

The Cause - Rob Pirie
Robert Pirie
Please join me in embarking on the Harvard Classics Series by Dr. Charles Elliot. This series dates back to around 1910 and is a collection of literature that I believe needs to be revived and rediscovered. I look forward to reading and discussing all 50 volumes with you as we learn about the great ideas of those who came before us. In this series, we will dive into Greek and Roman history, the American Founders, works from Francis Bacon, John Milton, and many more. We will cover Shakespeare and Chaucer and also some fictional works like Don Quixote which are all included in the Harvard Classics. We will also review other books on this podcast that fit the classical education theme. This series is being created for those passionate about classical education and as a supplement to homeschool curriculums. I truly hope these classical works of literature bring you as much joy as they do me. Feel free to reach out with any questions as I would love to hear from you!Rob Pirie
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 24, 2026 • 8min
What Makes a Book Worth Reading? | Choosing Great Books
Send us Fan MailThere are so many great books to choose from, but time limits us to just a few. Which ones are truly worth picking up, and what makes a book worth reading? To read or not to read?That is the question.Hope you enjoy the video! If you would like to support this series, please consider purchasing my coffee (linked below) or exploring some of my favorite books listed below. The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBooks Mentioned In Video: The Odyssey: https://amzn.to/3JkJom1Great Expectations: https://amzn.to/4rBqetnMalcolm X: https://amzn.to/4rCVGr8John Woolman: https://amzn.to/4rzLCPuThumbnail Image: By "Nicolas André Monsiau" Title: Ulysses, after Returning to His Palace and Slaying Penelope's Suitors, Orders the Women to Remove the BodiesSupport the show

Jan 19, 2026 • 6min
60,000 Strong! ... And I’ll Shave My Beard at 100K Subscribers
Send us Fan Mail60,000 Strong | And I’ll Shave My Beard at 100K Subscribers. Happy New Year, everyone!! Thanks for all the support over the past couple of years! The kind words and encouragement have gotten us this far. So... At 100K subscribers (if we get there), I will shave my beard off for at least one video! Thanks again for all the love, and stay blessed! Legentibus: https://legentibus.com/Lingua Latina Books: https://amzn.to/4jQprBGThe Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XESupport the show

Jan 13, 2026 • 12min
This Is What Happens When Men Start Reading Again - Books That Build Men
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when men start reading again? It is a question we should consider answering. Men are reading less than ever, and it's not just a problem of attention. It's a crisis of thought, discipline, and direction. Welcome to Coffee Break Tuesday! In this video, we explore how books build men and why reading matters now more than ever. Join me on this epic journey to reclaim the mind of man! Hope you enjoy the video! If you would like to support this series, please consider purchasing my coffee (linked below) or exploring some of my favorite books listed below. The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBooks in Video: The Odyssey: https://amzn.to/3JkJom1Frankenstein: https://amzn.to/41dFBNpBrothers Karamazov: https://amzn.to/3Jl0MqONarrative Life of Frederick Douglass: https://amzn.to/3LLbQyVSupport the show

Dec 21, 2025 • 28min
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Essays Explained — Why Self-Reliance Matters Today
Send us Fan MailWelcome everyone! It is great to see you back! In this video, we break down Emerson’s most important essays and explore why his warnings about conformity, distraction, and the loss of inner authority matter more today than ever. From Self-Reliance to the Over-Soul, we will discuss some of Ralph Waldo Emerson's best work. Below are the Emerson essays we are going to cover. The Emerson Essays, which we cover in this video. The American Scholar• An Address• Man The Reformer• Self-Reliance• Compensation• Friendship• Heroism• The Over-Soul• CirclesSome Resources Covered In Video: • Ralph Waldo Emerson's Work: https://amzn.to/4qg7G0t• Harvard Classics Complete Kindle Set - https://amzn.to/3OStaAmThe Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBest Headphones for listening to books. • My Headphones (Great Noise Cancelling) - https://amzn.to/4jLzK9MMy Substack: https://substack.com/@robpirieSupport the show

Nov 25, 2025 • 11min
WHEN BOOKS BREAK YOU | The Dark Side of Reading
Send us Fan MailHas a book ever reshaped how you view the world? Sometimes books can hold the power to do just that. Deep reading can lead you down an Odyssey that you might not be ready for. But you will grow in the process, just like Odysseus. I hope you enjoy this episode! The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBooks in Video: • The Odyssey: https://amzn.to/3JkJom1• Areopagitica - John Milton: https://amzn.to/4ipkpeK• Francis Bacon Essays: https://amzn.to/3K5uPU9• Notes From Underground - Dostoyevsky: https://amzn.to/4afKQRT• John Milton - Complete Works - https://amzn.to/3TsFiuM• Cave and the Light - Herman: https://amzn.to/49zEAnT• The Story Of Civilization - Durant: https://amzn.to/48ih8e0• Emmerson's Essays - https://amzn.to/49LdFFyMy Favorite Audio Narrators On Audible• The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky: https://amzn.to/3Q27qlE• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens: https://amzn.to/4jNTPML• Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury: https://amzn.to/4gu7O7g• Valiant Ambition by Philbrick: https://amzn.to/40YqZ4S• Audible membership here: https://amzn.to/4aQ0BNJBest Headphones for listening to books. • My Headphones (Great Noise Cancelling) - https://amzn.to/4jLzK9MSubstack: https://substack.com/@robpirieSupport the show

