Ep 444: Books: a Biography, with Joel Miller

In this episode, Cody Cook interviews Joel Miller, author of The Idea Machine: How Books Built Our World and Shape Our Future.

A former publishing executive, Miller reveals how books—far more than mere containers of text—have profoundly shaped civilization. He explores the “magic” of their physical form (which enabled Augustine’s transformative encounter with Romans) the timeless dialogues they allow with dead thinkers like Paul and Athanasius, and the preservation of classical knowledge by monks and Muslim scholars.

The conversation highlights pivotal moments: Charlemagne’s reforms that spread readable texts, the printing press’s role in supercharging the Reformation and scientific progress, and literacy’s liberating power—even as slaveholders banned it to maintain control.

Miller also reflects on modern trade-offs: digital Bibles, AI tools, and the enduring value of books in freeing us from the tyranny of the present while building on centuries of accumulated wisdom.Perfect for anyone who loves history, ideas, and the quiet revolution of reading.