Josh Johnson’s Compendium
Josh Johnson
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About This Podcast
In the tradition of long-form podcasting giants like Dan Carlin and Danielle Bolleli, Josh explores history you may not have learned in school.
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Recent Episodes
Can You Become Well-Read? w/ Rebecca Schinsky & Jeff O'Neal
Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky from BookRiot join me to talk about books, the different avenues a reading journey can take, their favorite "bridge books", and what they can't wait to read…
19: Don Hollway - The Coolest Viking You've Never Heard of
Don Hollway is back! This time, we're talking about Olaf Tryggvason and his new book: Hammer of the Gods. Grab a copy of Don's book here Support the show on Patreon Subscribe to the FREE Newsletter
17: Tony Vanderhoef - Social Media, Partisanism, Executive Power, & How to Bridge the Divide
Tony Vanderhoef is a Law student at Florida State and has also gained a following on Instagram, making short-form content in the political space. He approaches American politics from a constitutional…
16: I'm Thankful | Solo Episode
It's just Josh in this one, and he's rambling about writing, reading, and cool things that have happened.
15: Bob Crawford - America's Founding Son
Today I'm joined by Bob Crawford to talk about his new book, America's Founding Son; what he describes as a digestible history of John Quincy Adams. Adams is a fascinating historical character, and…
14: John Garrison Marks - Investigating George Washington's Legacy
I'm joined by historian John Garrison Marks to talk about his forthcoming book, Thy Will Be Done, which examines George Washington's complicated legacy and how it's been used in myriad political…
13: Building the Ultimate 'Guy Book' + Gateway Literary Books
Josh tries to build the ultimate 'Guy book' based on his Instagram habits. Also, he makes fun of old Bantam dime novels, because ads in books is hilarious. PLUS the books you should read if you want…
12: 5 Books People Lie About Reading, 'Basic' Books, & Neo-Confederates
Josh dissects which books are truly read and which are just for show. Find out what he thinks about popular titles like "Fahrenheit 451," "Dune," and "Lonesome Dove," and stick around for the Q&A…
11: Write Like Cormac McCarthy in 21 Minutes
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://compendiumshow.substack.com/ You might think writing like Cormac McCarthy is impossible. He may seem unapproachable or unreachable. But there are a few practical…
10: John Gaddis - Grand Strategy for Dummies
The practice of strategy today is a history-adjacent discipline, but it is one that history informs and one that shapes history. John Gaddis is one of the United States' foremost strategy thinkers,…
The Compendium #2 - Who Owns the Narrative?
There's a lot to love in this episode. That is, if you love discussions about nationalism, slavery, and pre-Civil War politics. Notes: Impending Crisis by David Potter Apostles of Disunion by Charles…
9: Barry Strauss - What Happens When a Small Nation Defies an Empire?
Historian Barry Strauss joins me to talk about his new book, Jews Vs Rome! We also look at some of the greatest commanders in history, what they did well and what they struggled with, as well as why…
#11 - Alexander the Great’s Blueprint for Empire
Did Alexander beat Darius because he was a better field commander, or because he was a greater gravitational force? Josh wonders if perhaps his secret weapon was something a bit more mundane? Support…
#10 - The Sound of Distant Guns II
What happens when a 90-day war goes longer than 90 days? You get a soupy melange of nerves, avarice, and confusion. Nobody at the time is equipped to deal with it, least of all the men in…
The Compendium #1 - Empire of Reason
Political violence is becoming a disturbing norm. The partisan divide grows wider. Can we close the gap? Can we resolve our disagreements through reason? For whatever they are worth, Josh shares a…
8. Chris Dougherty - Alexander Hamilton and the Founding Era
The Founding Era is fascinating in many ways; it marks the beginning of our American history and laid the foundation for the democratic republic we know today. But it's a more complicated period than…
Listener Q&A: What if The Roman Empire Never Fell and MORE
This is my attempt to get something out for you while you wait for TO THE SOUND part 2! What would have happened if the Axis powers won World War 2?? What about if the Roman Empire never fell? Have…
7. Scott Ellsworth - The Lincoln Assassination & Writing Narrative History
Today on the show, I'm interviewing author and historian Scott Ellsworth. His newest book, Midnight on the Potomac, narrates the final year of the Civil War, the myriad Lincoln assassination attempts…
#8 - The Sound of Distant Guns I
They say America's greatest strength is its ability to compromise. But what happens when compromise fails—when Americans on opposite sides of a moral and political divide find no recourse except…
6. AJ Bauckman - Investigating Presidential Power
AJ Bauckman, who runs the Instagram account @21stcent_history, and I connected recently to talk about Trump’s attacks on Iran. Merits of the attacks aside, we both were intrigued by the presidential…
Frequently Asked Questions
Josh Johnson’s Compendium has published 32 episodes since July 2024, covering topics in Documentary, History.
Josh Johnson’s Compendium is currently active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 1h 25m.
