Person
Every book Alex Petkas recommended on podcasts
Alex Petkas appeared on Modern Wisdom to discuss historical figures, classic literature, and cinematic arts. Throughout the podcast appearances, Petkas shared various literary insights and recommendations. He mentioned that a friend early on in his podcasting journey recommended Friedrich Nietzsche's 'On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life,' a formative early work by the philosopher. Petkas also engaged in deep discussions regarding ancient epic poetry, specifically analyzing the authorship and thematic connections of Homer's 'The Iliad' and 'The Odyssey,' describing the latter as a sequel. To broaden the conversation around ancient epic traditions, he brought up 'The Mahabharata' to highlight common poetic patterns and Indo-European links between different cultural narratives. Additionally, Petkas drew comparisons to early cinematic masterpieces, referencing the films 'Metropolis' by Thea von Harbou and 'Nosferatu' by Bram Stoker to illustrate how early works of art achieve enduring status and how audiences perceive foundational masterpieces over time.
Books recommended by Alex Petkas
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On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life
On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life by Friedrich Nietzsche is a philosophical essay exploring how the study of history can either nourish human vitality and action or paralyze spiritual growth through excessive historicism.
Recommended“But it a friend of mine a few months in recommended that I read this book by Nietzsche. One of his early books that and I'd read some Nietzsche before. It's called On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life.”
Where to get it
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Cyropaedia
Discussed“Somebody brings up the example of Cyrus the Great, the great king of Persia who founded the Persian Empire. Um Xenophon says, doesn't he that Cyrus made all these arrangements before his death that he wanted to be buried in this way and this should happen and so forth after he was um after he was gone. And of course”
Where to get it
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Metropolis
Discussed“Nobody's ever going to top, you know, Metropolis or uh No Ferratu or, you know, and there's probably still people today that think that”
Where to get it
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Nosferatu
Discussed“Nobody's ever going to top, you know, Metropolis or uh No Ferratu or, you know, and there's probably still people today that think that”
Where to get it
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The Iliad
The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer that chronicles the dramatic final weeks of the Trojan War and the wrath of Achilles.
Discussed“Homer is the author according to the Greeks of the Iliad and the Odyssey. These two poems that um you know”
Where to get it
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The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is a monumental ancient Indian epic poem that explores complex philosophy, statecraft, and human duty within the Vedic tradition.
Discussed“recognizing patterns in the Vadic epic tradition of the Mahabar parata and there's there's a kind of common ancestor”
Where to get it
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The Odyssey
The Odyssey by Homer is an ancient Greek epic poem that recounts the arduous ten-year journey of Odysseus as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War.
Discussed“Homer is the author according to the Greeks of the Iliad and the Odyssey. These two poems that um you know”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| The True Story Of The Odyssey (and why it matters) - Alex Petkas - #1125 | Modern Wisdom | 2026-07-18 | 9 |
| The Rise of History’s Greatest Emperor: An Untold Story - Alex Petkas - #1085 | Modern Wisdom | 2026-04-16 | 3 |