A Drink With a Friend

C.S. Lewis wrote a newspaper column as a series of letters from a demon writing to his nephew training for his role as …well, a demon. Screwtape advises Wormwood how to best attack his “patient” — an unassuming young man — and his tactics aren’t what we’d expect. Tsh shares with Seth why she loves this book so much, why it’s still relevant (perhaps more?) today than it was when it was first published during the height of World War II, and why all of us need to read it. In fact, if you’re new to Lewis and want to give him a whirl, The Screwtape Letters is a great place to start.* Seth: Newsletter | Website* Tsh: Newsletter | Website* Pick up a round of drinks* Our recommended reads* Come to Ireland with Tsh!* Sing Hat Co. * Wilson Knives* Catechism in a Year podcast This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Isn’t it weird to travel with people you’ve never met? Tsh thought so, too, until she started leading pilgrimages. Now it’s one of her favorite things she does. She chats with her friend Bond Strong, who went on Tsh’s 2022 pilgrimage to Italy. They talk about why travel makes them love their home even more, how their love for travel only grew once they became parents, what they loved most about their time in Italy, and why you — yes, YOU — should go on Tsh’s 2023 pilgrimage to Ireland. There’s still time, but there are only a few spots left!* Join Tsh in Ireland!* Tsh’s Newsletter & Website* Pick up a round of drinks* Recommended reads* Saint Stories for Kids podcast* The Awakening of Miss Prim, by Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Aren’t old books too hard for kids to understand? Maybe. Or maybe not. Tsh chats with her new friend Noah Tyler about his challenge of reading aloud from the original Harvard Classics set (also known as “Dr. Eliot’s Five-Foot Shelf of Books”). They talk about how books have the proclivity to form our minds and hearts, what it looks like to homeschool in an urban setting, and how any parent can shape their home environment in small ways to help the family better order their loves. (Seth will be back in the next episode!)* CLT Exam: get 25% off any registration with the code COMMONPLACE* CLT’s Author Bank* Anchored Podcast* The original Harvard Classics* CLT’s Great Ideas series (based on the Syntopicon)* Gillian Cross’ Iliad & Odyssey* Philosophy for Kids, by David White* The Way of Perfection, by St. Teresa of Avila* Bitter & Sweet playlist for Lent* Tsh’s Newsletter & Website* Pick up a round of drinks* Our recommended reads* Join Tsh in Ireland! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

You always remember your first. ...Get your mind out of the gutter, we're talking about first BOOK loves — you know, the stories that captured us and wouldn't let us go. In this episode, Seth and Tsh talk about the books that first drew them to the magic of good storytelling and word-weaving — beyond childish trinket stories, these were the books that first taught them the sacramental beauty of telling a story well. What about you? What were your first story loves? They go beyond books — these stories tell us more about ourselves as co-creators, made by God to bring beauty into the world.* Seth: Newsletter | Website* Tsh: Newsletter | Website* Pick up a round of drinks* Our recommended reads* Join Tsh in Ireland!* A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle* The Old Man and the Sea, by Ernest Hemingway* The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding* The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald* Catholic Lofi on Spotify This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Lex orandi lex credendi lex vivendi. What does this old Latin phrase mean? And what does it have to do with actual life? Lots, actually. These words represent an idea that’s not only time-tested, but it affects more of your life than you think. Seth and Tsh unpack why this concept matters, and what it has to do with topics like faith, education, work, and more. (In fact, you’ll hear more about this idea in upcoming episodes this season!)* Seth: Newsletter | Website* Tsh: Newsletter | Website* Pick up a round of drinks* Our recommended reads* Join Tsh in Ireland!* At Home in the World, by Tsh* You Are What You Love, by James K.A. Smith* Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, read by Luke Thompson* Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, read by Ethan Hawke* Future Home of the Living God, by Louise Erdrich This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

