In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate sits down with author Johann Kurtz to discuss his book, Leaving a Legacy.

Together they explore what it means to build a life that matters, examining themes of purpose, responsibility, family, leadership, and the impact we leave on future generations.

Kurtz shares the experiences and ideas that inspired the book, offering practical wisdom on living with intention in an age often focused on short-term success and personal achievement.

This conversation challenges listeners to think beyond accomplishment and consider the deeper question: what kind of legacy are we creating every day?

In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Liza Libes for a deep exploration of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment.

Together they examine the psychological, philosophical, and spiritual dimensions of one of literature’s greatest novels, following the tortured journey of Rodion Raskolnikov as he wrestles with guilt, morality, and redemption.

Libes unpacks Dostoevsky’s critique of radical individualism and his profound understanding of the human soul, revealing why the novel remains as relevant today as when it was first published.

A compelling conversation on conscience, suffering, justice, and what it truly means to be human.

In this episode of The Athenaeum Book Club, host Jeremy Ryan Slate is joined by Fr. Calvin Robinson for a deep exploration of The Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis.

Together they examine the trilogy’s powerful themes of morality, spiritual warfare, technology, and the struggle between the sacred and the modern world.

From Out of the Silent Planet to That Hideous Strength, Lewis uses science fiction to confront timeless questions about human nature, power, and truth.

Fr. Robinson offers insight into why the trilogy remains strikingly relevant today—and what modern readers can learn from Lewis’ cosmic vision of good and evil.

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.