Gates of Fire
Novel by Steven PressfieldWikipedia
14
MENTIONS
10
EPISODES
10
PODCASTS
Search complete. 14 mentions across 10 episodes found for "Gates of Fire".
Oct 28, 2026
Tom BerengerGUEST
You know, like my, one of my favorite stories, war stories is, is the, the 300 Spartans.
Tom BerengerGUEST
And I, that book, Gates of Fire.
Tom BerengerGUEST
I gave to my Marine general friend who'd never read.
Tom BerengerGUEST
I said, you never read this, Jerry? He goes, I know what it's about, but I know I never read it.
Tom BerengerGUEST
Interesting.
Tom BerengerGUEST
And they were aware of that.
Tom BerengerGUEST
Gates of Fire is a really good book.
Tom BerengerGUEST
That had to be one of the toughest motherfuckers over there
Ryan HolidayHOST
This is something I talked about with my dear friend, Steven Pressfield, who's been one of my writing heroes for a very long time.
Ryan HolidayHOST
Steven Pressfield wrote The War of Art, Gates of Fire, Do the Work, Turning Pro, The Daily Pressfield.
Ryan HolidayHOST
He has a new novel called The Arcadian.
Ryan HolidayHOST
I've loved all his stuff.
WidowmakerGUEST
That was really good.
WidowmakerGUEST
Before that, it was Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.
WidowmakerGUEST
And that's a phenomenal one about the 300 Spartans.
WidowmakerGUEST
Yeah, there's a lot on my list.
Trey GowdyHOST
Number one classic book.
Trey GowdyHOST
Gates of Fire would be my number one modern book.
Trey GowdyHOST
But just, I like the Russian.
Trey GowdyHOST
I like Chekhov.
James StavridisGUEST
Let me add a point on that, which is to bring in another book.
James StavridisGUEST
It's called Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, which is about the Greeks who fight at the Battle of Thermopylae and stop for a time the Persians.
James StavridisGUEST
And the book is full of leadership and history, and it's an amazing battle.
James StavridisGUEST
But there's a line in there where King Leonidas, the king of the Spartans who has led these 300 Spartans, who know they're going to die.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
What was that like for you? And I only understand that now that I have a family.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
And it really leaves me looking at those guys in particular just with complete awe that they were able to do that job.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
And so I'll go back to Gates of Fire, which is a great book.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
There's a moment in that book where they talk about the Spartan soldiers before they used to go into battle.
James StavridisGUEST
me add a point on that, which is to bring in another book.
James StavridisGUEST
It's called Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, which is about the Greeks who fight at the Battle of Thermopylae and stop for a time the Persians.
James StavridisGUEST
And the book is full of leadership and history.
James StavridisGUEST
And it's an amazing battle.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
What was that like for you? And I only understand that now that I have a family.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
And it really leaves me looking at those guys in particular just with complete awe that they were able to do that job.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
And so I'll go back to Gates of Fire, which is a great book.
Elliot AckermanGUEST
There's a moment in that book where they talk about the Spartan soldiers before they used to go into battle.
Aleksandar SvetskiGUEST
The Virtues of War, which is Steven Pressfield's book on Alexander the Great, 10 out of 10.
Aleksandar SvetskiGUEST
Gates of Fire, which is also Steven Pressfield about Leonidas and the 300, 10 out of 10.
Aleksandar SvetskiGUEST
Shogun by James Clavel, which is set in 1700s Japan, 10 out of 10. anything from Wilbur Smith.
Aleksandar SvetskiGUEST
And what you'll notice is everything I'm mentioning is fiction.
William J. BurnsGUEST
I think it's important for civilians in government, whether diplomats or intelligence officers, to understand, uh, what war is like, um, because, you know, if your purpose as a diplomat is to try as best you can, recognizing that without military leverage you're never gonna get very far in a negotiation, what the consequences are of failing and of turning, in some cases, w- without enough forethought to the use of force.
William J. BurnsGUEST
So everything from, um, to Pressfield's book, you know, Gates of Fire about Thermopylae in 480 BC, all the way through, there's a wonderful book about the Vietnam War by Michael Herr called Dispatches, too.
William J. BurnsGUEST
Uh, so, you know, I think it's, it is really important for diplomats or intelligence officers to have an understand, uh, an understanding of what, you know, what the alternatives are, um, if you end up in armed conflict as well.
William J. BurnsGUEST
Another one I liked and that I read a very long time ago, I think I was in junior high, I didn't fully understand it, is Red Badge of Courage, too, which I think also-
William J. BurnsGUEST
I think it's important for civilians in government, whether diplomats or intelligence officers, to understand, uh, what war is like, um, because, you know, if your purpose as a diplomat is to try as best you can, recognizing that without military leverage you're never gonna get very far in a negotiation, what the consequences are of failing, and of turning, in some cases, w- without enough forethought to the use of force.
William J. BurnsGUEST
So everything from, um, Sid Pressfield's book, you know, Gates of Fire about Thermopylae in 480 BC, all the way through, there's a wonderful book about the Vietnam War by Michael Herr called Dispatches, too.
William J. BurnsGUEST
So, you know, I think it's, it is really important for diplomats or intelligence officers to have an understand, uh, an understanding of what, you know, what the alternatives are, um, if you end up in armed conflict as well.
William J. BurnsGUEST
Another one I liked and that I read a very long time ago, I think I was in junior high, I didn't fully understand it, is Red Badge of Courage, too, which I think also-
Paul BockGUEST
It's that idea of – you know, these gods that war and looking forward to Valhalla.
Paul BockGUEST
And, you know, when you get to go to fight every day with your brothers and then you dine and feast every night and then you get to go do it again, you know, unless you've, you know, unless you've been to combat and really feel that bond with people, like it can't, the best book that I think really grabs and does a good job of to what that bond looks like is Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.
Paul BockGUEST
I have never seen a book display the brotherhood which is formed in war and suffering together and training.
Paul BockGUEST
That book really grabs that camaraderie in a way I've never seen any other book grab.