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 in the face of overwhelming odds, and what their stories reveal about courage and cultural identity today.

A powerful conversation on history, heroism, and the defense of Western civilization.

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 still resonate today.

This conversation dives deep into the heart of ancient Greece, where poetry, war, and the pursuit of glory converge.