Length: 39 minutes
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legacy/id1711362652?i=1000644373276
I like the theory behind this podcast. Spending 4 episodes going through the lives of important historical figures. Today I listened to Episode I of Gorbachev. So far the podcast has covered Napoleon, Cecil Rhodes, Picasso, and currently Gorbachev. The hosts of the podcast are Afua Hirsch and Peter Frankopan.
The podcast begins with the funeral of Gorbachev and outlines his legacy in the west and in Russia. Then it jumps back to Gorbachev’s birth. I like the set up. We hear what his legacy is and then the hosts ask if it is justified. They then will outline his life.
The title of this podcast is slightly misleading. The Boy from Stavropol led me to believe this episode would focus on his early years. Yet 25 minutes into the podcast he has already become the leader of the Soviet Union at the age of 54. I would like to have seen more information about his early years or a different title so that my expectations would have been different.
The hosts provided some details about Gorbachev’s life and then they would insert their commentary. They work together pretty well and it was a quick listen. I will listen to the rest of this season on Gorbachev and then decide if this podcast is added to my library.
Great literature should do more than entertain us. It should provide a roadmap to improving our lives.
In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens introduced readers to Sydney Carton, one of literature's most compelling and deeply flawed characters. Dickens also gives him an unusual title: the Jackal.
His struggles raise questions that remain relevant today.
Are we defined by our past mistakes? Can we overcome our weaknesses? What separates the people we are from the people we could become?
Lessons From the Jackal is a 25-day character study exploring these questions through Sydney Carton’s life, decisions, relationships, and personal development.
This is not a traditional course on A Tale of Two Cities. Our reading assignments will focus specifically on Carton, with sufficient background provided to understand his story. No previous knowledge of the novel is necessary.
Each day will feature selected readings, historical comparisons, reflection questions, discussions, and practical challenges ...
Sydney Carton is intelligent, capable, compassionate, self-destructive, and deeply dissatisfied with his life.
His potential is evident, but his accomplishments are limited. His habits are troubling, but his character contains admirable qualities. His reputation is unfavorable, but Lucie recognizes something in him that others have overlooked.
Perhaps the greatest mistake we can make when judging another person is to assume that who they are today represents everything they are capable of becoming. Yet there is an equally dangerous mistake: assuming that possessing the potential for greatness is equivalent to achieving it. Potential without action remains unrealized. Character without conviction may fail when tested. Reputation without substance is little more than appearance.
The challenge is not simply to possess admirable qualities or to be regarded favorably by others. It is to develop the discipline, courage, and integrity necessary to become the person we are capable of being. When ...
