In one of our chill summer episodes, the COMMENTARY crew offers individual recommendations for the best single book your inbound college freshman should read, and we make our picks of the best board games (and games). Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On another special summer podcast, the crew delves into great works of art that leave us cold or angry or depressed or that we just don't enjoy. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a special news-less show, the COMMENTARY crew shares with you some of our favorite and surprising historical sites around the world. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special Summer Recommendations podcast, the crew suggests places to go in America you might not have thought of or even heard of, including a road, a beach, a park, a museum...and some websites. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a special news-free podcast, we offer you our list of our favorite Broadway musicals—not necessarily the best, but our faves. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The DC crime crackdown is driving Trump critics into fits of insanity and weird criminality; why can't they find a way to oppose and confront him soberly? That's the question for today. And the podcast concludes with a disastrous song performance by yours truly. Stay for the horror. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do the Kennedy Center Honors and the Smithsonian Institution have in common? They are both expressions of the surprising determination of the Trump administration to challenge liberal orthodoxy on the arts and on the question of American history and who gets to tell the tale. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to make sense of the goings-on in Anchorage on Friday between the president and Vladimir Putin? We try. Who knows if we succeed. One thing that does seem to be succeeding is the way Trump is dominating the national conversation with his move to take over public safety in the District of Columbia, and how it connects to general feelings about crime and security among citizens nationwide. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New evidence that New York City's Jews are refusing to conform with liberal propaganda and still disfavor Zohran Mamdani's candidacy by a margin of 4-1 is discussed before we get to the president's decision to use a 1974 law to take over the administration of criminal justice in the District of Columbia—and what the freakout about it says. Also: Should you be allowed to see a movie made by Roman Polanski? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's mailbag episode, we discuss whether the word "Zionism" should still be in use, what books are good primers for conservatism, and what we think explains the reasons you are a podcast follower. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel's decision to adopt a new strategy to win the war in Gaza is wildly controversial—but maybe not as controversial as the people who oppose it (as they oppose all of Benjamin Netanyahu's moves) seem to think. The Israeli public is divided, and world opinion matters less than Trump opinion. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The semi-announcement of a Trump-Putin meeting coming as the deadline for punishing sanctions against Russia approaches raises the question of whether the president will go through with those sanctions or delay them. And the tariffs begin, with unknown consequences—but then, the consequences have thus far been surprising. And are we understanding the Democratic bad poll numbers right? Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News of the possible retirement/firing of Howard Stern, the most important voice in radio of the past 50 years and one of the most transformative figures in American culture (and the culture of business), has us reflecting on his impact and how he laid the groundwork for Donald Trump. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk about the radicalism of Zohran Mamdani, his standing among New York Jews in a new poll, and how it is that bad ideas and failed concepts keep coming back. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's podcast notes the deep problems with Donald Trump firing the head of the agency that issues the jobs report every month while also noting that these job numbers reports are horrible and no one is trying to fix them. And we note our deep sadness and anger at those who are conveniently shifting their views on Israel to conform with the liberal blob. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's podcast, we discuss letters from listeners about Central America and Communism, just and unjust wars, and how Neville Chamberlain was a very complicated figure indeed. Give a listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twenty-seven Democratic senators voted against aid to Israel on Wednesday, a mark of the Jewish state's abandonment by one of the two major parties in America. But wait! What's this? Polling in 1982 that almost perfectly matches the polling today on support for Israel? Maybe be of better cheer if you are an advocate for the Jewish state, or nah? And...the amazing Sydney Sweeney jeans ad and what it says about America. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Bahnsen joins us today to talk about the new GDP numbers, the tariff deals, and the Trump growth agenda—are they balancing out, canceling each other out, or at war with each other, and will we know what to make of them before next year? And the continuing disgrace of the New York Times and its coverage of Gaza, with a second fraudulent photo "proving" starvation in two months. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COMMENTARY contributing editor Jonathan Schanzer joins the podcast to discuss his innovative plan for Israel to stop playing Hamas's game and bring the war in Gaza to a victorious end. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have to restrain our rage on today's podcast at the now-blanket assertions of a blood libel against Israel—that it is deliberately causing death by hunger in Gaza, conveniently everywhere simultaneous to Hamas tanking a cease-fire negotiation with Israel. The attacks on Israel's immorality are themselves the true immorality. Give a listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices