

Close Reads Podcast
Goldberry Studios
Close Reads is a book-club podcast for the incurable reader co-hosted by David Kern, Heidi White, Sean Johnson, and occasionally Tim McIntosh. We read good books and talk about them.
This is a show for amateurs in the best sense. This is not an experts show: we’re book lovers, book enthusiasts. Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books.
Close Reads is produced by Goldberry Studios, the podcast wing of Goldberry Books, a family-run indie bookshop in Concord, NC. closereads.substack.com
This is a show for amateurs in the best sense. This is not an experts show: we’re book lovers, book enthusiasts. Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books.
Close Reads is produced by Goldberry Studios, the podcast wing of Goldberry Books, a family-run indie bookshop in Concord, NC. closereads.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 18, 2022 • 1h 9min
As I Lay Dying: Episode 3
In which David, Heidi, and Tim discuss river crossings, which characters the books seems to have the most sympathy for, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 11, 2022 • 1h 15min
As I Lay Dying: Episode 2
Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they dig ever deeper into Faulkner's novel. Topics of conversation include mothers who are fish, mothers who are horses, buzzards, and Heidi's great delight in this book. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 5, 2022 • 1h 4min
As I Lay Dying: Episode 1
Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they dig into the first quarter of William Faulkner's infamous (and mildly inscrutable) novel, As I Lay Dying. Topics of conversation include tops for reading Faulkner, the various points-of-view that tell the story, what happens at the outset, and much more. This episode is brought to you be BiblioFiles. Learn more at centerforlit.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 28, 2022 • 1h 12min
Death on the Nile: Q&A Episode
It's time to answer your questions about Death on the Nile, but first Tim has to answer a question from us. Then we discuss topics like movie casting, Christie's impact, Poirot's sense of justice, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 22, 2022 • 51min
Death on the Nile: The Final Chapters
In which we discuss Poirot's decision, Christie's puzzle-making, and Tim is insufferable (and gets muted for it). And much more, of course. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 18, 2022 • 50min
Death on the Nile: Chapters 10-20
In which Tim predicts the ending of another mystery novel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 10, 2022 • 58min
Death on the Nile: Chapters 1-9
It's time for a new book! It's time for the Queen of Crime. It's time for Hercule Poirot. It's time for some international intrigue. It's time for Death on the Nile! This week we talk about what makes Christie so good (and enduring), her approach to introducing characters in this book, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 1, 2022 • 1h 8min
2021 in Books
It's time for an annual tradition! On this week's episode we're talking about our favorite reads of 2021. We each used different criteria in creating the lists you will hear here, but its a great peek into our reading lives this year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 26, 2021 • 1h 21min
A Confederacy of Dunces: Q&A Episode
It's time to answer your questions about A Confederacy of Dunces! Join the David, Heidi, and Tim as they discuss characters like Jones and Levy, books similar to Dunces, and much more -- plus, naturally, some Christmas chatter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 17, 2021 • 1h 4min
A Confederacy of Dunces: To the End!
Once more we've come to the end of another book's road. So join David, Tim, and Heidi as they unpack the wild and wacky and strange ending of A Confederacy of Dunces. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe