Podcast Episodes

Trust: Part 2

We’re back to discuss part two of Hernan Diaz’s award-winning novel. In this episode we chat about whether we can really know anything about its narrator (and how he might be related to the protagoni…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

Trust: Part One

The gang is all back for this new series on Hernan Diaz’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Trust! Join as we try not to spoil the rest of the book, discuss what makes Diaz’s approach so compelling, cont…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

The Hobbit: Q&A episode

Once again, it’s time to answer your questions! So join us as we discuss Tolkien’s many choices, some differences between this book and the main trilogy, his various influences, teaching it, and much…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

The Hobbit: Back Again (The Final Chapters)

Bilbo’s journey is over and he’s home, which means there’s plenty to talk about. So this week we’re discussing the role of luck in Tolkien’s stories, the book’s subtle moral vision, Bilbo’s transform…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

The Hobbit: Chapters 7-13

Bilbo, Thorin, and co. are well on their way, but are they actually good at their jobs? We discuss. Plus: Beowulf, The Hobbit and the question of heroism. Happy listening!

Close Reads is community-su…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

The Hobbit: Chapters 1-6

Welcome to a new series here on Close Reads! We’re talking Tolkien, we’re talking Hobbits, we’re talking rings and dwarves and wizards, and (this week anyway) we’re talking first lines. So join us as…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

The Road: Q&A

We’ve come to the end of the line discussing another book and that means it’s time to answer your questions! A lot of questions came in for this one, and we did our best to get to the bottom of as ma…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

The End of "The Road"

This week we begin with a brief “Posts for the Hosts” segment before diving into conversation about the final passages in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Topics include passages that are most moving to e…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

The Road: Pages 93-198

The gang’s all back to discuss Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. This week we contemplate the gruesome nature of some of the scenes and images in this section, the anagogical core of the book (with a nod t…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

The Road: Pages 1-92

Welcome to our new (and long-awaited) series on Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic novel, The Road. All four of us are here for this one and here in the first episode conversation explores what it is…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago