Close Reads Podcast

It’s time for more Oscar Wilde talk. This week, the conversation explains how this section made Tim a fan of the book, digs into Dorian’s psychological complexity, and explores the role external and internal factors played in Dorian’s decline. Happy listening!This episode is made possible by our friends at CLT. You can check out what they’re up to at cltexam.com/closereads.Close Reads HQ is a community-supported publication. Please consider subscribing so we can keep on making the shows you like! 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

Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they discuss the introduction of Sibyl Vane and her family, Dorian’s infatuation and un-infatuation with her, and the picture’s emerging frowny face. (To list just a few topics of conversation). This episode is made possible by our friends at CLT. You can check out what they’re up to at cltexam.com/closereads. If you would like to learn more about any of CiRCE’s Atrium courses, including Heidi’s on Shakespeare, please click here. 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

Tim’s back, friends—and it’s time for a new book! So join us as we dig into Oscar Wilde’s infamous novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Discussion this week focuses on questions of biographical criticism with a book like this, the role that the character of Lord Henry plays in the structure of the novel, what the book does well and where its shortcomings might be, and much more! Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported publication and we need your support to keep on producing the content you love. Please consider subscribing to Close Reads HQ to ensure the future and to received some great bonus content, too! 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

We’re mixing things up this week! Join David, Heidi, and Sean as they draft the great cinematic adaptations ever made. And be sure to let us know who picked the best roster of films. Happy listening (watching)! 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 time to answer listener questions about Everything Sad Is Untrue and we have the great honor of doing that alongside the man himself, Daniel Nayeri. So press play and listen as we chat about Daniel’s mom, the way the story evolved, his journey in writing it, deckled edges from the author’s perspectives, and much more! Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported publication and we need your support to keep on producing the content you love. Please consider subscribing to Close Reads HQ to ensure the future and to received some great bonus content, too! 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

And so we come to the end. Join David, Heidi, and Sean as they dig into Daniel Nayeri’s novel as a whole (but especially the final passages, of course), the way book pays homage to the narrator’s mother, the complexity of his father’s visit, and much more. Happy listening!Close Reads is a community-supported publication and we need your support to keep on producing the content you love. Please consider subscribing to Close Reads HQ to ensure the future and to received some great bonus content, too! 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

This section of Daniel Nayeri’s novel included a lot of . . . well . . . poop. So on this week’s episode David, Heidi, and Sean discuss how Nayeri manages to make that topic funny and sad and profound all at once. Plus: the book’s great respect for the narrator’s mother. As always, happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid 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

Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad is Untrue may be listed as a middle grade novel by its publisher, but it’s unlike almost any other novel in the category. So in this episode David, Heidi, and Sean discuss its unique stylistic approach and the way it conceives of stories as essential to culture, with a foray into some discussion about memory novels. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to ensure that we can keep on producing episodes like this one. 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

Here we are at the end of our conversation on Hawthorne’s novel, which means it’s time to answer your questions. As always, you sent in lots of great ones and we did our best to answer as many as we could. Thanks for participating in the conversation—and thanks to Karen coming on the show these last six weeks!Be sure to check out her forthcoming book, which you can find here. Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. To receive bonus content please consider becoming a paid 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

In this episode, Sean and Heidi join David and get their say about the legacy of Cormac McCarthy—and what makes his work sublime. 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 great Cormac McCarthy died last week, leaving behind a canon of brilliant, challenging novels that will be long-remembered. So this week we’re sharing two episode remembering the man, discussing his work, and sharing what he means to us. In this first episode, David and Tim sit down to make a Mount Rushmore of McCarthy’s work and to discuss how his work will be remembered. Close Reads is a community-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

And so we come to the end of another novel! Join David, Heidi, and Karen as they dig into the ending of Hawthorne’s novel, with special attention paid to Pearl’s role. Plus: how does the genre play into the end of the book, what do we do with Dimmsdale’s demise, and how does Hawthorne want us to respond to their plot to escape? 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

Heidi is in Greece this week (!), but David Kern and Karen Swallow Prior are back to continue this series on The Scarlet Letter. Topics of conversation include the way Hawthorne uses the setting to triangulate the characters, Hawthorne’s vision of the Good, Hester’s defense (as it were) of her affair with Dimmsdale, Hawthorne’s slippery tier of virtues, and comparing Hawthorne with Jane Austen. 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

