Among the many scholars who have argued that Freudianism is fraudulent, the outstanding American contributor is Frederick Crews, author of Follies of the Wise, Unauthorized Freudand The Memory Wars. Here he is in full form, arguing the case that Freudian psychoanalysis has no scientific standing and, as therapy, has no demonstrated value.

Phillip Ball, a great British historian of science, joins us to discuss Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Hooke, Giambattista della Porta and the many others who made the Scientific Revolution. All are included in his book Curiosity: How Science Became Interested in Everything. What moved and sustained them all was curiosity, a human compulsion that was not fully allowed until the 17th century.

It’s Yemen. Does that surprise you? That may be because you’re a little light on your knowledge of the fifth century AD. Glen Bowersock, a great historian located at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, is our guest in this podcast as we discuss his new book The Throne of Adulis, about the Jewish rulers and people of Yemen who ultimately were overwhelmed by the newly risen force of Islam. The world was full of more things than were dreamt of in your college course on the history of the pre-Islamic middle east.

That’s the title of the recent Broadside book by Sally Pipes, President and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute. Here she is showing how Obamacare will add tremendously to the costs for individuals and employers. But, she argues, there are easily implemented alternatives…and here they are.

David McCullough’s biography of John Adams won the Pulitzer Prize and this discussion with him preceded the award by some months.  John Adams was short, tubby, passionate, often angry and, in McCullough’s judgment, could never have won the presidency in the electronic age. How fortunate we were in having him as one of the “Founders” – and as President – is one of the main themes of this chat. The other great theme is, simply, a fascinating life which is here recounted by America’s foremost popular historian.