The Heartland Institute's podcast discussing notable new works with their authors. Hosted by Tim Benson.
Ill Literacy: Books with Benson
Claim This Podcastby The Heartland Institute
4.8(6 reviews)
114 episodes
Updated Weekly
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
84
Podcast Authority
BetaExcellentBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality98
Social0
YouTube93
Engagement81
Podcast Overview
The Heartland Institute's podcast discussing notable new works with their authors. Hosted by Tim Benson.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/23/2022
Unlock The Full Podcast Authority Score Report
See how your podcast performs across key metrics
84
Podcast Authority
BetaExcellentBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality98
Social0
YouTube93
Engagement81
9
Excellent Areas
2
Good Performance
8
Growth Opportunities
excellent
Episode Length
1h 9m
Performing excellently!
good
Publishing Consistency
Every 11 days
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
poor
Episode Thumbnails
Recommendations available
Unlock the full report to see detailed tips
+16 More Metrics
Unlock comprehensive insights including:
- • YouTube presence analysis
- • Social media reach metrics
- • RSS compliance scoring
- • Podcast 2.0 features
- • Technical standards
What's Included in Your Full Report
Detailed Analytics
- Complete breakdown of all 19 authority metrics
- Personalized recommendations for each metric
- Industry benchmarks and comparisons
- Technical RSS feed analysis and compliance scoring
Growth Strategies
- Step-by-step action plans for improvement
- Quick wins to boost your score immediately
- Pro tips from successful podcasters
Get your free podcast insights report
See how your show performs across every key metric
Instant delivery
No spam
Attract Better Guests
High authority scores make your podcast more attractive to industry leaders and influencers who want to appear on credible shows.
Secure Sponsorships
Sponsors look for podcasts with proven authority and engagement. Your score demonstrates your podcast's value to potential partners.
Grow Your Audience
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses helps you make data-driven decisions to expand your listener base effectively.
14 verified contact emails on file for Ill Literacy: Books with Benson
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
March 25, 2026
Saving Can-Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America (Guest: Philip K. Howard)
<p>Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined by Philip K. Howard, Chair of Common Good, to discuss his latest book, Saving Can-Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America. They chat about how nothing works as it should because red tape has strangled common sense, how bureaucracy makes people go brain dead, how the United States is flailing in legal quicksand, and what we can do about it.</p><p><strong>Get the book here:</strong> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Can-Do-Revive-Spirit-America/dp/1957588403">https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Can-Do-Revive-Spirit-America/dp/1957588403</a></p><p><br><strong>Show Notes:</strong></p><p>The Atlantic: Philip K. Howard – <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/human-authority-government-effectiveness-abundance/685540/">“Americans Are Afraid of Authority”</a></p><p>Law & Liberty: Philip K. Howard – <a href="https://lawliberty.org/the-need-for-judgment/">“The Need for Judgment”</a></p><p>Law & Liberty: Mark Pulliam – <a href="https://lawliberty.org/book-review/a-post-trump-era-common-sense/">“A Post-Trump Era Common Sense?”</a></p><p>The Wall Street Journal: Yuval Levin – <a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/saving-can-do-review-how-to-stop-dragging-feet-930a118c?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqf6906BAR6L-BNcsDB0-M_5DYJ6-39E4jSpH_gRBeEYpkRYJRr33h_klwUZlVs%3D&gaa_ts=69b024da&gaa_sig=fqJ4oeCWXjsmkglzp6KKNj6SlBLJzMgW77Ll93KyX68tdVnyKinG9nDk04d3S7qczuz70N2wJLC0vLIxLvHmqA%3D%3D">“‘Saving Can-Do’ Review: How to Stop Dragging Feet”</a></p><p>The Washington Post: George F. Will – <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/10/01/regulation-invention-philip-howard/">“America’s can-do spirit needs liberation from can’t-do regulation”</a></p><p> </p>
February 3, 2026
The Persistence of the Ideological Lie (Guest: Daniel J. Mahoney)
