Podcast Episodes

A Gentleman in Moscow: 1-53

Amor Towles’ 2016 novel is one the most requested books in the history of the Close Reads community, so it’s only fair that we finally dig in! Join David, Heidi, and special guest, Ian Andrews of the…

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

What to Make of "Rings of Power"

The discourse around Amazon’s Rings of Power has been fraught. So in this special crossover episode between Close Reads and Bibliophiles, David Kern and Ian Andrews try to figure out what works, what…

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

Laurus: Q&A

It’s that time yet again — when we answer your questions! As usual, you gave us plenty to talk about. So in this final conversation about Eugene Vodolazkin’s novel, we contemplate Laurus’ lack of a b…

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

The Great Winnowing: Choosing Books for Close Reads 2023

It’s been said that this is Close Reads Christmas.

The last two days we have been revealing (on the Close Reads Facebook group and on the Goldberry Studios Instagram page) the books we will be discus…

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

Laurus: The Final Chapters

While Tim explores the Scottish Highlands in a kilt (we presume), David and Heidi are discussing the final pages of Laurus. Conversation touches on the cyclical nature of the story and its themes, th…

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

Laurus: Pages 237-279

This week its Tim’s turn to be in Europe, so David and Heidi are holding down the podcast fort. The reading took us to the Book of Repose, so conversation touches on the untimely and fairly gruesome …

Published on 3 years, 3 months ago

Laurus: Pages 181-237

During this week’s episode, Heidi was off on an adventure in Switzerland, so David and Tim held down the Close Reads fort, which just means they discussed Ambrogio the Italian, his strange visions, …

Published on 3 years, 4 months ago

Laurus: Pages 109-180

Arseny has a new name and is on a new journey, so on this week’s episode David, Heidi, and Tim dig into Ustina the miracle worker, the self-awareness of the book, reading it from a theological perspe…

Published on 3 years, 4 months ago

Laurus: Pages 53-109

This section of Laurus is fairly traumatic—so traumatic, in fact, that Heidi says she can barely bring herself to re-read it. So naturally David, Heidi, and Tim discussed what its purpose is, what Vo…

Published on 3 years, 4 months ago

Laurus: Pages 3-53

It’s time to launch our voyage into a new book. Over the next six weeks or so we’ll be traversing with Arseny across medieval Russia, contemplating all the while matters of history, faith, mysticism,…

Published on 3 years, 4 months ago