Best David Sumner Podcasts (2025)

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The Influential Oregonian - Don Caverhill (The Kingsmen) 1:21:50

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12h ago1:21:50

1:21:50

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, we are featuring one of the original band members of Oregon's very first band, The Kingsmen, Don Caverhill!

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Ep. 239 Philip & William Taubman, "McNamara at War" 1:09:14

1d ago1:09:14

1:09:14

By C-SPAN

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The Invisible Hierarchies that Rule Our World (with Toby Stuart) 1:13:15

7d ago1:13:15

1:13:15

Status isn't fixed; it's transferred and "bestowed," shaping who gets resources, attention, and opportunity. So argues author Toby Stuart of UC Berkeley in his book, Anointed. He and EconTalk's Russ Roberts explore why hierarchies persist--reducing conflict, allocating scarce resources, and curating our overwhelming choices--and how endorsements, b…

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Ep. 238 Daniel Flynn, "The Man Who Invented Conservatism" 1:11:12

8d ago1:11:12

1:11:12

Daniel Flynn's book is titled, "The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer." Mr. Flynn points out in his introduction that "Meyer travels from communist to conservative, peace activist to soldier, Jew to Catholic, rhapsodist of Satan to cheerleader for Reagan, and free love enthusiast to family man." Flynn, who is a seni…

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Eating with Intelligence (with Julia Belluz) 1:05:49

10d ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Losing weight should be simple: eat less, exercise more. But according to author and health journalist Julia Belluz, it's complicated. Listen as Belluz talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about her new book, Food Intelligence. Belluz argues that a calorie is pretty much a calorie whether it's carbs or fat. Keeping calories under control is often har…

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4.4 - The Battle of Leipzig: The Last Stand 34:10

9d ago34:10

34:10

American forces have captured most of Leipzig, but key strongholds throughout the city remain in German hands. For example, at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, a German garrison led by the fanatical Colonel Von Poncet refuses to surrender, leading to a tense stand-off with the Americans… Dates covered: 19th - 20th of April 1945. Map: Here is a map giving…

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The Influential Oregonian - John Parenteau (Filmmaker & Author) 1:12:28

14d ago1:12:28

1:12:28

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, we have a very special guest, John Parenteau, who has written several books and worked on many films, including Iron Man 2, Hunger Games, and Sin City, and gives us a little bit of an ins…

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Ep. 237 Zbigniew Brzezinski, The Grand Failure: Communism in the 20th Century 1:02:02

15d ago1:02:02

1:02:02

In our last podcast, Ed Luce of the Financial Times told us about his book, "Zbig," for Zbigniew Brzezinski (1928-2017) who he calls America's great power prophet. In this episode, we're going to feature a Booknotes interview from April 2, 1989, with Dr. Brzezinski. He was the first guest for the weekly Sunday evening program that ran until 2005. H…

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Steven Pinker on Common Knowledge 1:23:20

16d ago1:23:20

1:23:20

Why are Super Bowl ads so good for launching certain kinds of new products? Why do we all drive on the same side of the road? And why, despite laughing and crying together, do we often misread what others think? According to bestselling author and Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker, it all comes down to common knowledge, or the phenomenon that happ…

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4.3 - The Battle of Leipzig: City Under Siege 55:48

16d ago55:48

55:48

With Leipzig surrounded on all sides by American forces, the US 2nd Infantry Division and the 69th Infantry Division launch their assault on the city. In the face of such unrelenting American military strength, one of Leipzig’s leaders tries to surrender the city…with farcical results. Date covered: 18th of April 1945. Map: Here is a map giving an …

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Ep. 236 Edward Luce, "Zbig" - Zbigniew Brzezinski & Carter Era U.S. Foreign Policy 1:02:46

27d ago1:02:46

1:02:46

"I was initially very skeptical about embarking on a full life biography of anyone, let alone a figure as big as Zbig."Edward Luce is talking about President Carter's former national security advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski. Mr. Luce is the Financial Times' chief commentator and columnist. Luce is a native of Sussex, England, and has spent close to 20…

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How Did America Build the Arsenal of Democracy? (with Brian Potter) 1:05:05

28d ago1:05:05

1:05:05

American manufacturing of aircraft during WWII dwarfed that of its enemies. By the end of the war, an American assembly line was producing a B-24 bomber in less than an hour. But that success was far from inevitable. Structural engineer and writer Brian Potter speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the logistical challenges of ramping up product…

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4.2 - The Battle of Leipzig: The Americans Are Coming 44:55

25d ago44:55

44:55

April 1945: American forces, led by US V Corps, advance across central Germany, seeking to crush the Third Reich once and for all. With Leipzig now clearly within the crosshairs of the Americans, the city's military and civil leadership panic over how exactly to defend Leipzig from the impending American attack… Map: Here is a map giving an overvie…