Does this book offer an alternative vision to the spiritual corruption that it criticizes? How would it be different if Hawthorne was lest on-the-nose with his metaphors and character names? Join David, Heidi, and Karen as they explore these (and other) questions from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel. Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to ensure ongoing production. 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

Join David, Heidi, and special guest, Karen Swallow Prior, for a conversation about this very famous and much-taught novel. Conversation touches on why this book has such a significant role in American English classrooms; Chillingsworth’s, well, chilling role; little Pearl’s emergence as a meaningful character; and much more. As always: happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. If you like it, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

It’s become an annual tradition to invite the one-and-only Karen Swallow Prior on the show to discuss a classic novel, and this time around it’s Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter. In this first episode of the series, we chatted about that difficult opening section, “The Customs House”; why Karen chose to include this book in her series of annotated classic novels for B&H Publishing (alongside Austen, Hardy, Conrad, Bronte, etc.); ways Hawthorne seems to be working out his connection to his family’s long and fraught history; and much more! Happy listening!Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. To help ensure that future episodes get produced, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

You have questions, we’ve got thoughts! So click that play button and dig into this conversation on The Optimist’s Daughter! Please note: next week we will be off, but after that we will begin conversations on The Scarlet Letter with very special guest Karen Swallow Prior! 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 up with the birds? Is Fay even more despicable than we initially considered? Is the ending hopeful? Join David, Heidi, and Sean as they discuss these—and many other—questions on this week’s discussion of Eudora Welty’s The Optimist’s Daughter. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. If you value what we do here, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

Welcome to a new series of episodes on a new book! This week David, Heidi, and Sean are digging into Eudora Welty’s Pulitzer Prize winner, discussing such topics as the book’s similarities to Jane Austen’s work, whether Faye is purely an antagonist, the very Southern sense of humor in the story, and much more! Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid 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

Join Heidi and Sean as they answer your questions about Georges Bernanos’ novel! Thanks so much for participating in the conversation and happy listening! Up next, we’ll be discussing Eudora Welty’s The Optimist’s Daughter, starting with parts 1 and 2. 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

This week Sean & Heidi discuss the priest’s last days, his four final encounters, the purpose of the diary, and the mingling of grace and suffering that pervades the novel. JOIN US FOR “CLOSE READS ON THE ROAD” IN AUGUST, IN ATLANTA! 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

David’s sick, so this week Heidi and Sean discuss letting go of worldly attachments, the value of the priest’s weakness, his first spiritual successes, and his changing relationship with the diary. Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider supporting our work by subscribing today! 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

Join David, Heidi, and Sean as they discuss insomnia, despair, the spiritual dark night of the soul, and much, much more found in Bernanos’ deeply contemplative novel. Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber thereby ensuring the continued production of episodes like this one. 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

We’re on to Georges Bernanos’ contemplative novel, The Diary of a Country Priest, and in this episode David, Heidi, and Sean discuss the fascinating narrative approach Bernanos employs, what themes seem to matter most, the notion of contemplation in the book, and how to approach a book in which very little happens (on the surface). Future schedule: Episode 2 (March 27): Chapters 3-4Episode 3 (April 3): Chapters 5-6Episode 4 (April 10): To the endEpisode 5 (April 17): Q&AClick here to check out the upcoming CiRCE conference referenced at the top of this episode. 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

Join David and Tim as they welcome back special guest Jessie Turpin to read a scene from the play and answer your questions. Conversation touches on topics like Shaw’s extreme stage directions, the didacticism of the play, and much more. Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. When you do, you get access to bonus content while also supporting our work! 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

Join David, Tim, and Sean as they discuss the 2023 Close Reads Bracket: Awesome Adaptations. They predict winners, make their own picks, and discuss the bracket-making process. 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

We’ve been circling this one for a long time. It’s finally time to discuss George Bernard Shaw’s famous play, Pygmalion. In this episode we discussed the originally source material (briefly), Shaw’s thematic interests, the complex dilemma he’s setting up for himself, Higgins as a character, and so much more. Plus, with the help of special guest, we present a “table-read” of a key scene. Happy listening!Close Reads HQ is a reader-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid 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

If you’re a longtime listener of this podcast, you know that Sean Johnson has recently joined our crew to help give Tim some time off here and there (what with Tim’s new job and growing family). Of course, Sean is a worthy contributor all in his own right. But we didn’t know that right away. At first, he was just one of many interviewees we considered (#230 to be precise). And although it took some time to get aligned on some key metrics, we feel really good about his role on our show now. Since Sean’s been a part of things for a few months at this point, we feel like this is a good time to share a peek into his interview process, to reveal what he had to go through to make it on the show. We think you’ll appreciate this look behind the curtain and enjoy getting to know him a bit. 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

The Netanyahus is a bit of a confounding book, so naturally there were lots of questions and we did our best to answer as many as we could as thoroughly as possible. We discussed the complicated nature of writing fiction about real/living people, Blum’s relationship with his daughter, whether the book has a moral center, nihilism, and much more. Thanks for listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. To receive bonus content and support our work, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

Okay, so that ending? What’s the deal. Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they try to understand what Cohen is doing. Lots of conversation about nihilism in this episode. Thanks for listening!Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. Please subscribe to make sure we can keep on (while also getting access to subscriber-exclusive content). 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

This week we’re discussing whether Joshua Cohen’s approach to exploring Jewish culture works in the ways that he seems to hope it will, whether the book is too sad to be truly funny, whether the story has finally revealed what it is, and much more. Don’t forget to weigh in on this episode’s question. Let us know what you think in the comments! Question of the Week: Is the big Judy scene funny? Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. If you value what we do, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to keep things rolling along (while securing some great content as well). 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

We are on to Joshua Cohen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Netanyahus, a book that is clearly different in tone (and content) than most of the titles we traditionally discuss on this show. So in this episode David, Heidi, and Tim (he’s back!) contemplate the book’s sense of humor, Cohen’s remarkable prose, and what makes it memorable and worth reading. Happy listening! Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. If you like what you hear and read, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

It’s that time, when we’ve come to end of another episode and we turn to your questions about it. This time we’re contemplating topics from Persuasion such as Wentworth’s affection for Anne, Lady Russell’s role in the book, Mrs. Smith’s virtue (or lack thereof?), wine and cheese pairings, fan-fiction, Mr. Elliot the villain, and so much more. Thanks for listening! Close Reads is a community-supported publication. Please consider subscribing. 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

Finally, we can speak more freely about all of Persuasion, so this week David, Heidi, and Sean are discussing Wentworth’s love letter, Ann’s assessment of her own choices, the melancholy nature of this book, the differences between Eliot and Wentworth, the pantheon of Austen men, and much more. Don’t forget to answer this week’s question of the week below, What is the greatest love letter in any novel? Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor, so if you like what we’re doing here, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

This week we’re discussing Mrs. Smith’s sudden appearance (and her role) in the book, whether the book considers all of Anne’s various perspectives and actions as virtuous, whether Anne made the wrong choice in rejecting Wentworth way back when, and much, much more. Happy listening! Up next: Read to the end of the book. Plus, we are introducing a question of the week so you can participate in the conversation. Here is this weeks: Should Anne have turned down Wentworth? What do you think? Let us know in the chat below!Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. To receive bonus content and support our work, please consider subscribing! 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

This section ends with a dangerous fall, but in the meantime we sure get a lot of scenes with people talking in rooms. So this week David, Heidi, and Sean are discussing Anne’s interiority and self-awareness and whether Austen portrays her self-sympathy as virtuous. Plus, discussions touches more on Austen’s complex (and amazing) approach to narrative voice. As always, happy reading! Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. If you like what we’re up to, please consider becoming a free or paid 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

It’s on to another great novel, this time by Jane Austen, so this week David, Heidi, and Sean discussed Austen’s unique use of free indirect discourse and other formal flourishes in this book, similarities and differences between this book and Austen’s other novels, and much more. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to ensure the show goes on. 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 the most wonderful time of the year, which means it’s also the time of the year when we’re talking about our favorite reads of 2022! We each have our own strategy for making these lists and inevitably the books we discuss on this episode are oddly specific, wonderfully fascinating, and always worth reading. So grab something to take notes, get ready to add to your TBR list, and settle for a long winter’s podcast on books, books, and more books. Happy listening and merry Christmas!Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. You make this possible. So we’d sure appreciate it if you began 2023 by subscribing or giving a gift subscription to someone you love. Cheers! 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, so join David, Heidi, and Tim as they dig into a bunch of great questions from the Close Reads community. Topics of conversation include orange juice, opportunistic agents, German philosophers, and much more!Close Reads HQ is a community-supported publication. Thanks so much for being a part of this endeavor in 2022! 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 a book! This week you can tune in as David, Heidi, and Tim continue to rave about Chaim Potok’s skill, a few particularly miraculous passages, and the culmination of Asher’s coming-of-age. Close Reads is a community-supported endeavor. If you value what we’re up to please subscribe. 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

This week David, Heidi, and Tim are discussing Jacob Kahn. Does the book view him as an arbiter of wisdom? Is he an antagonist of sorts? Also, can Asher be a unifier between two traditions? And how does the book reveal Asher’s individual healing? 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

As we dive further into Chaim Potok’s wonderful novel, this week’s episode contemplates how dark this book really is, whether we should read it psychologically, whether Aryeh and Rivkeh are good parents, and much more. Happy listening!Information on Classical U:The classicalu4closereads2months coupon code above will provide no charge for the first two months with a purchase of a monthly subscription. This is a total value of $39.90 as monthly subscriptions are regularly $19.95 per month.The classicalu4closereads1year coupon code above will provide 25% off (or $53.86) for the first year with the purchase of an annual subscription ($171.30 for first year, regularly $215.46). All of their subscriptions come with a 14-day free trial before the first payment is collected and during which the subscriber can cancel at any time.In order to purchase a subscription, firstcreate a user accountand be signed in. Those two links are here:https://classicalu.com/register/https://classicalu.com/wp-login.phpClose Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor—and hopefully it’s a mutually beneficial situation. :) 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

Chaim Potok’s novel, My Name Is Asher Lev, is one of Tim’s favorite books, and its also one that has been nominated by listeners for a long time. So we’re thrilled to be digging into it. Here in episode one of this series, David, Heidi, and Tim discuss the way Potok skillfully reveals his protagonist’s unique gift; the questions the book asks about identity and family; and, naturally, a bit about the Jewish-American experience during the twentieth century. Happy listening! Classical U info: The classicalu4closereads2months coupon code above will provide no charge for the first two months with a purchase of a monthly subscription. This is a total value of $39.90 as monthly subscriptions are regularly $19.95 per month.The classicalu4closereads1year coupon code above will provide 25% off (or $53.86) for the first year with the purchase of an annual subscription ($171.30 for first year, regularly $215.46). All of their subscriptions come with a 14-day free trial before the first payment is collected and during which the subscriber can cancel at any time.In order to purchase a subscription, firstcreate a user account and be signed in. Those two links are here:https://classicalu.com/register/https://classicalu.com/wp-login.phpClose Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. When you subscribe you help make the show possible while also gaining access to some great bonus content. Thank you! 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

In which we answer your questions about Amor Towles’ novel! Up next: My Name Is Asher Lev, chapters 1-2. 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

We have come to the conclusion of Amor Towles’ novel, so this week David, Heidi, and Ian discussed the Casablanca of it all, whether the book ends in a satisfying fashion, and the count’s trajectory of growth. 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 Rings of Power season one is over and it’s time to take stock. So join Ian and David as they discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what may be next in this controversial new take on Tolkien’s work. Close Reads HQ is a community-supported publication. To receive bonus content & support our work, consider becoming a free or paid 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

This week David, Heidi, and Ian discussed whether the Count has changed over the course of the story, whether he is a “whole” character, David’s wild (pretend) theory about this book, and more on Towle’s approach to POV. 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

This week David, Heidi, and Ian discussed whether this book is up to the ideas that it is asking us to contemplate, the meta elements of its presentation, the way this section knocks the count off his equilibrium, and much, much more.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

This week David, Heidi, and Ian discussed the fascinating nature of the Count’s relationship with Anna; the book’s preoccupation with skill and craft; the way Europe hovers over the themes of the books; and much more. 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

This week David, Heidi, and Ian discussed virtue, vice, and wine in A Gentleman in Moscow. Is that enough to prompt you to click play? 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