Close Reads Podcast

Welcome to conversations on a new book, which is in a genre we seem to turn to at least once a year: a novel about (or from the perspective) of a clergyman. We’ve done books on Catholic priests, country ministers, Orthodox monks, and others. In Anthony Trollope’s The Warden, we encounter a warden that is connected to the Church of England and who is thus caught between two sides in a war of Victorian Social Justice. So join in as we kick off this series by discussing it’s representation of competing duties pitted against each other, what makes the warden a compelling protagonist, and Trollope’s approach. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a subscriber to make sure we can keep producing the content you value. 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

It’s Q&A time! This week David, Heidi, and Sean discuss the end of Wodehouse’s Summer Lightning, then dig into some listener questions. Topics of conversation include Shakespeare’s influence on Wodehouse, his “formula", and much more. Happy listening!Up next: The Warden, chapters 1-5 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

The hosts discuss their vacation experiences swimming in cenotes and encountering Montezuma's revenge. They analyze the use of meta comments by the author in the book. They explore how readers relate to characters in books and discuss character consistency and satire in Woodhouse's novels. They also discuss the final chapters of the book and upcoming content.

Join the hosts as they dive into the world of Blandings Castle, discussing scorned lovers, foiled plots, butlers, and bad actors. They also explore the differences between Blanding stories and Jeeves and Wooster stories. Enjoy the comedic nuances, nature, and absurdity of the book Summer Lightning.

In our final episode of 2023 David, Heidi, and Tim attempt to answer your questions about Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Happy listening—and Happy New Year! 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

Billy Wilder’s The Apartment is one of the great holiday movies, one of the great romantic comedies, and one of the great screenplays, so here at the end of the year we offer up our favorite film to watch between Christmas and New Years. We’re making this one available to all, so we hope you enjoy—listening-wise. Happy new year! 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

Our annual holiday tradition is back! Join us we share our respective top five favorite reading experiences of the year. Some of them are new books, some are classics read with a fresh perspective (or for the first time), but all of them are the kind of books we are excited to discuss and share. And we hope this episode adds to your Christmas cheer during this delightful (but busy) weekend. Merry Christmas from all of us at Close Reads!Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. If you like what we’re up to, please consider becoming a subscriber. 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

As we come to the end of China Achebe’s novel, we’re discussing whether it ends in a satisfying fashion, contemplating the POV shift in the final chapter, and thinking about the complex role of both the Church and the civil authorities that infiltrate the villages as the story comes to an end. Next week: We share our favorites reading experiences of 2023!Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. If you like what we’re up to and find it valuable in some way, please consider subscribing so we can keep on making the content you enjoy. 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

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is one of the most influential and important examples of world literature in the twentieth century, so we’re very excited to dig in over the next few weeks. In this episode, we’re talking about Achebe’s lovely prose, his high wire act protagonist-wise, how books like this can open our eyes, and much, much more. Oh—and this is one of those special episodes featuring all four of us. Happy listening! 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

What’s your favorite book from the 1920s? There are certainly plenty to choose from. Maybe it’s a book by Fitzgerald or by Hemingway or even Cather? Maybe it’s a classic mystery or an essential children’s title? Well this week on Close Reads we’re drafting books from this very important decade in several categories—and you’ll get the final say on whose “roster” of titles is best. So click play and get ready to vote (poll coming soon). Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider subscribing. When you do, you help make sure we can keep on making the content you enjoy. Thanks! 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