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Reading Short and Deep

Jesse Willis
Arthur C. Clarke
Lord Dunsany
Science Fiction
John D. Macdonald
Asimov
Less Perfect
The White Death
H. G. Wells
Mars
Manhunt
Franco-Prussian War
Slavery In the United States
G. K. Chesterton
Paul Louis Courier
Fredric Brown
The Promise
Earth
Shirley Jackson
Lobo's Return
John Galsworthy

Share the joys-and sharpen the skills-of deep reading. In each weekly half-hour podcast, Eric Rabkin and Jesse Willis mine together the riches of another marvelous short story, poem, or video. Each work, freely available on the RSD website, can be read in half an hour or less, and discussed for hours.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes557Founded11 years ago
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Artwork for Reading Short and Deep

Latest Episodes

Reading, Short And Deep #560

Eric S. Rabkin and Jesse Willis discuss The Old Portrait by Hume Nisbet

Here’s a link to a PDF of the story |PDF|.

The Old Portait was first published in the South Wales Echo, March 9, 1896

Posted by Scott D. Danielso... more

Reading, Short And Deep #559

Eric S. Rabkin and Jesse Willis discuss Crime On Mars by Arthur C. Clarke

Here’s a link to a PDF of the story |PDF|.

Crime On Mars was first published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, July 1960

Posted by Scott D. D... more

Reading, Short And Deep #558

Eric S. Rabkin and Jesse Willis discuss Job With A Future by Richard Welles

Here’s a link to a PDF of the story |PDF|.

Job With A Future was first published in Manhunt, February 1956

Posted by Scott D. Danielson Becom... more

Reading, Short And Deep #557

Eric S. Rabkin and Jesse Willis discuss A Secret For Two by Quentin Reynolds

Here’s a link to a PDF of the story |PDF|.

A Secret For Two was first published in Collier’s, May 16, 1926

Posted by Scott D. Danielson Beco... more

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Hosts

Jesse Willis
Host of Reading Short and Deep; frequent co-host; appears as the primary presenter and discussion driver.
Eric Rabkin
Co-host guiding discussion, leads analytic framing, and references literary and scholarly context.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 32 ratings
  • Jesse and Eric! What a team

    They complement each other so well in their discussions and insights. They sound like the passionate professors that have the blockbuster classes

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mkduran
    United Statesa year ago
  • Wonderful - the best ever, stories, discussions

    I love this podcast. The format is: Introduction of author and story background, discussion, Reading of the Story or parts of it and more discussion. Entertaining and informative with a short format.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rj Texas
    United States5 years ago
  • Wonderful - the best book club ever

    I love this podcast. The format is:

    Intro: author and story background

    Reading of the Story

    Entertaining and informative discussion on the story

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rj Texas
    United States5 years ago
  • Fantastical

    I discovered this podcast after listening to Eric Rabkin’s “Masterpieces of the imaginative mind”. Eric and Jesse elevate the reading of these wonderful stories through a deep dive into symbolism and historical meaning. Thank you for uncovering the stories I hadn’t found yet.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Soulaco
    United States7 years ago
  • Truly Short and Deep

    This is one of the hidden gems of the podcast world. Both of the hosts are incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. The length of the podcast is perfect and I appreciate when they read the story out loud before the discussion begins. They analyze each story from different perspectives, both traditional and modern. As a Catholic, I appreciate the seriousness the hosts take when dealing with Christian themes as literary elements. They don’t hand wave or dismiss something because they themselves don’... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Aaron Irber
    United States8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A rare, compact show that rewards re-listens and careful attention to symbolism and intertextuality.
The format blends reading aloud with deep literary interpretation and context.
Jesse and Eric complement each other with engaging, masterful discussions and accessible, rigorous analysis.

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Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Reading Short and Deep

What is Reading Short and Deep about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, literature-forward show where two veteran hosts dissect short stories, poems, and related works through close reading and layered allusions. Episodes consistently pair careful textual analysis with historical and cultural context, often drawing connections to myth, religion, and classic literature while highlighting narrative techniques, symbolism, and authorial intent. Noteworthy traits include a compact format that fosters deep, classroom-like discussion and a strong emphasis on reading aloud and collaborative interpretation, making it a rich resource for aspiring readers, students, and professionals in publishing or media seeking rigorous, accessible literary analysis.

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How many listeners does Reading Short and Deep get?

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How many subscribers and views does Reading Short and Deep have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Reading Short and Deep?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Reading Short and Deep:

1. Bride of Monster Kid Radio
2. The New Yorker: Fiction
3. The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
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5. WHAT WENT WRONG

How many episodes of Reading Short and Deep are there?

Reading Short and Deep launched 11 years ago and published 557 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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