The new year kicks off with Seth in bed with the flu, so even though he musters up the strength to chat, in this episode it's mostly Tsh. Last year they each gave themselves a six-month challenge, so she shares her plan for this year: ten challenges in ten months! Why? How? And what are they? Tsh gets into all that with Seth. Seth: Newsletter | WebsiteTsh: Newsletter | WebsitePick up a round of drinksOur recommended readsJoin Tsh in Ireland!Big Thief's new album, Dragon New Mountain I Believe in YouSeason 3 of All Creatures Great and Small This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Seth and Tsh are offline for the next couple of weeks, but the show will pick back up in January. In the meantime, they've got a few thoughts for you — by way of other people's thoughts. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Seth's newsletter + websiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Bonus! Tsh recently talked with Sam Smith and his teenage son, Josiah, about the fine art of writing a book together. Sam, often known as S.D., is the author of the beloved Green Ember series, and his son came up with an idea for his own story. So, he took him under his wing and together they published the first in a new book series! Sam and Josiah share with Tsh what it’s like to write together and how to cultivate a home life that loves good stories.S.D. and J.C. Smith's new book, Jack ZuluS.D. SmithTsh's newsletter + websiteListen to all the episodes  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

With Advent in full force and Christmas on its way, Seth and Tsh keep it lighter-hearted in this episode. They share what's adding more joy to their days in the categories of movies/TV series, music, books, and habits. Bookmark this episode's show notes for your upcoming holiday downtime!Seth's newsletter + websiteTsh's newsletter + websiteTsh's 2022 Gift GuidePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsOnyx CoffeeSpiritedNaughty or NiceEvery Hallmark Christmas MovieThe Man Who Invented ChristmasAll Creatures Great & Small, Seasons 1 & 2In the Bleak Midwinter, by John Van DeusenHark! A podcast about Christmas carols from America MediaIf On a Winter's Night, by StingThe Gospel of LukeThe Penguin Book of Christmas StoriesThe Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death, & A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

We all have a liturgy to our lives, even if we don't call it that. So why bother with one that's old and global, too? Since Advent is the start of a new liturgical year, Seth and Tsh unpack what the calendar is and why it matters. Not so much a deep dive, this chat is more of a high-level perspective on why it's good to lean into a rhythm for marking time outside of ourselves.Seth's newsletter + websiteTsh's newsletter + websiteTsh's 2022 Gift GuidePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsA 101 on AdventTsh's Advent book, Shadow & LightThe Liturgical Year, by Joan ChittisterLiving the Christian Year, by Bobby GrossSounding the Seasons, by Malcolm GuiteThe Comfort Crisis, by Michael EasterMadison Cunningham This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Seth is joined by Myles Werntz, a professor of theology, and in this chat they unpack what's meant by community, a word we toss around a lot in our culture. What's the real difference between in-person and virtual communities? What do screens provide a community when they're needed, and what do they rob us of when they're not? And what's the takeaway for our day-to-day lives?p.s. - Seth & Tsh will be back together next episode!Seth's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsMyles' SubstackMyles on TwitterMyles' book, From Isolation to CommunityThe Brothers K, by David James DuncanThe Candy House, by Jennifer Egan This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Tsh is joined by a good friend — her husband, Kyle! A late-night conversation, they reflect on how travel has affected their 20-year marriage and why you (yes, you!) should join them next summer in Ireland. ☘️Tsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsCreate your Rule of LifeCome to Ireland!Somebody Feed Phil in Ireland This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Both adult Catholic converts from a lifetime of Protestantism, Seth and Tsh each could do a 12-part series on why they swam the Tiber. In this chat, Seth unpacks with Tsh just a few items in his backpack worn on his journey to the Church. If you’re curious about what compelled him to walk this path, this episode’s for you.Seth's Newsletter + WebsiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsCreate your Rule of LifePart 1 of Tsh’s journey to the Church ​Seth’s books: Coming Clean and The Book of Waking Up Hipbillies, by Jared PhillipsTsh’s Cozy Autumn playlist This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

More and more folks are talking about the ills of social media, but the platforms remain hugely popular (and addictive). Seth asks Tsh about her recent decision to leave Instagram even though "they" say writers should be there if they want to sell books. She was willing to leave her large-ish following and decade-plus feed for something better — and she has zero regrets.Seth's Newsletter + WebsiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsTsh's micro.blogConfessions, by St. Augustine (Sarah Ruden's translation) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

