
Close Reads is a book-club podcast for the incurable reader co-hosted by David Kern, Heidi White, Sean Johnson, and occasionally Tim McIntosh. We read good books and talk about them. This is a show for amateurs in the best sense. This is not an experts show: we’re book lovers, book enthusiasts. Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books. Close Reads is produced by G... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 469 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | ArtsBooks | |||

Is A Farewell to Arms pure tragedy? Is there any hope in the denouement? What should we do with Hemingway’s alternate endings? These and many other questions are the focus of this week’s episode. Happy listening!
This is a public episode. If you'd... more
Sean calls this the happy section of the book, so in this episode we discuss the book’s conception of happiness, engage in a close reading of the scene between Frederic and an old billiards player, and contemplate the question of cynicism in this boo... more
After an unfortunate delay, we’re back with further conversation about Hemingway’s twentieth century classic. This week we discuss the harrowing nature of this section, the bad moral luck of the characters, the rich spiritual contemplations at the he... more
Welcome back to our ongoing series on Hemingway’s classical novel. This week we discuss the turn the book takes in book two, the nature of Hemingway’s contemplation of love, and a couple of key scenes that reveal his genius as a storyteller. As alway... more
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I have been listening for 7+ years and I am so grateful to all of the hosts over the years. I get sad when I don’t get to read a book and miss out. I think literary FOMO might be the best kind. Thank you for your inspiration for my reading life!
As to many podcasts the team is just having a good time cheatchating. I have to stop at 12 minutes, so far Willa Cather is barely part of the conversation.
I love Tim and his LOVE of literature. However, It’s obvious David doesn’t read the books, which is insulting to the readers and listeners of this podcast. If you are hoping listeners learn how to read closely, I would think it’s important for the hosts to show that as they read. His treatment of Angelina in earlier episodes is alarming—how can you teach about virtue and not live it out in your daily lives?
The hosts genuinely love literature and the universal themes within stories. I find their contextual knowledge to be extremely helpful and I really appreciate their personal insights as parents, educators, and seekers.
Love Heidi (and guest Karen). They are very professional & thoughtful with their discussions. However, David’s “thinking outloud” rambling makes it hard to listen. His questions/thiughts feel unprepared, sometimes as if he hasn’t even read the material.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Focused on detailed literary analysis, this show engages listeners through deep discussions about books spanning different genres and eras, including classics from authors such as Emily Brontë and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Hosts emphasize personal connections to the literature, sharing their experiences and insights while promoting a community of amateur readers who appreciate empathetic dialogues about good stories. Notable for its candid exchanges and an accessible approach, the discussions often blend humor with intellectual commentary, making it appealing to anyone who loves literature.
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1. The Literary Life Podcast
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4. The New Mason Jar with Cindy Rollins
5. Classical Stuff You Should Know
Close Reads Podcast launched 9 years ago and published 469 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Close Reads Podcast include:
1. Greg Wilbur
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