

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

Feb 24, 2023 • 1h 5min
#18 - Chinua Achebe - Things Fall Apart
Episode Cheat SheetHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Wrath and Patience in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart.Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Wrath and Patience, look no further than Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. We hope you enjoy!Good Scribes Only on InstagramMore Good Scribes Only ContentEpisode Notes0-5 min — Background on book and wrath5-11 min — Casting the “movie”11-15 min — Plot summary15-21min — Control and what this book is ‘really’ about21-29 min — Wrath and human nature29-32 min — Plot summary continued32-40 min — Colonialism and customs40-43 min — Persuasiveness of western religion43-49 min — Clash between missionaries and tribe49-59 min — Tragic conclusion and cultural relativism59-60 min — Book ratingsFind Jeremy onlineFind Daniel onlineFollow Good Scribes Only on Instagram
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Feb 20, 2023 • 16min
#17 - Inside Good Scribes - Lust in Nabokov's Lolita
Episode NotesIn this mini-episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore takeaways, tips, and how Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita relates to everyday life. Hosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Lust and Chastity, look no further than Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita . We hope you enjoyEpisode Cheat SheetGood Scribes Only on InstagramFind Jeremy OnlineFind Daniel online More Good Scribes Only Content
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Feb 17, 2023 • 1h 8min
#16 - Vladimir Nabokov - Lolita
Episode NotesHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Lust and Chastity in Vladimir Nabokov's, magnum opus LolitaOftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Lust and Chastity, look no further than Lolita. We hope you enjoy Episode Cheat SheetGood Scribes Only on InstagramFind Jeremy onlineFind Daniel onlineMore Good Scribes Only Content**Episode Notes** 0-2.5 min — Intro3-6 min — Thoughts Lex Fridman book-drama8-12 min — Backstory of the novel and the author13-18 min — Lust, chastity, and innocence20-22 min — Casting Hollywood actors22-27 min — Plot summary27-31 min — Sexualization in society31-38 min — Narrator reliability39-42 min — Comedy and irony in the novel43-46 min — Praise for the author46-52 min — On the language and prose52-56 min — Value of the “outsider” perspective56 min — Conclusion
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Feb 14, 2023 • 17min
#15 - Inside Good Scribes: Sloth in Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Episode Cheat Sheet Good Scribes Only on Instagram Find Jeremy online Find Daniel online In this mini-episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore takeaways, tips, and how Jane Smiley’s, Good Faith relates to everyday life. Hosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Greed and Generosity, look no further than Good Faith. We hope you enjoy More Good Scribes Only Content
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Feb 9, 2023 • 59min
#14 - Ottessa Moshfegh - My Year of Rest and Relaxation
Episode Cheat SheetGood Scribes Only on InstagramFind Jeremy onlineFind Daniel onlineHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Sloth and Diligence in Ottessa Moshfegh's, My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Sloth and Diligence, look no further than My Year of Rest and Relaxation. We hope you enjoy More Good Scribes Only Content**Episode Notes** 0-6 min — Intro and Initial thoughts 6-13 min — Casting Characters for the ‘movie’ 13-20 min — Plot summary 20-27 min — Character Motivations 27-31 min — NYC Art scene vs Finance scene 31-35 min — Narrator’s struggle and purpose 35-41 min — The sanctity (or superficiality) of art 41-45 min — ‘Intention’ as an artist 45-50 min — New York pre and post 9/11 50-57 min — Book’s conclusion 57-60 min — Episode Wrap up and Book Rating
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Feb 6, 2023 • 16min
#13 - Inside Good Scribes - Greed in Jane Smiley's Good Faith 💸
In this mini-episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore takeaways, tips, and how Jane Smiley’s, Good Faith relates to everyday life.Good Scribes Only on InstagramFind Jeremy onlineFind Daniel online Hosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Greed and Charity in Jane Smiley’s, Good Faith. Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Greed and Generosity, look no further than Good Faith. We hope you enjoy More Good Scribes Only Content
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Feb 2, 2023 • 1h 6min
#12 - Jane Smiley - Good Faith
