Breath is the one thing we do more than anything else, yet most of us give it almost no thought. We assume it takes care of itself.

In this episode of Great Books, Great Voices, that assumption gets gently but decisively challenged.

In this conversation, I sat down with Joe Simote, a functional breathing specialist whose own journey into breathwork began not with curiosity, but with pain.

As a yoga teacher dealing with chronic back issues, Joe discovered that many well-intentioned movement and breathing practices were not helping him heal. They were, in some cases, making things worse. That realization sent him down a path of careful study, experimentation, and unlearning.

What emerges in this dialogue is a refreshingly grounded view of breath. Joe pushes back against the modern obsession with “big breathing,” forceful inhales, and dramatic techniques. Instead, he makes a compelling case for something far more subtle and far more difficult to master: soft, quiet, nasal breathing sustained throughout the day. The kind of breathing that restores carbon dioxide tolerance, stabilizes the nervous system, and brings the body back into balance.

We also explore how modern life has quietly sabotaged our respiratory health. Drawing on the work of authors like James Nestor (Breath) and Patrick McKeown (Oxygen Advantage), Joe explains how lifestyle, posture, stress, and even cultural ideas about fitness have physically and chemically altered how we breathe. The result is a population that is over-breathing, under-recovering, and often disconnected from its own internal signals.

At its core, this conversation is about stability in an overstimulated world. Joe introduces his Elite Breathing framework not as a quick fix, but as a skill, one built through consistency, awareness, and patience. If you have ever felt ungrounded, anxious, fatigued, or simply curious about how something so simple could be so powerful, this interview offers a calm, clarifying place to begin.

Here at Great Books, Great Minds, we create intimate circles, high-energy literary salons, and author conversations that spark connection and ignite transformative dialogue.

Our movement now includes 10,367 followers and 4,447 subscribers across all 50 states and 94 countries who remain thirsty for the power of a great book.

There are no Substack paywalls here. Everything remains open because the heart of this work is community, conversation, and shared discovery.

If these gatherings, essays, and exchanges enrich your life, I invite you to join us as a free subscriber or as a paid supporter. Paid support helps me offer small writer fees to contributing voices like Marc Friedman whose work deepens the conversations we hold.

Your presence matters. Your support keeps this space alive. And your generosity, even a bit of coffeehouse love for a dirty chai, helps us continue exploring together, page by page.

Diamond-Michael Scott

Independent Journalist and Global Book Ambassador

Great Books, Great Minds

Welcome to Great Books, Great Voices a weekly podcast where we aim to ignite a new world of community, connection and conversation one book at a time.

My name is Diamond-Michael Scott and I am your global book ambassador and show host. My special guests today are Angela and James Mitchell authors of the book Married & Magnetic: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to a Thriving Marriage and a Booming Business.

In this episode we will talk about their book which offers a powerful roadmap for entrepreneurial couples who want it all in terms of a thriving business and a deeply connected marriage.

Angela and James W. Mitchell share the real, raw, and redemptive story of how they built love and legacy side by side, learning to communicate, heal, and grow as partners in both life and business.

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to new heights, Married & Magnetic gives you the tools, prompts, and mindset shifts to build a marriage as strong as your business—and a business that fuels your love.

Welcome to Great Books, Great Voices, a global podcast where we aim to ignite a new world of community, connection, and conversation one book at a time. My name is Diamond-Michael Scott, your Global Book Ambassador and host, and I am thrilled to welcome you into another rich dialogue at the intersection of story, inquiry, and human possibility.

Today’s guest is the remarkable Elizabeth Weingarten, a journalist and applied behavioral scientist whose work lives at the crossroads of science and storytelling.

A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Elizabeth has shaped narratives and uncovered insights as part of the editorial teams at The Atlantic, Slate, and Qatar Today, and she served as Managing Editor of Behavioral Scientist. Her writing has appeared in CNN, Harvard Business Review, The Financial Times, Quartz, Time, and many more outlets that shape our public imagination.

In this episode, we explore her newly released book, How to Fall in Love With Questions, a profound and timely invitation to rethink how curiosity expands our humanity, strengthens our relationships, and helps us navigate an increasingly complex world.

Settle in, open your mind, and let us journey into the art of inquiry together.

Welcome to Great Books, Great Voices, a global podcast space where we aim to ignite a new world of community, connection, and conversation, one book at a time.

I’m your host, Diamond-Michael Scott, your Global Book Ambassador, and I invite you to settle in for a thought-provoking dialogue about the forces shaping our economic and moral future.

My special guest today is Seth Levine, venture capitalist, author, and co-creator—alongside journalist Elizabeth MacBride of a groundbreaking new book, Capital Evolution: The New American Economy, releasing December 9th.

In this urgent and hopeful work, Levine and MacBride deliver a bold reassessment of capitalism in America, not as something to discard, but to reimagine. They argue that capitalism itself isn’t broken—it’s just the outdated version we’ve been practicing that’s no longer serving us.

From widening inequality to rising populism, from climate urgency to generational disillusionment, the cracks are visible everywhere. Yet amid the disruption, they see something extraordinary taking shape: Dynamic Capitalism—a new paradigm that balances profit with purpose, innovation with inclusion, and growth with shared prosperity.

Through vivid stories of leaders like Jamie Dimon, Dan Schulman, Lisa Green Hall, and Larry Fink, Capital Evolution reveals how business, government, and citizens alike can rebuild trust and design an economy that truly works for everyone.

Today, Seth joins me to unpack the ideas behind this new economic vision, challenge some of our deepest assumptions about capitalism, and explore how we can all become active participants in shaping a future defined not by ideology but by evolution.

Welcome to Great Books, Great Voices, a weekly podcast where we aim to ignite a new world of community, connection, and conversation one book at a time. I am your host, Diamond-Michael Scott, your Global Book Ambassador, guiding you across the landscape of powerful ideas and transformative stories that shape how we think, live, and lead.

Today’s episode is one I have been looking forward to. Our special guest is Tricia Brouk, author of the bold new book Being Smart Is Stupid: Why Embracing the Wisdom of Your Buddha Nature Is the Secret to Great Leadership.

Tricia is a globally recognized strategic advisor, award-winning director and producer, and one of the most sought-after public speaking experts working today. She empowers high-performing professionals to step into influential thought leadership through the art of authentic storytelling.

In this conversation, we explore why intellect alone will never be enough, how leaders can tap into deeper intuitive wisdom, and what it really means to lead from presence rather than pressure.

Settle in. You are about to hear a conversation that may shift the way you think about leadership, self-mastery, and your own inner voice.

Welcome to Great Books, Great Voices, a global podcast where we aim to ignite a new world of community, connection and conversation, one book at a time. My name is Diamond Michael Scott and I am your global book ambassador and show host.

My guest today is GG Renee Hill, an author, creative coach, and facilitator who guides people in exploring the power of storytelling as a pathway to self-discovery, creative courage, and authentic expression. Her mission is to help others enrich their lives and communities through the transformative power of the written word. She is the author of the books Self-Care Check-In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits and Devote Time to You (2020) and A Year of Self-Reflection Journal: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow (2021).