

Good Scribes Only
Daniel Breyer, Jeremy Streich
Good Scribes Only is a podcast featuring a novelist + venture investor (Daniel Breyer) and a novelist + founder (Jeremy Streich), who share an enthusiasm for literature. From classics to sci-fi, moderns to ancient philosophy, your hosts will ramble and banter about it all—particularly the topics they have no business discussing.
Each episode dives into the craft of writing as well as questions of plot, character, theme, and philosophy in a work.
Each episode dives into the craft of writing as well as questions of plot, character, theme, and philosophy in a work.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 24, 2025 • 30min
#155 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (Bonus)
About the Book:First published in 1843, A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ enduring tale of redemption, memory, and moral awakening. The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man visited on Christmas Eve by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Through these supernatural encounters, Scrooge is forced to confront the life he has lived, the harm he has caused, and the future he is racing toward.Both intimate and expansive, A Christmas Carol blends social critique with warmth, humor, and profound compassion. Dickens’ novella is not simply a holiday story, but a meditation on generosity, responsibility, and the possibility of change. More than 180 years after its publication, its message remains timeless: that it is never too late to choose kindness, connection, and grace.About the Author:Charles Dickens (1812–1870) was an English novelist and social critic whose work helped define Victorian literature. Born into poverty and shaped by his own experiences with child labor and debtors’ prisons, Dickens became one of the most widely read and influential writers of the 19th century. His novels often exposed social injustice while celebrating human resilience and empathy.Dickens wrote some of the most enduring works in the English language, including Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Bleak House. With A Christmas Carol, he created a story that transcended literature to become a cultural touchstone, reshaping how Christmas itself was imagined and celebrated. His legacy endures as a writer who believed deeply in the power of storytelling to awaken conscience and inspire change.
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Dec 18, 2025 • 16min
#154 New Horizons
About the Book:Quicksilver is a dark, atmospheric romance by Callie Hart, known for her blend of emotional intensity, sharp suspense, and deeply drawn characters. The story follows Lissa, a young woman living under the shadow of trauma and secrets, and Zeth Mayfair—the dangerous, magnetic figure whose presence upends her world. Drawn together by circumstance and an undeniable pull, the two navigate a web of violence, vulnerability, and trust as they attempt to unravel the mysteries that bind them.Brooding, seductive, and charged with tension, Quicksilver explores the complicated territory between desire and danger, love and survival. Hart’s writing immerses readers in a world of morally gray characters and high-stakes emotion, crafting a romance that feels as raw as it does riveting.About the Author:Callie Hart is a bestselling author of dark romance and romantic suspense whose work is known for its gritty emotional landscapes, complex characters, and fast-paced plotting. Often writing stories that straddle the line between danger and desire, Hart has built a devoted readership drawn to her ability to balance intensity with tenderness.Her novels frequently feature strong, flawed protagonists navigating trauma, love, and redemption, and her series—particularly those involving the enigmatic Zeth Mayfair—have earned her a prominent place in the world of contemporary dark romance. Hart continues to expand her universe with interconnected stories that deliver both heart-pounding suspense and deeply felt emotion.
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Dec 11, 2025 • 1h 2min
#153 Quicksilver - Callie Hart (Romantasy)
About the Book:Quicksilver is a dark, atmospheric romance by Callie Hart, known for her blend of emotional intensity, sharp suspense, and deeply drawn characters. The story follows Lissa, a young woman living under the shadow of trauma and secrets, and Zeth Mayfair—the dangerous, magnetic figure whose presence upends her world. Drawn together by circumstance and an undeniable pull, the two navigate a web of violence, vulnerability, and trust as they attempt to unravel the mysteries that bind them.Brooding, seductive, and charged with tension, Quicksilver explores the complicated territory between desire and danger, love and survival. Hart’s writing immerses readers in a world of morally gray characters and high-stakes emotion, crafting a romance that feels as raw as it does riveting.About the Author:Callie Hart is a bestselling author of dark romance and romantic suspense whose work is known for its gritty emotional landscapes, complex characters, and fast-paced plotting. Often writing stories that straddle the line between danger and desire, Hart has built a devoted readership drawn to her ability to balance intensity with tenderness.Her novels frequently feature strong, flawed protagonists navigating trauma, love, and redemption, and her series—particularly those involving the enigmatic Zeth Mayfair—have earned her a prominent place in the world of contemporary dark romance. Hart continues to expand her universe with interconnected stories that deliver both heart-pounding suspense and deeply felt emotion.