Episode Cheat SheetGood Scribes Only on InstagramFind Jeremy onlineFind Daniel online Hosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Greed and Charity in Jane Smiley’s, Good Faith. Oftentimes, fiction books can take us out of life’s everyday tangles and help us see reality with new eyes. To further explore your own relationship with Greed and Generosity, look no further than Good Faith. We hope you enjoy More Good Scribes Only ContentEpisode Notes 0-5 min — Initial thoughts on Good Faith 5-11 min — Actor Castings 10-15 min — Plot Summary 15-20 min — Dissecting the characters 20-25 min — On writing: creating nuanced characters and outlining 25-28 min — Romances in the novel 28-35 min — The power of fiction 35-40 min — Greed and the American dream 40-45 min — What is the state of greed today? (crypto) 45-50 min — The climax 50-55 min — How ‘literary’ is this book? 55-60 min — Problems with this book 60-65 min — Final thoughts on the novel
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Jan 26, 2023 • 1h 2min
#11 - Graham Greene - Power and Glory
Episode SummaryPower and Glory Cheat SheetGood Scribes Only on InstagramJeremy on InstagramDaniel on LinkedInHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. Season 2 focuses on the cardinal vices and virtues: Lust and chastity, gluttony and temperance, greed and charity, sloth and diligence, envy and kindness, wrath and patience, pride and humility. In this episode, Daniel and Jeremy explore Pride and Humility in Graham Greene's most prolific work, Power and Glory. Oftentimes, fiction provides a clearer view of reality than life itself. Power and Glory is no exception. Join in and explore your own Pride and Humility with Jeremy and Daniel in this episode of Good Scribes Only. 0-5 min — Intro and Actor Casting 5-10 min — Initial thoughts and historical background 10-15 min — Main character: the whiskey priest 15-20 min — Is it about Pride? 20-22 min — Dan calling Jeremy on his bullsh** 22-25 min — On writing: creating dynamic characters 25-29 min — Hope and the duality of man 29-35 min — The climax 35-40 min — Is a post-religious society actually better? 40-44 min — Would people read this book today? 44-46 min — On writing: a striking literary device 46-50 min — What is Pride fundamentally? 50-55 min — The power of community 55-60 min — Our final feelings on the novel
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Jan 10, 2023 • 31min
2022 in Review
In our final episode of the season, we discuss our favorite books of 2022, a few movies that stood out, plus our favorite moments of season one—often the (copious) occasions when Jeremy gets himself canceled. As far as books go, none of you will be surprised to hear how many Daniel read this year, but you might not have expected his favorite. And, as always, you'll get an appearance from one of our dogs, the true MVPs. We hope you enjoy!
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Nov 21, 2022 • 1h 26min
#10 Salman Rushdie - Midnight's Children
We're back with another towering work from one of the most noteworthy names in modern literature. *Midnight's Children,* published in 1981, is considered the seminal work from Indian-British writer, Salman Rushdie. The novel is what some describe as magical realism, though Rushdie prefers self describes as a "Surrealist" author. In the novel we follow one narrator and protagonist, Saleem Sinai, through the turbulent years of India's transition from British colonial rule to independence and partition. It is rich postcolonial, postmodern, self-reflexive work which strives to preserve history by way of story, rather than facts and data. The novel not only won the Booker prize for fiction in 1981 but was dubbed "Best of the Bookers" twelve years later. If you appreciate Jose Luis Borges, Neil Gaiman, surrealist/magical realism, or high-literature you will likely enjoy this tome. Don't let our meandering conversation steer you wrong — this one is a must read. We hope you enjoy ✌️
*Episode Notes*
0:00 - Intro and Casting
3:00 - Our lack of historical perspective for India and Pakistan
5:00 - On surrealism and Salman Rushdie’s masterclass
7:30 - Significance and historicity of Midnight’s Children
11:30 - Comparable books and Plot Summary
15:00 - Motifs and Plot Summary
25:00 - On Saleem’s Family and other Characters
29:00 - Saleem’s reliability as a narrator
33:00 - Shiva as a character and myth
38:00 - Nature and nurture in the novel
42:00 - The multi-genre nature of the novel
43:45 - Multi-culturality of India
48:30 - Wholeness and fragmentation
51:00 - Religion and conflict in the novel
56:00 - The beauty of fiction versus facts
58:00 - Closing sequence
1:01:00 - On Memory as a theme
1:06:00 - History and Rushdie’s main thesis
1:11:00 - Literary style of the novel
1:15:00 - Overall thoughts on the book
1:21:00 - Self reflexive artWebsite
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