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Ep. 235 Simon Ball, "Death to Order" 1:12:22

29d ago1:12:22

1:12:22

Simon Ball is the author of the book "Death to Order: A Modern History of Assassination." Professor Ball is British and is located at the University of Leeds. His publisher, Yale University Press, says: "Assassination, the murder of a specific individual by an organized conspiracy in pursuit of political ends has shaped the fate not only of the fam…

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How Teams Succeed (with Colin Fisher) 1:03:22

1M ago1:03:22

1:03:22

What makes some groups thrive while others crash and burn? According to organizational-behavior scholar Colin Fisher, the real villains are rarely individuals, but dysfunctional teams and organizations. Listen as he and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss the reasons for the free-rider problem and the importance of meaningful, well-defined tasks to inc…

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4.1 - Welcome to the Battle of Leipzig 43:05

1M ago43:05

43:05

An introduction to the Battle of Leipzig, including an overview of the importance of the city to the Third Reich’s war effort. In this episode I also outline the military situation facing the Americans in Germany in 1945 - and how that directly impacted the subsequent American decision to assault (and capture) Leipzig. Map: Here is a map giving an …

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The Influential Oregonian - 1000 Miles Across Oregon 1:11:19

1M ago1:11:19

1:11:19

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, there's lot's of fun banter and stories from the 1000 mile journey that Marcus took around coastal, southern, and central Oregon! From the prehistoric park to the edge of a volcano, learn…

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Ep. 234 Sam Tanenhaus, "Buckley" 1:14:58

1M ago1:14:58

1:14:58

Author Sam Tanenhaus opens the acknowledgement section in his latest book, "Buckley," this way: "I first met William F. Buckley in 1990, shortly after I had begun work on a biography of Whitaker Chambers…Bill Buckley had been Chambers' last patron and most eloquent champion." The biography of Chambers was published in 1997. Now 28 years later, Sam …

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Humans Are Overrated (with Christine Webb) 1:10:53

1M ago1:10:53

1:10:53

Are humans the most intelligent species, or just the most arrogant? NYU primatologist Christine Webb, author of The Arrogant Ape, believes that human exceptionalism is a myth that does more harm than good. Listen as she speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about how research has skewed our understanding of animals' capabilities, the surprising inner…

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Ep. 233 Jay Winik, "1861" 1:05:58

1M ago1:05:58

1:05:58

Historian Jay Winik first appeared on the Booknotes television program 24 years ago to discuss his book, "April 1865." It became a #1 New York Times bestseller, reportedly read by Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and many others. It's the narrative story of the Civil War. For his latest book, Winik stepped back four years in history to l…

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Hemingway, Love, and War (with David Wyatt) 1:06:28

1M ago1:06:28

1:06:28

What can Ernest Hemingway teach us today about the morality of war, the eternal and transient nature of love, and how to write a masterpiece? Listen as author and teacher David Wyatt talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about Hemingway's epic For Whom the Bell Tolls. Topics include Hemingway's role in the wars of the 20th century, the book's context …

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The Influential Oregonian - Ricky Cedillo (Real Estate Ricky) 1:13:46

2M ago1:13:46

1:13:46

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, we sit down with Ricky Cedillo, a gentleman who grew up in the same town as me and became an icon in his own right. He is more than just a real estate agent; he shows people that their dr…

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Ep. 232 Richard J. Evans, "Hitler's People" 1:02:16

2M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

Sir Richard J. Evans has been writing about Germany and Adolf Hitler for his entire professional life. He was knighted in Britain in 2012 for his service to scholarship. From 2003-2008, Professor Evans published a trilogy of the Third Reich with a total of over 2,500 pages. His latest book is titled "Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich." …

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Tim Ferriss on Tim Ferriss (and much much more) 2:06:49

2M ago2:06:49

2:06:49

Cold plunges. Exogenous ketones. Pu-erh tea--but hold the breakfast: it's all par for the morning routine, at least if you're entrepreneur, self-experimenter, and king of the lifehacks, Tim Ferriss. From how he manages the challenges of his celebrity to how he manages to stay in great shape; how he does--and when he doesn't--harness the power of AI…

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The Influential Oregonian - Floyd Sumner 1:05:12

2M ago1:05:12

1:05:12

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, we sit down with an old friend, Floyd Sumner, to talk about his journey with art, comic con stories, and more! If you like this, you should definitely check out all of our content at www.…

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Ep. 231 David Herbert Donald, "Lincoln" 1:02:43

2M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

In our earlier discussion with Zaakir Tameez about his biography of Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, he discussed his differences with Professor David Herbert Donald on the same subject. On December the 24th, 1995, Professor Donald talked about his book called "Lincoln" on the Booknotes television program. David Donald died in 2009 at age 8…

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Learning to Think Like Someone Else (with David Marquet) 1:03:46

2M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Former submarine commander David Marquet joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to explore how distancing--thinking like someone else, somewhere else, or sometime else--can unlock better choices in business and life. They talk about leadership without giving orders, how to empower teams, and what it means to see yourself as a coach rather than a boss. Along…

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The Influential Oregonian - Modern Frontiersman 1:18:34

2M ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week, we do a fun, albeit slightly clunky, exercise where we build our own town or revitalize an old ghost town and discuss other frontier communities. If you love this then you should definite…

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Ep. 230 Zaakir Tameez, "Charles Sumner" 1:07:04

2M ago1:07:04

1:07:04

Charles Sumner was from Boston, Massachusetts. He was a U.S. Senator for 23 years from 1851 to 1874. Sumner, an anti-slavery Republican, was brutally caned on the Senate floor by pro-slavery Democrats in 1856, during the lead-up to the Civil War. The attack, which almost killed Sumner, kept him out of the Senate for over 3 years. Sumner didn't marr…

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Let Me Be Forgotten (with Lowry Pressly) 1:21:00

2M ago1:21:00

1:21:00

What do we lose when every moment is recorded, every action scrutinized, and every past mistake preserved? Philosopher and author Lowry Pressly joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to discuss why privacy isn't just about secrets or information control, the necessity of spontaneity, the importance of moral growth, and what we need to become fully human. Fr…

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The Influential Oregonian - Jordan & Katie Wolfe (Exploregonians) 59:11

2M ago59:11

59:11

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week we finally interview the hosts of our newest show on the network: Exploregonians! If you love this then you should definitely check out out website for all of our others shows and content …

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Ep. 229 John Seabrook, "The Spinach King" 1:10:26

2M ago1:10:26

1:10:26

The patriarch, C.F. Seabrook, was hailed as the Henry Ford of agriculture. His son, Jack, a keen businessman, was poised to take over what Life magazine called the biggest vegetable factory on earth. His son, John Seabrook, has written about his grandfather and father in his book called "The Spinach King." It's subtitled "The Rise and Fall of an Am…

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Read Like a Champion (with Doug Lemov) 1:03:56

2M ago1:03:56

1:03:56

Many students graduate high school today without having read a book cover to cover. Many students struggle to learn to read at all. How did this happen? Listen as educator and author Doug Lemov talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the failed fads in reading education, the mistaken emphasis on vocabulary as a skill, and the importance of backgro…

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3.14 - The Battle of Berlin: The 2nd of May (And Epilogue) 56:20

3M ago56:20

56:20

With defeat now inevitable for the Germans and the Soviet capture of Berlin all but complete, General Weidling enters into final surrender negotiations with the Soviets. In the meantime, the breakout groups continue in their attempt to fight their way out of the capital. Epilogue: Once the fighting ends, the victors, the defeated, and the people of…

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Ep. 228 Evan Osnos, "The Haves and Have-Yachts" 1:10:45

3M ago1:10:45

1:10:45

In a word, Evan Osnos' latest book focuses on the subject of money. His book is titled "The Haves and the Have Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultra-Rich." There are 10 essays which originally appeared in his home publication, The New Yorker. The oldest one, "Survival of the Richest," ran in 2017. The newest, titled "Land of Make-Believe," was published …

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James Marriott on Reading 1:25:22

3M ago1:25:22

1:25:22

Is long form reading a dying pastime? Journalist and cultural critic James Marriott joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to defend the increasingly quaint act of reading a book in our scrolling-obsessed, AI-summarized age. He urges juggling a paper book and a Kindle, recounts ditching his smartphone to rescue his attention, and shares tactics for finding …

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3.13 - The Battle of Berlin: The 1st of May 32:20

3M ago32:20

32:20

With the rapidly diminishing Berlin garrison forces trapped in an ever-decreasing pocket in the centre of the city, Goebbels, as the new Chancellor, decides to start negotiating with the Soviets. But rather than delivering a quick-end to the fighting, these negotiations quickly descend into farce. Meanwhile, breakout groups launch desperate attempt…

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The Influential Oregonian - Gus Frederick (Silverton Historian) 1:10:55

3M ago1:10:55

1:10:55

Welcome to The Influential Oregonian, a show where we discuss all things Oregon and interview important people who made their mark on the Beaver State! This week we sit down with our friend and colleague Gus Frederick and listen to him talk about the history of Silverton, primarily the story of Homer Davenport. If you want more awesome stories and …