Close Readings
London Review of BooksClose Readings is a multi-series podcast from the London Review of Books. Two contributors explore areas of literature through a selection of key works, providing an introductory grounding like no other. Listen to some episodes for free here, and extracts from our ongoing subscriber-only series. How To Subscribe In Apple Podcasts, click 'subscribe' at the top of this podcast feed to unlock the ful... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 216 | Founded | 3 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | EducationArtsBooksCourses | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was one of the first people to hear ‘The Ruined Cottage’, read aloud to him on a visit to the Wordsworths in 1797, and he later described it as ‘one of the most beautiful poems in the language’. Like ‘Michael’ (1800), it depic... more
Through folktales, memoir and hard science, Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass argues for the intertwining of Indigenous knowledge systems and empirical science, to support ‘mutual flourishing’ between humans and the environment. Braiding Swee... more
In ‘A Room of One’s Own’, Virginia Woolf writes about how radical it feels to read the sentences: ‘Chloe liked Olivia. They shared a laboratory together…’. Woolf probably didn’t know the work of her contemporary Jean Rhys, but if she had read ‘A Voya... more
When Thomas Platter, a Swiss tourist, went to see ‘Julius Caesar’ at the Globe Theatre in 1599, it wasn’t Shakespeare’s language that attracted his attention but the ready availability of refreshments and the high quality of the players’ clothes. The... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Hosts
Reviews
- great show
I love listening to James Wood. I’ve never felt inspired to review a podcast before. Thanks for making this, LRB
Apple Podcasts5xtine, a long-time listener
United States21 days ago - Just fabulous, never stop
These are some of the best discussions on literature I’ve ever encountered, including at uni. The conversation between two thoughtful people is one of the best formats anyway. These dialogues aren’t quite Socratic, but they’re almost as good. With Seamus & Mark, the original two, the result is quite wonderful if you love literature & like to think about it. The fact that Mark is a functioning poet as well makes his insights a little different. The Jonathan Rae/James Wood series was also really g... more
Apple Podcasts5Barbary Duck
United Kingdom3 months ago - Superb podcast!
At college I majored in a hard science … but loved the humanities and always tried to keep up with literature. And now Close Readings helps me relive those texts, while introducing me to others. I so enjoy listening to these - very engaging and pitched at a level that’s easily accessible. Thank you!
Apple Podcasts5Ca from LA in PaUnited States3 months ago - Stop repeating words
London series would be great if it were not for the speaker constantly repeating words. Had to bail out, I’ll afraid, too annoying.
Apple Podcasts3doublledd
Australia4 months ago - As Open as Open University
Ignore the accents if they make you think the speakers are fancy or somehow evil. The podcasts are the peak of how adult education should be carried out, at least in the liberal arts & sciences. No condescending but both speakers usually strive for clarity. And pack even one hour with to my mind fun facts. One can imagine an assiduous learner perhaps doing ten short ids after listening. And then one can review by listening again. Multiple guess would be harder, they are harder to craft. At least... more
Apple Podcasts5RobCroweUnited States4 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #72 | United States/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #200 | United States/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #13 | United Kingdom/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #42 | United Kingdom/Arts |
Apple Podcasts | #108 |  Canada/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #51 | Australia/Arts/Books |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About Close Readings
What is Close Readings about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A dense, scholarship-forward audio series that pairs literary critics, historians, and writers in close readings of canonical and challenging texts. Episodes show a pattern of deep textual analysis across poetry, novels, and genre, often pairing two hosts with guests to unpack context, form, and interpretation. The format favors long, thoughtful discussions, literary theory, and historical background, with strong emphasis on the relationship between text and culture. Noteworthy is the recurring collaboration among prominent English and literature scholars, the inclusion of interdisciplinary perspectives (philosophy, history, science), and a clear focus on unpacking difficult ideas for an informed audience. Potential sponsors or guests might... more
Where can I find podcast stats for Close Readings?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Close Readings. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Close Readings and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does Close Readings get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Close Readings, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for Close Readings?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Close Readings, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does Close Readings have?
To see how many followers or subscribers Close Readings has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to Close Readings?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Close Readings:
1. The LRB Podcast
2. London Review Bookshop Podcast
3. The TLS Podcast
4. Past Present Future
5. Backlisted
How many episodes of Close Readings are there?
Close Readings launched 3 years ago and published 216 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact Close Readings?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for Close Readings?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Close Readings from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Close Readings?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Close Readings. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on Close Readings?
Recent guests on Close Readings include:
1. Miranda Seymour
2. Vanessa Harding
3. Andy O'Hagan
4. Elif Batuman
5. Matthew Davies
6. Adam Thirlwell
7. Tom McCarthy
8. Tom Crew
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.