Nov 11, 2025 • 7min
Why I Quit My Coffee Business! - Updates and Future Plans
Send us Fan MailI have put the coffee business on hold for now. It has been a truly educational experience, but it is time to refocus on the family and plan out the next phase for the channel. My goals of creating a community around great coffee and excellent books will continue, but just in a different direction for now. I have truly enjoyed the community that has formed here, and I would like to interact more than I currently do. Hopefully, taking the coffee roasting business off my plate will allow me to focus more on growing the community that is developing here. Thanks so much for all the support! I love you all and stay blessed! Books in Video: • The Story Of Civilization - Durant: https://amzn.to/48ih8e0• Emmerson's Essays - https://amzn.to/49LdFFyThe Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBest Headphones for listening to books. • My Headphones (Great Noise Cancelling) - https://amzn.to/4jLzK9MSupport the show

Nov 2, 2025 • 42min
We Were Warned — Hayek Saw This Coming | The Road To Serfdom
Send us Fan MailYou are in for a treat!The Road to Serfdom is a marvelous book that helps explain the impacts of collectivism and individualism colliding. The results are often division, conflict, and war. Have we followed any of Friedrich Hayek's advice? The end of truth is upon us, and the age of resentment has arrived. Without the foundations of morality that sustain our culture, I fear we can no longer continue to build but will inevitably start to tear down. I hope you enjoy The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich Hayek.Reading Series Below: 1. A Defense Of Classical Education: https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/mp/a-defence-of-classical-education/ @memoriapress 2. Weapons Of Mass Instruction: https://amzn.to/3RojPS13. The Republic: https://amzn.to/45kkp9o4. The Social Contract: https://amzn.to/4cl1Ns95. The Abolition Of Man: https://amzn.to/3VD5X926. Discourse On Voluntary Servitude: https://amzn.to/3x3AFPv7. The Road to Serfdom: https://amzn.to/3Xq8hSp8. The Political Theory Of The American Founding: https://amzn.to/4chLD2xBest Headphones for listening to books. My Headphones (Great Noise Cancelling) - https://amzn.to/4jLzK9MIf you want to support this series, please consider purchasing my coffee linked below or checking out some of my favorite books below. MY COFFEE Website: http://cedarotacoffee.com/ Support the show

Oct 7, 2025 • 11min
How to Find Time to Read — You’re Not Too Busy, You’re Just Distracted
Send us Fan MailMost people say they don’t have time to read, but the truth is, they’re just distracted. In this video, I provide four helpful tips on how to reclaim your time, build a daily reading habit, and reconnect with the discipline that fosters greatness. Below are the four topics discussed in this video. 1. Limit Inputs.2. Use listening as a strategy. 3. Choose activities that allow for reading. 4. Consistency and organization.• COFFEE Website: http://cedarotacoffee.com/ * Use Code "thecause" for 15% off on your first order. The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XESupport the show

Sep 16, 2025 • 8min
The Breaking of the Western Mind - Why Our Civilization Is Collapsing
Send us Fan MailWestern Civilization was once the center of faith, philosophy, and freedom, which it inherited from its ancient neighbors. From the cathedrals of Europe to the wisdom of Greece and Rome, Western civilization gave the world meaning, order, and hope. But today, that inheritance is crumbling. Empty churches, forgotten books, broken families, and a culture drowning in distraction all point to the same reality.The breaking of the Western mind.In this podcast, we discuss the downfall of Western civilization, how it began, why it matters, and what it means for our future. In this video, we draw on history, philosophy, and literature, and we’ll uncover how the West went from strength to collapse, and why recovering our identity may be the only path forward.Hope you enjoy the podcast! Books in podcast: The Story Of Civilization - Durant: https://amzn.to/48ih8e0The Grapes of Wrath - Steinbeck: https://amzn.to/4n84bs1The Art of the Common Place - Berry: https://amzn.to/4678FJq• COFFEE Website: http://cedarotacoffee.com/ * Use Code "thecause" for 15% off on your first order. The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XESupport the show

Sep 3, 2025 • 28min
The Fall Of Samson | Milton’s Tragic Hero Who Lost Everything
Send us Fan MailJohn Milton’s "Samson Agonistes" is one of the most powerful tragic poems ever written. The story of Samson, blinded, betrayed, and enslaved, reflects Milton’s own struggles after the English Revolution. He would also be blind at the time of creating this poem. This video explores the downfall of Samson, his final act of strength, and the deeper meaning behind Milton’s tragic hero who would lose everything.Join me on Samson's journey of blindness, redemption, faith, and rebellion. Can Samson Agonistes still speak to us today?Substack: https://substack.com/@robpirieSome Resources Covered In Video: • Samson Agonistes: On Audible: https://amzn.to/3xMiTQH• John Milton - Complete Works - https://amzn.to/3TsFiuM• Harvard Classics Complete Kindle Set - https://amzn.to/3OStaAmIf you would like to support this series, please consider purchasing my coffee, which is linked below, or checking out some of my favorite books. • COFFEE Website: http://cedarotacoffee.com/ * Use Code "thecause" for 15% off on your first order. The Best Writing Journals: • https://amzn.to/4hrj5XEBest Headphones for listening to books. • My Headphones (Great Noise Cancelling) - https://amzn.to/4jLzK9MSupport the show


