Past Episodes
Feb. 8, 2025
Questioning Greatness: What it really means to be gifted
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore the groundbreaking work of Scott Barry Kaufman, including Wired to Create , Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined , and The Complexity of Greatness . Kaufman challenges...
Feb. 8, 2025
The Enigma of Alan Turing – Genius, Innovation, and Isolation
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges, a definitive biography of the brilliant yet often misunderstood mind behind modern computing. From his early struggles in...
Feb. 8, 2025
Shamanic Wisdom and Mental Illness – A New Perspective on Healing
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore The Wisdom of Mental Illness by Jez Hughes, a thought-provoking examination of how Western psychiatry and shamanic traditions view mental illness. Hughes argues th...
Feb. 8, 2025
Henry Cavendish: Autism, Isolation, and Scientific Revolution
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore the life and mind of Henry Cavendish, the brilliant but enigmatic 18th-century scientist whose groundbreaking work in chemistry and physics shaped modern science. ...
Feb. 8, 2025
J. Robert Oppenheimer – Genius, Depression, and the Burden of the Bomb
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird, a biography that examines the brilliance, contradictions, and struggles of the f...
Feb. 8, 2025
Billie Holiday – Artistry, Addiction, and Resilience
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth by John Szwed, a biography that challenges the existing narratives surrounding Holiday’s life and career. Beyond her extr...
Feb. 8, 2025
Isaac Newton – Genius, Obsession, and the Edge of Madness
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Isaac Newton: A Life in Science and Thought by James Gleick, a biography that delves into the brilliant yet enigmatic mind of one of history’s greatest scientists....
Feb. 8, 2025
Hemingway’s Brain – Genius, Trauma, and the Cost of Creativity
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Hemingway’s Brain by Andrew Farah, a neurological and biographical investigation into the life and death of Ernest Hemingway. Farah argues that Hemingway’s suicide...
Feb. 8, 2025
ADHD as the Hunter's Mind in The Modern World
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Thom Hartmann’s groundbreaking Hunter vs. Farmer theory of ADHD, which reframes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) not as a disorder, but as an adapti...
Feb. 8, 2025
ADHD 2.0 – Creativity, Mental Health, and the ADHD Brain
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore ADHD 2.0 by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey, a groundbreaking look at the complex relationship between ADHD, creativity, and mental health. The book challenges out...
Feb. 8, 2025
Intelligence – Reconsidering IQ, Creativity, and Genius
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Intelligence: A New Look by Hans Eysenck, a deep dive into the science of IQ, intelligence, and creativity. Eysenck examines the biological foundations of intellig...
Feb. 7, 2025
Anger, Rage, and the Daimonic – Understanding the Dark Side of Genius
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Anger, Madness, and the Daimonic by Stephen Diamond, a thought-provoking examination of the connection between anger, violence, and psychopathology. Diamond introd...
Feb. 7, 2025
The Power of Neurodiversity – Reframing Mental Differences as Strengths
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore The Power of Neurodiversity by Thomas Armstrong, a transformative look at conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, intellectual d...
Feb. 7, 2025
Pox – Syphilis, Genius, and the Madness of History
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Pox: Genius, Madness, and the Mysteries of Syphilis by Deborah Hayden, an eye-opening investigation into how syphilis may have shaped the lives and minds of histor...
Feb. 7, 2025
The Decade of Genius and Madness That Transformed Art
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Modern: Ten Years of Genius and Madness That Changed Art Forever by Philip Hook, a deep dive into the revolutionary shifts in European art from 1905 to 1914. We ex...
Feb. 7, 2025
NeuroTribes – The History and Evolution of Autism
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore NeuroTribes: The History of Autism by Steve Silberman, a groundbreaking examination of autism’s past, present, and future. Silberman traces autism’s history from e...
Feb. 7, 2025
Autism and Creativity – The Hidden Link to Genius
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Autism and Creativity by Michael Fitzgerald, a provocative examination of the connection between high-functioning autism (HFA) and exceptional creative ability. Fi...
Feb. 7, 2025
Bird – The Life, Genius, and Struggles of Charlie Parker
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Bird: The Life and Music of Charlie Parker , a biography of the legendary jazz saxophonist. We trace Parker’s early life in Kansas City, his family background, and...
Feb. 7, 2025
The Creating Brain – Neuroscience of Genius and Creativity
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore The Creating Brain by Nancy Andreasen, a deep dive into the neuroscience behind creativity and genius. Andreasen combines historical insights with cutting-edge res...
Feb. 7, 2025
Genius and Despair: The Inner World of Virginia Woolf
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Virginia Woolf through the lens of Hermione Lee’s biography, examining how her family dynamics, mental illness, and social circles shaped her life and writing. We ...
Feb. 7, 2025
Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall by Frank Brady
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore the life of Bobby Fischer, the brilliant yet deeply troubled chess champion. Drawing from a compelling biography, we trace Fischer’s journey from a child prodigy t...
Feb. 7, 2025
Nikola Tesla – Genius, Visionary, and Enigma
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla by Marc Seifer, a deep and revealing biography of one of history’s most brilliant yet enigmatic inventors. Beyond his gr...
Feb. 7, 2025
The Autopsy of Genius: Examining Evidence of Beethoven's Health
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore Diagnosing Genius: The Life and Death of Beethoven , a deep dive into the health struggles of the legendary composer. Using primary sources like letters and medica...
Feb. 6, 2025
A Brilliant Madness – Patty Duke’s Battle with Bipolar Disorder
In this episode of The Mad Genius Thesis Podcast , we explore A Brilliant Madness by Patty Duke and Gloria Hochman, a powerful account of Duke’s struggle with manic-depressive illness. The book details her delayed diagnosis, ...