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Nov 27, 2025 • 13min
#152 Lovely Doodles and Handwritten Letters
About the Book:Published in 1972, Augustus by John Williams is a masterful historical novel that chronicles the life and rule of Rome’s first emperor. Told through a series of letters, journal entries, and memoirs, the book captures the political intrigue, personal ambitions, and moral dilemmas that shaped Augustus’ rise to power and his consolidation of the Roman Empire.Williams’ spare, elegant prose strips away the grandeur of history to reveal the human side of leadership—the loneliness, compromise, and resilience required to govern. Augustus explores themes of power, legacy, and the tension between public duty and private desire. The novel won the National Book Award and has been praised for its subtle psychological insight and the timeless relevance of its portrayal of leadership and ambition.About the Author:John Williams (1922–1994) was an American novelist and short story writer celebrated for his precise, restrained prose and deep psychological insight. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he is best known for Stoner (1965), a quiet but profoundly influential exploration of an ordinary life, and Augustus (1972), which earned the National Book Award.Williams’ fiction often examines the inner lives of his characters against broader historical or social backdrops, highlighting moral complexity, personal resilience, and the tension between individual desires and societal expectations. Though his work was modestly recognized during his lifetime, it has since been acclaimed for its clarity, craft, and enduring human insight.
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Nov 21, 2025 • 55min
#151 Augustus - John Williams (Epistolary)
About the Book:Published in 1972, Augustus by John Williams is a masterful historical novel that chronicles the life and rule of Rome’s first emperor. Told through a series of letters, journal entries, and memoirs, the book captures the political intrigue, personal ambitions, and moral dilemmas that shaped Augustus’ rise to power and his consolidation of the Roman Empire.Williams’ spare, elegant prose strips away the grandeur of history to reveal the human side of leadership—the loneliness, compromise, and resilience required to govern. Augustus explores themes of power, legacy, and the tension between public duty and private desire. The novel won the National Book Award and has been praised for its subtle psychological insight and the timeless relevance of its portrayal of leadership and ambition.About the Author:John Williams (1922–1994) was an American novelist and short story writer celebrated for his precise, restrained prose and deep psychological insight. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he is best known for Stoner (1965), a quiet but profoundly influential exploration of an ordinary life, and Augustus (1972), which earned the National Book Award.Williams’ fiction often examines the inner lives of his characters against broader historical or social backdrops, highlighting moral complexity, personal resilience, and the tension between individual desires and societal expectations. Though his work was modestly recognized during his lifetime, it has since been acclaimed for its clarity, craft, and enduring human insight.
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Nov 12, 2025 • 19min
#150 Does Art Reveal or Reflect Humanity?
About the Book:Published in 2005, Never Let Me Go is Kazuo Ishiguro’s haunting meditation on memory, identity, and what it means to be human. The novel follows Kathy H., a young woman reflecting on her years at Hailsham—a seemingly idyllic English boarding school where children are raised apart from the outside world. As Kathy recounts her friendships with Ruth and Tommy, a devastating truth slowly emerges about who they are and the purpose for which they exist.Blending the intimacy of a coming-of-age story with the quiet horror of dystopian science fiction, Ishiguro creates a world that feels both familiar and deeply unsettling. Never Let Me Go is less about the machinery of its imagined future than the emotional landscape of those who live within it—love, loss, and the longing to hold onto something fleetingly human in an inhuman world. The novel was a finalist for the Booker Prize and was later adapted into a celebrated 2010 film.About the Author:Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist, screenwriter, and short story writer known for his elegant, restrained prose and exploration of memory, morality, and self-deception. Born in Nagasaki, Japan in 1954, he moved to England as a child and later studied creative writing at the University of East Anglia.Ishiguro’s works include The Remains of the Day (1989), which won the Booker Prize, and Klara and the Sun (2021), among others. His fiction often takes the form of quiet personal reflection that gradually reveals profound emotional truths. In 2017, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for novels that, in the words of the Swedish Academy, “uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.”
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Nov 5, 2025 • 1h 1min
#149 Never Let Me Go - Kazou Ishiguro (Speculative Fiction)
About the Book:Published in 2005, Never Let Me Go is Kazuo Ishiguro’s haunting meditation on memory, identity, and what it means to be human. The novel follows Kathy H., a young woman reflecting on her years at Hailsham—a seemingly idyllic English boarding school where children are raised apart from the outside world. As Kathy recounts her friendships with Ruth and Tommy, a devastating truth slowly emerges about who they are and the purpose for which they exist.Blending the intimacy of a coming-of-age story with the quiet horror of dystopian science fiction, Ishiguro creates a world that feels both familiar and deeply unsettling. Never Let Me Go is less about the machinery of its imagined future than the emotional landscape of those who live within it—love, loss, and the longing to hold onto something fleetingly human in an inhuman world. The novel was a finalist for the Booker Prize and was later adapted into a celebrated 2010 film.About the Author:Kazuo Ishiguro is a British novelist, screenwriter, and short story writer known for his elegant, restrained prose and exploration of memory, morality, and self-deception. Born in Nagasaki, Japan in 1954, he moved to England as a child and later studied creative writing at the University of East Anglia.Ishiguro’s works include The Remains of the Day (1989), which won the Booker Prize, and Klara and the Sun (2021), among others. His fiction often takes the form of quiet personal reflection that gradually reveals profound emotional truths. In 2017, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for novels that, in the words of the Swedish Academy, “uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.”
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Oct 15, 2025 • 17min
#148 Road Trip Recap
About the Book:Published in 1945, Cannery Row is John Steinbeck’s affectionate portrait of a working-class community on the waterfront of Monterey, California, during the Great Depression. The novel centers on the lives of a cast of misfits—Doc, the gentle marine biologist; Mack and his band of good-hearted troublemakers; Dora and her girls at the local brothel—who make do with little but find meaning in friendship, small joys, and resilience.Rather than a traditional plot, Cannery Row is a series of interconnected sketches that celebrate the humor, hardship, and humanity of ordinary people. Steinbeck blends lyricism with grit, tenderness with satire, capturing both the struggles of poverty and the enduring beauty of community life. At once nostalgic and unsparing, Cannery Row remains one of his most beloved works.About the Author:John Steinbeck (1902–1968) was an American novelist, essayist, and journalist whose works captured the spirit and struggles of 20th-century America. Born in Salinas, California, Steinbeck drew heavily on the landscapes, communities, and migrant workers of his native state. His novels often explored themes of labor, poverty, human dignity, and the bonds of community.Steinbeck’s best-known works include Of Mice and Men (1937), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), which won the Pulitzer Prize, and East of Eden (1952). His clear-eyed yet compassionate storytelling made him one of the most important voices of his generation. In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his “realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception.”
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Oct 1, 2025 • 1h 3min
#147 Cannery Row - John Steinbeck
About the Book:Published in 1945, Cannery Row is John Steinbeck’s affectionate portrait of a working-class community on the waterfront of Monterey, California, during the Great Depression. The novel centers on the lives of a cast of misfits—Doc, the gentle marine biologist; Mack and his band of good-hearted troublemakers; Dora and her girls at the local brothel—who make do with little but find meaning in friendship, small joys, and resilience.Rather than a traditional plot, Cannery Row is a series of interconnected sketches that celebrate the humor, hardship, and humanity of ordinary people. Steinbeck blends lyricism with grit, tenderness with satire, capturing both the struggles of poverty and the enduring beauty of community life. At once nostalgic and unsparing, Cannery Row remains one of his most beloved works.About the Author:John Steinbeck (1902–1968) was an American novelist, essayist, and journalist whose works captured the spirit and struggles of 20th-century America. Born in Salinas, California, Steinbeck drew heavily on the landscapes, communities, and migrant workers of his native state. His novels often explored themes of labor, poverty, human dignity, and the bonds of community.Steinbeck’s best-known works include Of Mice and Men (1937), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), which won the Pulitzer Prize, and East of Eden (1952). His clear-eyed yet compassionate storytelling made him one of the most important voices of his generation. In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his “realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception.”
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Sep 17, 2025 • 14min
#146 Lightweight Centurions
About the Book:First published in 1969, The Andromeda Strain is Michael Crichton’s groundbreaking techno-thriller that launched him into literary stardom. The novel begins when a satellite crashes near a small desert town in Arizona, releasing a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism. A team of top scientists is rushed to a secret underground lab, tasked with identifying, containing, and stopping the microscopic threat before it spreads beyond control.Taut, chilling, and meticulously researched, The Andromeda Strain blends cutting-edge science with page-turning suspense. Its portrayal of crisis management, biohazards, and the limits of human preparedness was ahead of its time, and it remains a cornerstone of the science-fiction thriller genre. The novel was an instant bestseller and later adapted into both film and television, cementing Crichton’s reputation as a master of high-stakes, science-driven storytelling.About the Author:Michael Crichton (1942–2008) was an American author, screenwriter, director, and physician best known for blending science, technology, and suspense in his novels. With works translated into more than 30 languages and over 200 million copies sold worldwide, he was one of the most widely read authors of his time.Crichton wrote a string of blockbuster novels including Jurassic Park (1990), Congo (1980), Sphere (1987), and Timeline (1999). Many were adapted into major motion pictures, most famously Steven Spielberg’s film version of Jurassic Park. In television, he created the hit medical drama ER, which revolutionized the genre and won numerous awards. Trained as a doctor at Harvard Medical School, Crichton brought an unparalleled authenticity to his science-driven plots. His legacy endures as a storyteller who merged imagination with scientific possibility to both entertain and provoke.
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