“Superb….Augustus is a first-rate popular biography by a skilled and knowing hand.” (Washington Post)

Caesar Augustus created the Roman Empire and forever associated the name Caesar with power. Heir to Julius Caesar, he thrust himself into the middle of Roman politics at its most violent period, facing off against Brutus, and eventually Antony and Cleopatra. He was a military dictator who schemed and killed his way to power and then brought the Romans peace and prosperity after all the chaos, laying the foundations of the famous Pax Romana.

In this definitive and critically acclaimed biography, eminent historian Adrian Goldsworthy illuminates the political and private lives of Rome’s first emperor in more depth than ever before. Weaving together tales of military victories, political marriages, and senatorial power struggles, Goldsworthy portrays Augustus as he really was—at once noble and manipulative, giving and tyrannical, clever and cruel.

Meticulously researched and approachably written, Augustus is the most detailed extant biography of Caesar Augustus, a man whose legacy continues on today.    

Augustus By Adrian Goldsworthy Read by Roger Davis

Having reached a new level of the Dungeon, the Colossal Tree Labyrinth, Bell meets a dragon girl named Wiene who can speak human language. Once he learns she has come under attack from humans and monsters alike, he vows to protect her. This decision brings chaos to the capital as the two navigate ruthless hunters, the irremediable strife between monsters and humans, and the plans of the Guild's true leader. The bizarre situation shakes humans, monsters, and deities to the core in volume nine!

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 9 by Fujino Omori read by Shelley Calene-Black and Bryson Baugus

A HEAVENLY ENCOUNTER! Mahiru is a beautiful girl whose classmates all call her an “angel.” Not only is she a star athlete with perfect grades-she’s also drop-dead gorgeous. Amane‚ an average guy and self-admitted slob‚ has never thought much of the divine beauty‚ despite attending the same school. Everything changes‚ however‚ when he happens to see Mahiru sitting alone in a park during a rainstorm. Thus begins the strange relationship between this incredibly unlikely pair!

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Vol. 1 by Saekisan read by Greg D. Barnett

Race against the clock! Menou and her group finally acquire the Starhusk, all but securing their victory over Hakua, but they lose their means of escape in the process! With the fearsome Michele hot on their heels, will they be able to activate the Starhusk and gain a much-needed edge in battle before it’s too late? Time is of the essence, and deep within the last Human Error, Menou finds herself faced with a difficult choice...

The Executioner and Her Way of Life, Vol. 9 by Mato Sato read by Annie Wild

Whippoorwills, bob whites, and chickadees. How do we decide the names of birds and what to call their calls? Plus, the last syllables of Arkansas and Kansas are pronounced differently, but they come from the same etymological root. And: What’s the best word to describe your relationship with someone who’s less than a friend but closer than an acquaintance. Is that person one of your friendlies? Also, knobbly monster, cuate, to have one’s bum in the butter, the meaning of confirming, Kelly days, a quiz about common bonds, to have a goat’s mouth, antidisestablishmentarianism, and a Tex-Mex casserole dish. Make no bones about it! http://waywordradio.org

No Bones (Full Episode)

Adam in Abilene, Texas, has fond memories of his mother’s Tex-Mex recipe in a casserole dish. Is it properly called a casserole? A tamale pie? http://waywordradio.org

1669-Caller-Adam-Tex-Mex-Casserole

Colin from Los Angeles, California, is pondering the expression make no bones about it, which suggests the speaker is talking or acting with no hesitation whatsoever. The saying is inspired by the idea of literally finding bones in one’s food, since having to pick them out could ruin the whole meal. http://waywordradio.org

1669-Caller-Colin-No-Bones-About-It

According to The Little Book of Second Mentions: The Art of Avoiding Repetition (Bookshop|Amazon), a journalist once referred to a watermelon as the pink-fleshed crowd pleaser. http://waywordradio.org

1669-Watermelon

Quiz Guy John Chaneski is back with another Common Bonds game, in which the object is to figure out what one word links a trio of ideas. For example, what one word unites the following three things? A report card, USDA inspected beef, and an incline. http://waywordradio.org

1669-Word-Quiz-Common-Bonds

The last three decades have seen China’s economic rise. Alongside this, China has become much more influential on the global stage, emerging as a competitor to the United States in many arenas, including as a technology and innovation leader. China has accomplished all this while continuing to be an authoritarian state, which is at odds with many conventional ideas about the relationship between autocracies and technology. 

To discuss China’s technological rise in the context of its autocratic government, in October 2025 the Phelan US Centre spoke to Dr Jennifer Lind, Associate Professor of Government at Dartmouth College and a leading expert on the international relations of East Asia, about her new book, Autocracy 2.0 How China's Rise Reinvented Tyranny.

This episode was produced by Chris Gilson and Avan Fata.  

Further reading and resources

•	Autocracy 2.0 How China's Rise Reinvented Tyranny by Jennifer Lind (Cornell University Press, 2025)
•	Jennifer Lind and Michael Mastanduno. Hard Then, Harder Now: CoCom’s Lessons and the Challenge of Crafting Effective Export Controls Against China - Texas National Security Review (2025)
•	Blue Blaze on Substack

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The Ballpark will be ten years old in 2026, and we want to hear from you to make the podcast even better, so we’re running a listener survey until 1 November 2025. 

•	Fill in our listener survey – it only takes 15 minutes – here: https://forms.office.com/e/Vcj8V8uGM1 
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