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The Close Read Podcast

The Claremont Institute
Donald Trump
Covid-19
Claremont Review Of Books
Brexit
World War II
United Kingdom
Democratic Party
Russian Politics
Nigel Farage
Horace
Conservatism
Digital Services Act
Tchaikovsky
Republican Party
Conservatism In Russia
Liberalism In Russia
Vladimir Putin
Russian History
Constitutional Rights
Public Health Measures

Associate editor Spencer Klavan phones up authors whose CRB essays have prompted deeper reflection and discussion. Over a drink, he'll chat with the leading minds on the Right about what's going on in politics and literary culture. claremontinstitute.substack.com

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Latest Episodes

Associate Editor Spencer Klavan reads “Bursting the Bubble,” Michael Barone’s review of 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation, featured in the Claremont Review of Books’ Summer 2026 issue.

This is a pu... more

The American Revolution produced a lasting republic, now in its 250th year. But is it still the country the founders envisioned? Claremont Review of Books editor Charles Kesler joins associate editor Spencer Klavan to review the CRB’s summer 2026 edi... more

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Associate Editor Spencer Klavan reads “Wine Lunacy,” Sam Schneider’s most recent entry to the column Under the Vine and Fig Tree, featured in the Claremont Review of Books’ Summer 2026 issue.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this ... more

Following Richard Nixon's victory in the turbulent 1968 election, an amendment threatening to dismantle the Electoral College gained startling momentum. Enter the young senate staffer Michael Uhlmann, whose 1970 report put forward what would become t... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Sam Schneider
Author of Wine Lunacy; Associate editor at Claremont Review of Books
Claremont Review of Books
Episode: Wine Lunacy
Christopher DeMuth
Former head of AEI; frequent contributor to CRP; author on Electoral College
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: Is the Electoral College Still Viable? ft. Christopher DeMuth
Christopher Caldwell
Contributing editor of CRB; author of Pedro Sánchez's Kingdom, Progressive Reign in Spain
Claremont Review of Books
Episode: Pedro Sánchez and the Anti-Trump Left's Global Coalition
Algis Valinas
Author of the Melville at Sea essay in the Claremont Review of Books
Claremont Institute
Episode: Melville at Sea
Emmet Penney
Senior fellow of the Foundation for American Innovation
Foundation for American Innovation
Episode: How America Taught China to Build ft. Emmet Penney
Will Thibeau
Director of the American Military Project at the Center for the American Way of Life
Center for the American Way of Life
Episode: The American Military at 250 ft. Will Thibeau
Theodore Dalrymple
Author and commentator, CRB essay contributor
Episode: “We Shall Not Fight on the Beaches,” by Theodore Dalrymple
Glenn Ellmers
Salvatore Research Fellow at the Claremont Institute
Claremont Institute
Episode: America 250: Harry Jaffa and the Declaration ft. Glenn Ellmers
Lucas Morel
Senior Fellow of the Claremont Institute; Professor of Politics at Washington and Lee University
Claremont Institute / Washington and Lee University
Episode: America 250: Lincoln and Equality ft. Lucas Morel

Host

Spencer Klavan
Host of the show; associate editor with ties to the Claremont Institute and CRB

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 187 ratings
  • Paper & Podcast

    I use the podcast to supplement and spice up my read of the physical Claremont Review of Books magazine. In a world where disintegration seems the primary force, the thinkers at Claremont give me inspiration and the intellectual fiber to put much of the current chaos into perspective.

    I especially enjoyed this recent podcast taking a look at the Spanish revolution. Thank you, I am one of the many who was said the simplistic version and never thought to question it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    old lady geologist
    United States4 years ago
  • The Best

    Privileged to have thought leaders of this caliber.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Calsal2020
    United States5 years ago
  • Need a new host

    The utter pretentiousness of the host, with fake laughter and all, is so bad it’s beyond parody. At first I could tolerate it by imagining Thurston Howell III, but even that shield ablated away quickly and I had to simply turn it off. Also the production values are amateurish. It’s too bad because, I agree, the content tends to be very enlightening.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    idolog
    United States6 years ago
  • Very insightful

    I really enjoy this podcast. I find it informative and engaging.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rainydayNH
    United States6 years ago
  • Trump propaganda trash

    Pathetic attempts to rationalize a far right viewpoint despite all evidence. Smacks of desperation and fear. If you’re in the Trump cult bubble, I assume you’ll be nodding your head to everything they say. If not, you’ll see right through it.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The Offive Podcast
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Some criticism notes production style and perceived ideological slant.
Listeners praise the rigorous, historical approach and guest expertise.
Audience appreciates long-form, thoughtful discourse over quick takes.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The American Military at 250 ft. Will Thibeau
Q: How has civil rights-era policy reshaped the military's structure and culture?
The discussion suggests that the military was used as a testing ground for integrating civil rights policies, aiming to align it with a broader civil society, but notes this also introduced tensions over how egalitarian principles should apply within a uniquely hierarchical and lethal institution.
The American Military at 250 ft. Will Thibeau
Q: Would you say that the two strands—the founding-era civil-military norms and the modern professional military—have split apart in practice?
Yes, the episode argues that while the founding framework aimed for a measured, constitutionally supervised military, over time professionalization and social reforms have shifted some practical control away from political leadership, creating ongoing debates about accountability and the appropriate scope of military power.
Lane Scott on Stranger Things
Q: So, I want to start by telling you my relationship to Stranger Things and just ask you for your response.
Lane discusses her personal connection to the show through parenting and nostalgia, and explains how watching it with her children revealed conversations about maturity, virtue, and what middle childhood ought to be, which informed her analysis in Analog Kids.
America 250: Lincoln and Equality ft. Lucas Morel
Q: What is the relation between abolition, popular sovereignty, and Lincoln's strategic decisions during the Civil War?
The discussion highlights that Lincoln's approach balanced moral demand for universal rights with political prudence, using the war to preserve the union and eventually emancipate enslaved people, while arguing for a legal path grounded in constitutional authority.
America 250: Lincoln and Equality ft. Lucas Morel
Q: How does Lincoln's interpretation relate to the critique that he imposed a modern reading on the founders' intentions?
Morel notes that Lincoln did not deny the founders' statements but argued for a capacious, historically aware reading that acknowledged limits of who enjoyed rights in practice, while maintaining the universality of the rights themselves.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Close Read Podcast

What is The Close Read Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, theory-forward conversation with authors and thinkers connected to conservative scholarship, focusing on political culture, history, and literature. Episodes frequently unpack how Western civilization, American founding principles, and current policy debates intersect with memory, identity, and culture, often through readings of classic texts, biographies, and CRB essays. Noteworthy are rigorous, historically grounded discussions with guests from think tanks, academia, and literary criticism, and a consistent emphasis on civilizational themes, intellectual heritage, and strategic policy ideas. This show is likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy deep, idea-driven conversations with a distinctly conservative scholarly lens and ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Close Read Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Close Read Podcast:

1. The American Mind Podcast
2. Young Heretics
3. First Things Podcast
4. 3 Whisky Happy Hour
5. Uncommon Knowledge

How many episodes of The Close Read Podcast are there?

The Close Read Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 92 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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What guests have appeared on The Close Read Podcast?

Recent guests on The Close Read Podcast include:

1. Sam Schneider
2. Christopher DeMuth
3. Christopher Caldwell
4. Algis Valinas
5. Emmet Penney
6. Will Thibeau
7. Theodore Dalrymple
8. Glenn Ellmers

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.

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