Close Reads Podcast HQ

Chapter nine of 1984 is one of the least dramatically compelling chapters in the book, and has even taken a fair bit of criticism over the years, so this week dig into why we think Orwell included it and whether it is necessary, with a few rabbit trails on political philosophy along the way. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...

One of the reasons 1984 is such enduring book is because of the conversations it engenders and so in this episode we chatted a bit about the nature of those kinds of conversations. Plus, we discussed Winston as complicated protagonist, his relationship with Julia, and how we approach the question of morality in the story. Happy listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this wit...

One of David’s favorite books last year was Michelle Nijhuis’ Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction , a fascinating history of the way human knowledge about species extinction (and survival) has evolved. There was a time, she writes, that scientists (and human culture at-large) simply didn’t understand the way animals lived and died. Most people figured that even creatures that...

Here we go. We’ve never done a book quite like George Orwell’s 1984 on Close Reads and it shows in this episode where we discuss whether the vibe of the book shows up in our world today and what Orwell’s goal seems to be. 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 Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying , which means it’s time for a Q&A episode. As always, y’all delivered with some great questions. We did our best to answer as many as we could, but we especially focused on questions about Dewey Dell’s betrayal of Darl, Anse’s teeth and second wife, whether the book is actually funny at all, and that sort of thing. As always, thanks for tuning in...

And so we come to the end. Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they dig (no pun intended) into the fiery (pun intended) ending to this classic book. Where do the book's sympathies lie in the end? Why did Darl go mad? Who is trustworthy? These and many other questions get discussed. Happy listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to disc...

Join David and Heidi as they dig in to Kenneth Branagh's movie adaptation of Death on the Nile . Is the movie in on the joke? Why is there no sand? What's up with Gal Gadot? Why do mustaches need back stories? These and many other questions get contemplated. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or...

In which David, Heidi, and Tim discuss river crossings, which characters the books seems to have the most sympathy for, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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 dig ever deeper into Faulkner's novel. Topics of conversation include mothers who are fish, mothers who are horses, buzzards, and Heidi's great delight in this book. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.co...

Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they dig into the first quarter of William Faulkner's infamous (and mildly inscrutable) novel, As I Lay Dying . Topics of conversation include tops for reading Faulkner, the various points-of-view that tell the story, what happens at the outset, and much more. This episode is brought to you be BiblioFiles. Learn more at centerforlit.com . See acast.com/privacy for pri...

It's time to answer your questions about Death on the Nile , but first Tim has to answer a question from us. Then we discuss topics like movie casting, Christie's impact, Poirot's sense of justice, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads...

In which we discuss Poirot's decision, Christie's puzzle-making, and Tim is insufferable (and gets muted for it). And much more, of course. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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 Tim predicts the ending of another mystery novel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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 for a new book! It's time for the Queen of Crime. It's time for Hercule Poirot. It's time for some international intrigue. It's time for Death on the Nile ! This week we talk about what makes Christie so good (and enduring), her approach to introducing characters in this book, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd lik...

It's time for an annual tradition! On this week's episode we're talking about our favorite reads of 2021. We each used different criteria in creating the lists you will hear here, but its a great peek into our reading lives this year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epis...

It's time to answer your questions about A Confederacy of Dunces ! Join the David, Heidi, and Tim as they discuss characters like Jones and Levy, books similar to Dunces , and much more -- plus, naturally, some Christmas chatter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes,...

Once more we've come to the end of another book's road. So join David, Tim, and Heidi as they unpack the wild and wacky and strange ending of A Confederacy of Dunces. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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’s guest is Josh Ritter, novelist, musician, all around highly intelligent gentleman.  In 2006, he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine and his music has won numerous accolades. His albums The Animal Years and So Runs the World Away are both extremely important to me.  But of course we’re here to talk books, including his own. His first novel, Brights P...

What is the purpose of all of Ignatius' grossness? Does it have anything to do with the four humors in medieval thought? What does Ignatius actually? Close Reads considers these questions on this week's show. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.sub...

Here we are, deep inside of John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces , and this week conversation touches (once again) on Ignatius' intelligence, but then moves on to the various secondary characters that people this strange book, as well as talk about Boethius. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscri...

Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they continue to discuss Ignatius J. Reilly and his "worldview," including some discussion about why he has to be quite so gross. Also: what's the deal with all the geometry talk? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.su...

Walter is the author of seven novels, one book of short stories and one nonfiction book. His work has been selected three times for Best American Short Stories as well as the Pushcart Prize and Best American Nonrequired Reading . He’s been published in, Harper's , Esquire ,  McSweeney's , Tin House , Ploughshares , the New York Times , the Washington Post and many others. He began his writing care...

A Confederacy of Dunces is one of the more strange books we have ever done on this show, but over the next several weeks David, Heidi, and Tim are going to do their best to explain what makes it a worthwhile work of literature. This week they discuss the book's sad origin story, its medieval influences, its comedic core, and its outrageous protagonist. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out...

Best known for his David Robicheaux series of novels, James Lee Burke is a New York Times best selling author many times over, who has been awarded two Edgar Awards for best novel, as well as the Grand Master Master Award, by the Mystery Writers of America. His novels have been translated into almost every language in the world and his stories of the Deep South and American West make him on the es...

As usual, you asked great questions and we did our best to answer! Join David, Heidi, and Tim as they conclude their discussion of A GATHERING OF OLD MEN. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. 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