In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Jeremy Tate for a reflective discussion on Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop.

Together they explore the novel’s quiet power, following Bishop Latour’s mission in the American Southwest and the deeper themes of faith, friendship, and vocation that shape his journey.

Tate offers insight into Cather’s restrained style and her vision of spiritual life lived through daily devotion rather than dramatic events.

This conversation reveals why this understated classic continues to resonate, offering timeless lessons on purpose, leadership, and building something that endures.

In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Dr. Joshua Phillips of Penn State University for a deep exploration of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace—one of the greatest novels ever written.

Together they unpack the sweeping story of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, while examining Tolstoy’s deeper questions about history, fate, leadership, and the search for meaning.

Dr. Phillips brings clarity to the novel’s vast cast of characters and philosophical depth, revealing why War and Peace remains as relevant today as ever.

A rich conversation on power, human nature, and the forces that shape our lives.

In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate sits down with scholar Andrew N. Snyder to explore J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings—one of the most beloved works of modern literature.

Together they discuss the world Tolkien built in Middle-earth, the themes of courage, friendship, sacrifice, and the corrupting nature of power that run through the story, and why the trilogy continues to resonate with readers across generations.

Snyder offers insight into Tolkien’s imagination, his intellectual influences, and the deeper meaning behind the epic journey of Frodo and the Fellowship.

A thoughtful conversation on myth, morality, and enduring storytelling.

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, revealing how personal rivalries, weak kingship, and political violence reshaped the English monarchy—and set the stage for the rise of the Tudors.

A gripping conversation on power, legitimacy, and civil war.

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, loyalties, and fears—and how those dueling accounts still influence our understanding of the sixteenth century today.

A sharp discussion on memory, mythmaking, and the battle over historical truth.

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 how ideology, power shifts, and violence reshaped the country’s future.

This episode is a sober, historically grounded discussion of a controversial chapter in modern history and its lasting consequences.

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 humor and brilliance behind Chesterton’s arguments, showing how Orthodoxy remains a joyful antidote to cynicism and confusion in the modern age.

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, revealing how his search for meaning still speaks to the modern soul.

This conversation delves into faith, philosophy, and the human condition through the eyes of one of history’s greatest minds.