Reading/Watching/Listening | April 2025

Focus; the life of the mind; life as literature

We’re resuming our read-along of Plato’s Republic this Monday. Here’s the schedule, if you need a refresher:

• March 31: Book I

• April 7: Book II

• April 14: Book III

• April 21: Reading Week

• April 28: Book IV

• May 5: Book V

• May 8: Members-Only Zoom Call, 3PM Eastern

• May 12: Book VI

• May 18: Members-Only Zoom Call, 8PM Eastern

• May 19: Book VII

• May 26: Reading Week

• June 2: Book VIII

• June 9: Book IX

• June 16: Book X

• June 22: Members-Only Zoom Call, 8PM Eastern

All main posts are free, but Zoom calls and supplementary posts are available only to paid subscribers. If you’d like to join those calls or read everything that I write, please consider supporting my work.

Here are some books and articles I’ve been reading, along with some videos I enjoyed.

Unsolicited Advice on Focus

Joe Folly, the man behind the YouTube channel Unsolicited Advice, recently made a (quite long) video on focus. I was mentioned, but Joe’s video goes well beyond what I’ve said. It’s worth watching (like most of Joe’s videos, you can listen to this more like a podcast):

Zena Hitz on the Life of the Mind

Zena Hitz, professor at St John’s College and author of the delightful Lost in Thought, recently gave a talk at Thomas Aquinas College. While the title is ‘What is the Life of the Mind?’, the real subject seems to be how one passes on the life of the mind to another person.

Hitz, a Catholic, is speaking to a Catholic audience, so there is quite a bit of reference to ‘the tradition,’ the Virgin Mary, etc. Still, I think this should be of general interest. The opening tale of Augustine struggling to find time to read – because modern life is just so busy (circa 400AD) – should be relatable to many.

It is, of course, also relevant to the book I announced this week.

Speaking of books, here are three that I’ve been reading either as part of research on my book or for some upcoming videos.