What does it mean to be a man or a woman? And just as important in today's culture, how do we have civil, truthful, loving conversations about that topic? Seth and Tsh are joined by author and professor Abigail Favale to talk about those things. She's written a book that's taking off like wildfire about one of the most pressing questions of the day — who are we as men and women?Seth's Newsletter + WebsiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsThe Genesis of Gender, by Abigail FavaleAbigail on TwitterAbigail's free video series, Cultivating Catholic FeminismEndeavourFather Elijah: An Apocalypse, by Michael D. O'Brien  This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

We're back! Seth and Tsh recap Italy, but don't worry, it's not done in a way that bores you if you weren't there... They reflect on why it's always true that ordinary conversations with new friends over gelato are more meaningful than touring even the most jaw-dropping cathedrals and monasteries (though that's great, too). They also share recorded thoughts from some of the folks who joined them in Italy.We're all made for in-person connection, and this is why having a drink with a friend at your neighborhood cafe matters so much.Seth's Newsletter + WebsiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinks!Our recommended readsThe Genesis of Gender, by Abigail FavaleCS Lewis’ space/Ransom trilogy: Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

It's good to remember the good things in life, especially when the news is heavy (when is ever not anymore, right?). And since art has a season, Seth and Tsh share their summery music, movies, TV shows, and books they're into right now. Because good art tells good stories, even when they're lighthearted.Also: it's time for their annual summer break! Seth and Tsh will return in mid-August — in the meantime, enjoy the treasure trove of Drink archives, listen to other good shows, or just take a break and go outside.Seth's Newsletter + WebsiteTsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinksCome to Italy with us — next month!Our recommended readsMagnolia WorkshopsThe Collection's Entropy albumMichael & MichelleTsh's Summer 2022 playlistSean HayesThor: Love and Thunder1971: The Year That Music Changed EverythingThe Hood Internet — top songs from each yearThe Genesis of Gender, by Abigail FavaleA Curious Faith, by Lore FergusonSea of Tranquility, by Emily St. John MandelLeisure: the Basis of Culture, by Josef PieperIn Other Words, by Jhumpa Lahiri This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

Tsh talks to her good friend, Sarah Mackenzie, about what makes good stories (especially for our kids). She's got a HUGE new project in the works: not only a new children's book, but a new publishing house! When it's hard to publish new classics that tell timeless truths, you gotta start the company yourself. Why do we need more stories that tell us things that were as true a thousand years ago as they are today? Listen in.Tsh's newsletter + websitePick up a round of drinksCome to Italy with us — next month!Our recommended readsSarah Mackenzie's work: Read-Aloud Revival & Waxwing BooksA Little More Beautiful, Sarah's forthcoming picture bookJulia Cameron's morning pagesIra Glass' The GapTomie DePaolaBreaking Bread With The Dead, by Alan JacobsBreezy Brookshire on InstagramMiss Rumphius, by Barbara CooneyYou Can Draw in 30 Days, by Mark KistlerI Miss My Cafe + The Hole & Corner playlist This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

It's now Tsh's turn to update us on her six-month challenge: what she's learned living as best she can in a 100-mile radius. She and Seth talk about the importance of subsidiarity, reorienting our priorities, finding community IN an actual community (vs. online), and doing it all imperfectly. Is living locally worth the effort? Tsh has thoughts.Seth: Newsletter | WebsiteTsh: Newsletter | WebsitePick up a round of drinksCome to Italy with usOur recommended readsSeth's challenge: 6 months away from social mediaThe Life We’re Looking For, by Andy CrouchFree online classes from Hillsdale College — Tsh is taking Aristotle's EthicsMan and His Symbols, by Carl Jung This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe

It's June, which means Seth and Tsh are at the end of their first of the year challenges. Seth updates us on what he's learned being away from social media for six months, what he'll do differently, and what he misses. Tsh chimes in on her reflections about using our phones as instruments instead of devices so that the internet returns to how it works best: as a bicycle for the mind. Seth: Newsletter | WebsiteTsh: Newsletter | WebsitePick up a round of drinksCome to Italy with usOur recommended readsThe Life We’re Looking For, by Andy CrouchDigital Minimalism, by Cal NewportMohamed El-Erian on TwitterStephanie Duncan Smith on InstagramMan and His Symbols, by Carl JungThe Liturgy of the Hours, from Word on Fire This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecommon.place/subscribe