Free Pie is a podcast from Civic Life, delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. We hope that it’ll be a good thing, like pie. And did we mention that it’s free?
www.civic-life.org (https://www.civic-life.org/s/free-pie?utm_medium=podcast)
Michael Walzer on Equality, Socialism, and a Life of Dissent (Part 2)
One of the most respected political philosophers of his generation as well as one of the most prolific, Michael and I met at his home in New York City to talk about his commitment to democratic socialism, the relationship between equality and pluralism in a good society, helping to start Dissent magazine and editing it pro bono for decades, just and unjust wars (regarding both theory and specific wars), the civil rights movement, the New Left, New York intellectuals, his relationship to Judaism -- and the unpublished history of the Second World War he wrote at age eleven. It was a rare gift and honor to talk with him. This is the second of a two-part conversation.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
4 Nov 2026
Michael Walzer on Equality, Socialism, and a Life of Dissent (Part 1)
One of the most respected political philosophers of his generation as well as one of the most prolific, Michael and I met at his home in New York City to talk about his commitment to democratic socialism, the relationship between equality and pluralism in a good society, helping to start Dissent magazine and editing it pro bono for decades, just and unjust wars (regarding both theory and specific wars), the civil rights movement, the New Left, New York intellectuals, his relationship to Judaism -- and the unpublished history of the Second World War he wrote at age eleven. It was a rare gift and honor to talk with him. This is the first of a two-part conversation.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
28 Oct 2026
Peter Wood on the Crisis of Higher Education
Peter has spent a lifetime in higher education -- as a professor of anthropology, a university administrator, a college provost, and currently the president of the National Association of Scholars. At our Civic Life office in New York City, we talk about free speech, reforming U.S. higher education, the pursuit of truth, the meaning for Americans of a civilizational heritage, populism, patriotism and liberal elites, creating a curriculum at a small Christian college, why Americans are (as he sees it, sadly but justifiably) so angry -- and the value of reading novels and poetry. Peter is soft-spoken, as smart as they come, and a terrific conversation partner. I greatly enjoyed our time together.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
21 Oct 2026
Robert Shapiro on a Life of Rescuing Reptiles
Robert is the founder and leader of Stray Pride Animal Rescue, a grassroots civic project whose mission is to rescue and provide good homes for “misunderstood and unwanted” animals. Especially reptiles. He’s been doing this for a long time and he and his fellow workers (all volunteers) are very good at it! At our Civic Life office in New York City, we talk about how he got involved in this work, rescuing baby turtles from dumpsters, his philosophy, his method -- and how he got the money to start the initiative by creating T-shirts for causes he believes in (“The truly educated never graduate”). He’s a native New Yorker, a Queens kid. He’s a ranked handball player. He does profoundly creative things for profoundly decent reasons -- one needn’t talk about civics all the time to do civics -- and it was a great pleasure to talk with him.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
14 Oct 2026
Marína Gálisová on Communism, Freedom, and Nationalism in Central Europe
A translator, civic activist, and the managing editor of .týždeň magazine (“The Week”) in Bratislava, Slovakia, Marína and I met at the magazine’s office in Bratislava to talk about listening as a child to “Voice of America” on the radio with her father, the impact of Ronald Reagan calling Soviet-bloc communism an “evil empire,” the role of anti-communist dissidents, Czechoslovakia’s “Velvet Revolution,” translating important books, the meaning and ending of the Viktor Orbán era in Hungary (Slovakia borders Hungary), the rise of nationalism, the future of liberalism, keeping a weekly magazine going -- and why she loves hard rock music. We began our friendship several years ago when she interviewed me for .týždeň, and what a joy now, for both of us, to continue and deepen the conversation.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
7 Oct 2026
R. R. Reno on Christian Nationalism and Christian Society
The editor of First Things magazine, R. R. “Rusty” Reno is an old friend. In his office in New York City, we talk about how he became a conservative, his Christian witness, the legacy of Richard John Neuhaus (First Thing’s founding editor), Christian nationalism, what Rusty welcomes as “the return of the strong gods,” liberalism and populism, the idea of resurrecting Christian society, the deepest meanings of freedom -- and his passion for rock climbing. We have agreements and disagreements, all rooted in mutual respect and curiosity. It’s a free-wheeling and enriching conversation.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
30 Sept 2026
Welcome to Real Conversation
“Makes no difference if it’s sweet or hot -- just give that rhythm everything you’ve got.” The rhythm we’re looking for is talking with rather than about each other. Favoring longcuts over shortcuts. Showing genuine interest in who we’re talking to. We’ll give that rhythm everything we’ve got. Welcome to our podcast.
Get full access to Civic Life at www.civic-life.org/subscribe (https://www.civic-life.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact Free Pie
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Free Pie?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
