The Recovering Academic

Man Destroying Higher Ed Can't Say What Comes Next

Back in March, before NY Times columnist Ross Douthat officially launched his podcast Interesting Times, he released an interview with Christopher Rufo…

Nov 11 • 

Joshua Doležal

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Silence Is Your Friend, Not Your Enemy

I can pinpoint the day I decided to leave academe and the very moment I chose to stop drinking, but I can’t say exactly when I began trusting the…

Nov 4 • 

Joshua Doležal

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October 2025

College Football Is Too Big To Fail

Curt Cignetti, head football coach at Indiana University, recently signed an eight-year contract for $93.25 million. Every penny of that is guaranteed…

Oct 28 • 

Joshua Doležal

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Verb It Up

Most of my content in 2025 is free, but monthly installments of my memoir-in-progress are only available to full members.

Oct 21 • 

Joshua Doležal

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The Things Not Named — With Sam Kahn

On literacy, the soul, and the New Intensity

Oct 14 • 

Joshua Doležal

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34:38

Start With A Riddle, Not A Rationale

What do cinnamon, Stephen Jay Gould, and Kleenex all have in common?

Oct 7 • 

Joshua Doležal

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September 2025

The Long Walk Home From Hadestown

The following is a new chapter from a memoir in progress.

Sep 30 • 

Joshua Doležal

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Can You Tell Your Kids Which Charlie Kirk News Is Fake?

The Kentucky Library Association recently invited me to give a talk at their annual conference in Louisville, which meets next week.

Sep 23 • 

Joshua Doležal

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AI Sucks at Editing Podcasts

The manual method still beats the bot

Sep 16 • 

Joshua Doležal

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The Things Not Named — With River Selby

Notes from Hotshot: A Life on Fire

Sep 9 • 

Joshua Doležal

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30:22

Pesto Beats Progress

Back in April, when I was doing a little garden prep, I listened to an audio version of This Side of Paradise to distract me from the weeds.

Sep 2 • 

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August 2025

Walking Off The Grid

The following is a new chapter from a memoir in progress.

Aug 26 • 

Joshua Doležal

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