Athenaeum Book Club
The Athenaeum Book Club is a podcast for curious minds who love history, big ideas, and the stories that shaped our world. Hosted by Jeremy Ryan Slate, the show features engaging conversations with historians, authors, and thinkers about classic books and pivotal moments—from ancient epics and medieval chronicles to the rise and fall of civilizations. Each episode brings timeless ideas to life, connecting the past to the present through storytelling, clear explanation, and lively discussion. Whether you’re a lifelong reader or just starting to explore history’s greatest works.
Episodes
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by historian and bestselling author Dan Jones to discuss his book The Wars of the Roses.
Together they explore the brutal dynastic conflict that tore England apart in the fifteenth century, examining the ambitions, betrayals, and shifting loyalties that defined the struggle between the houses of Lancaster and York.
Jones brings clarity to a chaotic period,...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Memory Medieval (x.com/MemoryMedieval) for a deep dive into Dueling Stories of the Sixteenth Century.
Together, they explore how competing narratives, propaganda, and personal rivalries shaped the way the early modern world understood war, religion, and power.
The conversation examines how history was written in real time—by chroniclers with agendas, lo...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Will Tanner for a historical examination of Rhodesia and the events that led to the mass emigration of its white population.
The conversation explores the political, economic, and social forces surrounding decolonization, the Rhodesian Bush War, and the transition to Zimbabwe.
Tanner provides context often missing from mainstream narratives, examining h...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Wade Stotts for an insightful discussion on G.K. Chesterton’s Orthodoxy—a work that continues to challenge modern skepticism with wit, paradox, and faith.
Together, they explore Chesterton’s journey from doubt to belief, his defense of wonder and reason, and his vision of Christianity as the key to understanding the world’s mystery.
Wade unpacks the hum...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate welcomes Dr. Matthew Knotts for a profound exploration of St. Augustine’s Confessions—one of the most influential works in Christian and philosophical history.
Together they trace Augustine’s journey from restless seeker to saint, examining his struggles with desire, truth, and divine grace.
Dr. Knotts illuminates the timeless relevance of Augustine’s introspection,...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate sits down with historian and author Raymond Ibrahim to discuss his book Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam.
Ibrahim explores the lives of legendary figures such as Richard the Lionheart, El Cid, and John Hunyadi—warriors who shaped the clash between civilizations.
Together, they examine how these men balanced faith, honor, and duty i...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate welcomes Dr. Shaun Rieley of Hillsdale College for a thought-provoking discussion on St. Thomas More’s Utopia.
Together they explore More’s vision of the ideal society—its paradoxes, political commentary, and enduring questions about human nature and governance.
Dr. Rieley unpacks the historical context of Utopia, revealing how More used fiction to challenge both Re...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Dr. Sean E. Lake for an in-depth exploration of Homer’s Iliad—the timeless epic of honor, wrath, and fate.
Together, they unpack the poem’s enduring power: the heroism of Achilles, the tragedy of Hector, and the moral vision that shaped Western thought.
Dr. Lake brings fresh insight into Homer’s language, cultural context, and the human questions that s...
In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate welcomes Dr. Alex Petkas, classical scholar and host of The Cost of Glory podcast, for an engaging discussion on Plutarch’s Life of Pericles.
Together they explore how Pericles became the embodiment of Athenian greatness—his vision for democracy, his leadership during the city’s Golden Age, and the moral lessons Plutarch offers for modern readers.
This conversation ...
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