Episode · Modern Wisdom · 2025-04-14

Chris Williamson & Douglas Murray: books mentioned on Modern Wisdom (Apr 2025)

The Collapse Of The West Or The Birth Of A New Era? - Douglas Murray

2 books · With Douglas Murray · Watch on YouTube

Douglas Murray discussed War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman.

Books mentioned, in the order they came up

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  1. War and Peace

    Leo Tolstoy · at 51:49

    War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a sweeping historical epic that chronicles Russian society and the Napoleonic Wars through the intertwined lives of several aristocratic families.

    Discussed
    “this um this thing I've thought about a lot which comes up in Toltoy War and peace which is when the uh two armies are facing off against each other in the old Napoleonic style”
    Where to get it
  2. Life and Fate

    Vasily Grossman · at 1:16:06

    Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman is a sweeping historical masterpiece portraying the human toll of the Holocaust, the brutality of the Eastern Front, and the totalitarian pressures of the Soviet era during World War II.

    Discussed
    “So for instance uh the main accusation that the revolutionary Islamic government in Thran uses of the Jewish state of Israel is that it's a uh it's a colonial power... tell me what you accuse the Jews of and I'll tell you what you're guilty of.”
    Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (7) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing The Madness of Crowds
“I think I was doing the Matters of Crowds and you were in your uh place in Newcastle with a mold on the ceiling.”
Passing The Strange Death of Europe
“Well, I tried in a book some years ago called The Strange Death of Europe and um said almost everything I had to say about that.”
Passing It's not easy being a bunny
“I'm currently at number 12, but number 13 sneaking up behind me is uh it's not easy being a bunny. An early reader book for kids, beginner books, you've probably got it. And um also, but I'm chasing I'm getting very close to catching up with a a great tome you probably know as well called Hippity Hoppity Little Bunny”
Passing Hippity, Hoppity, Little Bunny
“And um also, but I'm chasing I'm getting very close to catching up with a a great tome you probably know as well called Hippity Hoppity Little Bunny Finger Puppet Board Book for Easter.”
Passing Little Blue Truck's springtime
“Also, Little Blue Truck Springtime is doing very well.”
Passing Golfing for cats
“So, he wrote a book called Golfing for Cats with a cat with a swastiker armband on the cover. How did it do? Quite well, actually, I think.”
Passing War on the West
“As I said in my last book, in the war on the West, we have been told that, you know, like we're guilty. I mean, this is all horseshit, by the way, but I mean, you know, that we're uniquely guilty from colonialism or uniquely guilty from slavery”