We’ve been told over the years that the world, and America, is becoming overcrowded. But more recently, it’s been proven that those guesses were quite wrong, and in fact, U.S. population is on the verge of shrinking. Jonathan Last, author of What to Expect When No One’s Expecting, says that the danger we face isn’t overpopulation, but underpopulation. Without a growing population, we confront a drastic change in our culture, politics and society. The trend will be hard to reverse.

In the excellent new book The Savior Generals, written by one of our favorite guests, Victor Davis Hanson, we look at five different generals and how they met the challenges they faced on the battlefield. Ranging from the Athenian general Themistocles to General William Tecumseh Sherman to General David Petraeus, Hanson shows us a common theme that runs through these heralded military leaders. It’s a fascinating look at leadership and military tactics, and how they shaped the reputations of these great men.

As we entered the Memorial Day weekend of 2013 and remembered the sacrifices that so many have made, we also remembered what makes America, America. One of those things is most certainly the sport of baseball, the great American pastime. We talked with Eldon Ham, then author of the new book All the Babe’s Men: Baseball’s Greatest Home Run Seasons and How They Changed America.

We talked with Eldon about the early home run sluggers, how America shaped baseball and baseball shaped America, and how the game has changed through the steroid era.

Our 30th President, Calvin Coolidge, is often listed by historians in the bottom quarter of Presidential rankings. Does he belong there? Amity Shlaes, the author of the excellent new biography Coolidge, certainly doesn’t believe so. We talked in 2013 with Shlaes about her new book, the life and times of a severely misunderstood President, and Shlaes’ role in furthering the understanding of conservative economic policy.

Gillum Ferguson offers a comprehensive view of the War of 1812, providing historical analysis of events that affected a growing United States.