

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

Jun 1, 2017 • 1h 16min
#53: Brideshead Revisited, Chapters 3-4
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their discussion of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel, Brideshead Revisited, focusing on chapters 3-4. Topics include: Tim's upcoming vacation A comparison of Charles family and Sebastian's family Sebastian's faith and Charles lack thereof Sebastian and Charles' youth and what it means The aesthetic theology of the book Aesthetics as a road to faith and more... It's also brought to you by Schole Academy from Classical Academic Press, featuring new literature courses taught by Close Reads co-star, Tim McIntosh. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

May 23, 2017 • 1h 6min
#53: Brideshead Revisited Chapters 1-2
In this podcast, the hosts discuss first experiences with Waugh, nostalgia, the sacred and the profane, spiritual hauntings, decaying institutions, and various juxtapositions in the classic novel Brideshead Revisited. Sponsored by Roman Roads Media and Schole Academy, the episode features a lively discussion on key themes and characters.

May 16, 2017 • 59min
#52: Narnia Nostalgia
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David discuss C.S. Lewis's classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and it's victory in our Great Books Bracket this spring. Topics include: Why the Narnia stories have maintained their reputation for so long The differences in reading it for the first time as a child as opposed to as an adult Which Narnia book should be read first Lewis's philosophies on reading and more... Plus, they kick the show off by discussing how to know if dislike of a book is because of the book itself or because of the reader. This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

May 10, 2017 • 1h 21min
#51: O'Connor Q&A
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David conclude their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, by answering listener questions. Topics include: How O'Connor's contemporaries viewed her work Angelina and Tim's Amazon-style reviews of O'Connor Anagogical/allegorical reading O'Connor's appeal to non-Christians Rapid-fire questions and much more... *** This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

May 2, 2017 • 1h 13min
#50: Judgement Day
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "Judgement Day". Topics include: The next book we'll be reading on Close Reads The complicated nature of this story It's serious flaws Comparing The Geranium with Judgement Day Is it confusing on purpose or because of bad writing? The weird glasses scene The good and bad of the "southern code" Coleman's wisdom and loyalty Tanner's pride and bigotry *** This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

Apr 25, 2017 • 1h 15min
#49: Parker's Back
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "Parker's Back". Topics include: The differences between "Parkers' Back" and her other work The theatrical nature of the story Parker's awe The deeper meaning of the characters' actions Reading Sarah Ruth Parker's image (and its all-seeing eye) Why O'Connor chose to use a Byzantine icon *** This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

Apr 17, 2017 • 1h 19min
#48: "Revelation"
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "Revelation." Topics include: Whether this is a good story to use to introduce stuents to O'Connor The racism of characters in the story Mrs. Turpin's gradual openness Mrs. Turpin's Christ-haunted-ness Seeing ourselves in Mrs. Turpin Judging Mrs. Turpin Mrs. Turpin's avenging angel of judgment Mrs. Turpin's mystical vision *** This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

Apr 10, 2017 • 1h 24min
#47: The Lame Shall Enter First
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "The Lame Shall Enter First." Topics include: whether this story is less grotesque, the clinical-ness of the prose, psychology vs spiritual in the story, whether Shepherd repents, O'Connor vs the enlightenment, Norton as Shepherd's mirror, Norton's loneliness, faith like a child, and O'Connor the smuggler *** This episode is brought to by our friends at Roman Roads Media, purveyors of the Old Western Culture series, featuring Wes Callihan. *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. 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

Apr 3, 2017 • 1h 27min
#46: The Comforts of Home
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "The Comforts of Home." Topics include: the theatrical nature of O'Connor's work, this story vs. the others in this collection, whether the mother is right to take an interest in Sarah, common critical readings that emphasize sexual tension, the opening paragraphs, Thomas as pharisee, the absence of dark grace, and 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

Mar 29, 2017 • 1h 17min
#45: The Enduring Chill
On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, with "The Enduring Chill." Topics include: O'Connor's sense of humor, the autobiographical nature of the story, the meaning of the names, where Asbury's illness came from, the work of the Holy Spirit in the story, 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


