Professor Andrew Preston joins the podcast to discuss his new book: Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security. The conversation covers the causation direction between the Welfare State and the Warfare State in the wake of FDR's New Deal, and the tradeoffs between democracy and an empowered state.

Stephanie Slade joins the podcast to discuss her new book, Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right. Slade breaks down the philosophical commitments that have defined conservative thought, and how the modern American right is a departure. The conversation drills to the core of the philosophical currents that drive our political realities.

Louis Hyman joins the podcast to discuss the history of computing, the advancement of AI, and how the fundamental nature of AI and quantum computers create different challenges for societies to decentralize, regulate, or democratize the two technologies.

Beverly Gage joins Anthony Eames on the podcast to discuss her new book: This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History, featured on President Obama’s 2026 Summer Reading List. The episode covers the winding road of American history and the moments that are relevant to the questions we face today.

In this special America 250 episode, Prof. Ilan Wurman joins Dr. Anthony Eames on the podcast to discuss his new book: The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction. The discussion covers political science at the time of the founding, the legal innovations that inspired the American Revolution, and the less intuitive provisions for the separation of powers.

Sarah Isgur joins Anthony Eames on the podcast to discuss her new book: Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today’s Supreme Court. The conversation explores the history that shaped the Supreme Court into the counter-majoritarian institution it is today.

Join us for an in-depth discussion with Professor David Holloway on the history of nuclear weapons, their strategic evolution, and their impact on international relations from WWII to the present. Discover insights into deterrence, technological advances, and regional conflicts that shaped the nuclear age.

Dr. Elizabeth Rees joins Dr. Anthony Eames to discuss the evolving role of the Office of the First Lady in American history, from early hostess duties to the changing demands of social secretaries and the impact of the East Wing on culture and political movements. Rees explores how the First Ladyship evolved over time without rules, giving every First Lady the ability and the right to make the role her own.