Joseph Pearce is an educator, essayist, and author of over two dozen books.
I reached out to Joseph because I wanted to learn more about the great Irish playwright and wit, Oscar Wilde, about whom he has written extensively.
Joseph’s excellent biography of Wilde, “Unmasking Oscar Wilde” is linked below.
Using Wilde as a springboard, Joseph and I leapt into a variety of topics, including:
The different forms of Tragedy: Pagan v. Christian; Oedipus; Macbeth; Shakespeare’s religion; Catholicism; GK Chesterton; Oscar Wilde; How one develops a sense of wonder; Art for whose sake?; Self-destructive spirals; God; Transcendentalism; Walking; Henry David Thoreau;
And much more!
I hope that you enjoy this episode.
A link to Joseph’s website, on which you’ll find an abundance of beautifully-composed, thoughtful essays:
Do consider joining his “Inner Sanctum” membership bloc, through which you’ll be given access to even more content.
Book: “Unmasking Oscar Wilde” - https://ignatius.com/the-unmasking-of-oscar-wilde-uowp/
Links to my stuff:
My Instagram page, on which I post shorts from this and prior episodes:
X: @DanielEFinneran
My sister project, PNEUMA, on which I put out sleep stories, meditations, and mindfulness content. Search “Pneuma meditations” on any podcast streaming platform.
If you enjoy these conversations, please share them with family and friends!
Thank you.
What is Finneran's Wake?
Finneran’s Wake – where the ART OF CONVERSATION lives.
Here, no topic is untouchable, no idea inadmissible, and no one too heretical to be heard.
As the great French essayist Montaigne once said, “To my taste, the most fruitful and natural exercise of our minds is CONVERSATION. I find the practice of it the most delightful activity in our lives”.
It certainly is the most delightful activity in my life. I want it to be so in yours as well.
To that end, I humbly welcome you to my channel.
Here, we'll exercise our minds together. Here, we'll practice this delightful activity as friends. We'll engage, now and forever, in the art--the highest and most human art--of conversation!
With affection,
Daniel