization; Train Derailment in Ohio | Our Thought Bubble

    My dad joins me to discuss Nikki Haley's announcement to run for President, John Fetterman's second admission to the hospital, and the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

  40. China’s “Trial Balloon” Drifts Across the Country. Does Our Government Even Care?

    On a bright, sunny February day, a couple of curious Montanans happened to look up and notice a peculiar flying object. At a slow, leisurely pace, what appeared to be a massive balloon was traversing their picturesque and boundless sky. Word started to get around that it might belong to a hostile...

  41. Videos of Paul Pelosi's Beating and Tyre Nichols' Killing Released

    Long withheld from public view, the video of Paul Pelosi's cudgeling by David DePape was finally released by authorities in San Francisco. The harrowing clip, widely accessible on YouTube, shows a flat-footed officer intervening to separate the two men. Pelosi, an elderly man in his 8th decade of...

  42. Did Steven Crowder BETRAY Conservatives?

    The fourth realm of the the ninth circle of Dante's Inferno is reserved for those who betray their benefactors and are unfaithful to their friends. In the fallout of the Steven Crowder/Daily Wire controversy, some people are prepared to open up the gates of hell and toss Mr. Crowder into its…

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  43. Hey (Doctor) Jill!--Did Hunter Remember to Close the GARAGE door?

    In this episode of "Our Thought Bubble", my father and I discuss the shocking revelation that President Biden was in unlawful possession of classified documents dating back to his tenure as VP six years ago. This is the same infraction, a "strict liability" crime, over which the FBI raided former...

  44. How to think, journal, and live like a STOIC | Brittany Polat

    Stoicism–named for the stoa (or covered walkway) under whose cooling shade Athenian citizens gathered and philosophers lectured–is a philosophy whose influence has stretched across the ages. It was, so many centuries ago, a philosophy to which much of the classical world subscribed. Today…

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  45. Warnock’s victory, the “Twitter Files”, and Trump’s (Unconstitutional) Proposal | Our Thought Bubble Ep. 3

    Hello there, friends! On this episode of “Our Thought Bubble”, my father and I discuss… The results of the Georgia Senate run-off election, of which the Democrat incumbent, Raphael Warnock, was declared the victor; the fulfillment of our prediction that this would, in fact, be the result; our...

  46. Has America Gone Race Crazy? | Charles Love

    Charles Love is the Executive Director of Seeking Educational Excellence, the host of The Charles Love Show, the co-host of the podcast, Cut the Bull, and the author of two books. Race, much more than class, persists in being the chief issue with which American society grapples–the timeless,...

  47. Donald Trump’s Announcement and Our Response | Patio Politics - Ep. #2

    The web’s most dynamic (and handsome) father and son duo are at it again! In this episode, we reflect on the huge, earthshaking, history-making announcement for which we’ve all been waiting: Donald Trump will seek the presidency in 2024. Should he succeed in escaping the Republican Primary with…

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  48. Bottom’s Up! A Tipsy History of Politics, Alcohol, and Prohibition | Mark Schrad

    Mark Schrad is a professor in the department of political science at Villanova University, over whose “Russian Area Studies” he presides as director. Professor Schrad is the author of three books: The Political Power of Bad Ideas; Vodka Politics; and, his latest work, Smashing the Liquor Machine...

  49. Reaction to the 2022 Midterm Elections, A Focus on Florida, and the Damage Done by Donald Trump | Patio Politics - Ep. #1

    In this (experimental) episode, my father and I sit down in the shady comfort of our back patio to discuss the shocking results of the 2022 midterm elections, in which the Republicans vastly underperformed even the most modest of expectations. At the time of this episode’s posting, it appears…

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  50. Lessons from a Lawyer turned Yoga Master | Ignacio Zuleta

    Ignacio Zuleta is a Colombian lawyer, writer, and yogi. Born into politics, raised in the capital, trained as a lawyer…Ignacio’s career path appeared, until the transformative age of thirty (that strange moment in the life of a man at which epiphanies most often occur–just ask the Buddha, Joseph...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives. Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard. As the great French essayist Montaigne once said, “To my taste, the most fruitful and natural exercise of our minds is CONVERSATION. I find the practice of it the most delightful activity in our lives”. It certainly is the most delightful activity in my life. I want it to be so in yours as well. To that end, I humbly welcome you to my channel.Here, we'll exercise our minds together. Here, we'll practice this delightful activity as friends. We'll engage, now and forever, in the art--the highest and most human art--of conversation! With affection,Daniel

HOSTED BY

Daniel Ethan Finneran

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Finneran's Wake have?

Finneran's Wake currently has 107 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Finneran's Wake about?

Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives. Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard. As the great French essayist Montaigne once said, “To my taste, the most fruitful and natural exercise of our minds is CONVERSATION. I find the practice...

How often does Finneran's Wake release new episodes?

Finneran's Wake publishes regularly with 107 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to Finneran's Wake?

You can listen to Finneran's Wake on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Finneran's Wake?

Finneran's Wake is created and hosted by Daniel Ethan Finneran.
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