Close Reads Podcast

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

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

On this episode of Close Reads, David chats with Dr. Ralph Wood, author of Flannery O'Connor and the Christ-Haunted South, about Flannery O'Connor's reputation for grimness. Topics include: When Dr. Wood heard O'Connor give a reading live in 1962, O'Connor's sense of humor, the scandalousness of the gospel in O'Connor's canon, Julian's mother in Everything That Rises Must Converge, A View of the Woods' lack of quality, and much, 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

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 "A View of the Woods." Topics include: Whether Mary actually exists, Mary as mirror of her grandfather, O'Connor's mysterious use of pronouns, the battle between Fortune and Pitts, the story's comments on modernism, and the damnation of Fortune. 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

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 "Greenleaf." Topics include: The romance of the bull, the bull as Christ-figure, O'Connor's commentary on Southern Christianity, sympathy for the Greenleafs, class differences in the story, Mrs. May's irreligion, Mrs. May's disdain for the bull, and the medieval theme of ecstasy in the story's ending. PLEASE NOTE: STARTING AT ABOUT 49 MINUTES SOME THEMES THAT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN ARE DISCUSSED. PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF LISTENING WITH YOUR KIDS. *** As always, press the arrow above to listen. Or subscribe to the CiRCE Institute Podcast Network via iTunes here or on Stitcher here. Be sure to subscribe to the Close Reads feed! 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David begin their conversation on Flannery O'Connor's collection of stories, Everything That Rises Must Converge, beginning with the titular story. Topics include: The 2017 Close Reads literature bracket, first experiences with O'Connor (18:10), O'Connor's "metaphysical realism" (26:40), story summary (37:11), the real racist in the story (41:50), the effect of coming home in O'Connor's work (51:40), the coin (62:45), the ambiguity of the end (70:00). *** 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David answer listener questions about Dorothy Sayers' classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: More on how to say "Sayers", Wimsey vs Darcy (12:20), Miss Meteyard as representative of Sayers (19:25), Current states of mystery stories (21:55), Says on good Christian art (38:55), Wimsey's sorrow at the end of the book (51:40), and what Sayers to read next (57:00). *** Click here to join the Close Reads Facebook group. *** Here's the article referenced in the episode. 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David conclude their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayers' classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: Who else the murderer could have been (6:45), whether Justice was served in the end (14:00), whether Wimsey was actually a good detective in this book (36:30), Tallboy's possible redemption (45:00), and the book we'll read next on the show. *** Be sure to subscribe to the Close Reads feed! 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayers' classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: Comparisons between this book, Netflix's The Crown, and BBC's Downton Abbey; class issues between characters; the lack of appeal in the evil in the book; the slow burn tensions; and how Greek (the language) can help us pronounce "Death Bredon." *** 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayers' classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: Why Tim isn't overly excited about this book, what about it people most like, the modernism of the prose, the various jumping perspectives, and the theme of phantasms. 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayers' classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: How to say "Death Bredon," how Sayers ups the stakes and tension in these chapters, the role of young Ginger Joe, Lord Peter as Bertie Wooster, and similarities with Brave New World. 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David continue their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayer's classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: the anxiety and cultural malaise of post-WWI Europe, the liturgy of the mystery story, why Angelina loves Lord Peter Wimsey more than Mr. Darcy, Sayers/Wodehouse comparisons, the in-media-res start of the book, and the nature of the advertising in the book. ** 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Angelina, Tim, and David kick off their ongoing discussion of Dorothy Sayer's classic mystery novel, Murder Must Advertise, one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories. Topics include: The value of mystery stories as literature, Lord Peter vs Sherlock Holmes, Dorothy Sayers biography, and Sayers' rules of mystery writing. 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

On this episode of Close Reads, Tim, Angelina, and David discuss some of the books that excited them most in 2016. Titles include a difficult Great Book, a fantastical novel about a runaway slave, and several books of culture criticism. 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