Dear Listeners,
With the new year upon us, I decided to make a few changes on In Search of Wisdom. One is releasing more episodes (but more on that later). You might have noticed a change to the podcast cover — this is what I want to discuss.
Some longtime listeners may have heard me mention A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy. I want to tell you a little more about this book and how it influenced my own journey to start this podcast (a few years ago now).
The Russian writer Leo Tolstoy is arguably one of the greatest writers of all time. Tolstoy was not just a great writer; he was a seeker of wisdom! His last major work is known as “A Calendar of Wisdom,” which is intended to be a wise thought for every day of the year from the greatest philosophers and thinkers of all time. Tolstoy’s project was primarily for himself (much like this podcast).
He wrote in his diary on March 15, 1884:
I have to create a circle of reading for myself: Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Lao-Tzu, Buddha, Pascal, The New Testament. This is also necessary for all people.
Tolstoy’s search for wisdom across traditions has influenced my own search and the approach of this podcast. So, I thought it fitting to create a new podcast cover loosely based on Tolstoy’s image. Some of you might remember Seneca's idea of “Choosing yourself a Cato,” which means finding someone you look up to in a particular domain of life. When it comes to searching for wisdom, one of those figures for me is Tolstoy.
Tolstoy ultimately spent more than fifteen years on this project, which is essentially a collection of quotes and passages. But he considered it his most important work.
In 1885, he wrote in a letter to his assistant:
“I know that it gives one great inner force, calmness, and happiness to communicate with such great thinkers as Socrates, Epictetus, etc. They tell us about what is most important for humanity, about the meaning of life, and about virtue…. I would like to create a book … in which I could tell a person about his life and about the Good Way of Life.”
This is essentially what we are attempting to do here on the podcast. Our conversations are intended to point toward the good life. In addition to our weekly interviews, I’ve decided to attempt to add more episodes each week.
One addition to the podcast you’ve probably already heard is the Dying Every Day series. These are short episodes that deliver Stoic meditations on the art of living (you expect to hear these on most Mondays).
Another series you can expect (towards the end of most weeks) is one that explores the life and philosophy of 12 figures (one per month), from Socrates (470—399 BC) to St. Thomas Aquinas (1225—1274). I expect these to be around 20-30 minutes and probably around two to three episodes per figure.
Again, these additional episodes are an attempt to discover the “Good Way of Life” that Tolstoy wrote about. To conclude the episode today, I will share an entry from Tolstoy’s A Calendar of Wisdom.
Better to know a few things which are good and necessary than many things which are useless and mediocre.
What a great treasure can be hidden in a small, selected library! A company of the wisest and the most deserving people from all the civilized countries of the world, for thousands of years, can make the results of their studies and their wisdom available to us. The thought which they might not even reveal to their best friends is written here in clear words for us, people from another century. Yes, we should be grateful for the best books, for the best spiritual achievements in our lives. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
There are too many mediocre books which exist just to entertain your mind. Therefore, read only those books which are accepted without doubt as good. — Seneca
Read the best books first, otherwise you’ll find you do not have time. — Henry David Thoreau
The difference between real material poison and intellectual poison is that most material poison is disgusting to the taste, but intellectual poison, which takes the form of cheap newspapers or bad books, can, unfortunately, sometimes be attractive.
— A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy (January 1)
This entry (and Tolstoy’s project in general) points to what we are trying to do here. Whether it’s the newsletter, podcast, or our book club (Reading & the Good Life). We are attempting to explore great books and timeless ideas in order to discover (or be reminded of) the “good way of life”.
Today’s episode is simply to share some of the changes you can expect this year and to express my gratitude for your continued listening. Your time and support for the show means far more than you know! I am excited to have the time and opportunity (fate permitting) to share more episodes of the podcast and hopefully provide a few more tools for the art of living!
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Thank you for listening; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
J.W.
P.S. If you enjoyed the conversation. Please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Thank You for extending my horizons .