<p>Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined once again by Daniel J. Mahoney, professor emeritus at Assumption University and senior fellow at the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, to discuss his latest book, The Persistence of the Ideological Lie: The Totalitarian Impulse Then and Now. They chat about what is the “Ideological Lie,” how the totalitarians from the Jacobins onward have relied on it, and how our failure to learn from the totalitarian tragedy of the twentieth century allowed the ideological virus to metastasize in new and alarming ways.</p><p><strong>Get the book here:</strong> <a href="https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/persistence-ideological-lie/">https://www.encounterbooks.com/books/persistence-ideological-lie/</a></p><p><br><strong>Show Notes:</strong></p><p>The American Mind: Daniel J. Mahoney – “Fighting the Ideological Lie”</p><p><a href="https://americanmind.org/salvo/fighting-the-ideological-lie/">https://americanmind.org/salvo/fighting-the-ideological-lie/</a></p><p><br>City Journal: Daniel DiSalvo – “The Destructiveness of Ideological Thinking”</p><p><a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/daniel-j-mahoney-persistence-ideological-lie">https://www.city-journal.org/article/daniel-j-mahoney-persistence-ideological-lie</a></p><p><br>Fusion: Juliana Geran Pilon – “To Lie or Not to Lie”</p><p><a href="https://fusionaier.org/2025/to-lie-or-not-to-lie/">https://fusionaier.org/2025/to-lie-or-not-to-lie/</a></p><p><br>Law & Liberty: Theodore Dalrymple – “Diagnosing the Ideological Mind”</p><p><a href="https://lawliberty.org/book-review/diagnosing-the-ideological-mind/">https://lawliberty.org/book-review/diagnosing-the-ideological-mind/</a></p><p><br>Law & Liberty: Daniel J. Mahoney – “The Persistence of the Lie”</p><p><a href="https://lawliberty.org/the-persistence-of-the-lie/">https://lawliberty.org/the-persistence-of-the-lie/</a></p><p><br>National Review: John O’Sullivan – “Lies, Damned Lies, and Ideology”</p><p><a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2025/06/lies-damned-lies-and-ideology/">https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2025/06/lies-damned-lies-and-ideology/</a></p><p><br>The University Bookman: Jeffrey Folks – “Unmasking the Ideological Lie”</p><p><a href="https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/unmasking-the-ideological-lie/">https://kirkcenter.org/reviews/unmasking-the-ideological-lie/</a></p>
November 27, 2025
Ill Literacy, Episode 182: Measuring the Man (Guest: Jonathan W. White)
<p>In Episode 182 of Ill Literacy, Tim Benson talks with Jonathan W. White, co-editor of Measuring the Man: The Writings of Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln.</p><p>Heartland’s Tim Benson is joined once again by Jonathan W. White, Professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University, to discuss his latest book, co-edited with Lucas E. Morel, Measuring the Man: The Writings of Frederick Douglass on Abraham Lincoln. They chat about how White discovered a cache of unknown, insightful letters in England by Douglass on Lincoln, the distrust and vitriol Douglass directed at Lincoln as he moved slowly and methodically toward emancipation, how three personal interactions between the two led to powerful feelings of friendship and mutual admiration, and how, after Lincoln’s assassination, Douglass expressed greater appreciation for Lincoln’s statesmanship during the Civil War and praised him as a model for postwar America. </p><p><strong>Get the book here:</strong> <a href="https://reedypress.com/shop/measuring-the-man/">https://reedypress.com/shop/measuring-the-man/</a></p><p><strong>Show Notes:</strong></p><p>Smithsonian Magazine: Lucas E. Morel & Jonathan W. White – “When Historians Rediscovered These Frederick Douglass Letters, They Were Surprised by His Candid Opinions About Abraham Lincoln”</p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/historians-rediscovered-frederick-douglass-letters-surprised-candid-opinions-abraham-lincoln-180987175/">https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/historians-rediscovered-frederick-douglass-letters-surprised-candid-opinions-abraham-lincoln-180987175/</a></p><p>The Wall Street Journal: David S. Reynolds – “‘Measuring the Man’ Review: Partners in Their Time”</p><p><a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/measuring-the-man-review-partners-in-their-time-2a96aff1?mod=books_more_article_pos114">https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/measuring-the-man-review-partners-in-their-time-2a96aff1?mod=books_more_article_pos114</a></p><p> </p>
114 total episodes available
Recent guests on Ill Literacy: Books with Benson
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Jonathan W White
Guest
David Zweig
Guest
Frank Trentmann
Guest
David L Roll
Guest
Harold Holzer
Guest
Brian VanDeMark
Guest
David Reynolds
Guest
Tyson Reeder
Guest
Richard Carwardine
Guest
Jeffrey Edward Green
Guest
Deep-dive analytics for Ill Literacy: Books with Benson
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is Ill Literacy: Books with Benson?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates weekly.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 10 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.