HeyJaredClose Reads Podcast
Close Reads is a book-club podcast for the incurable reader co-hosted by David Kern, Heidi White, Sean Johnson, and occasionally Tim McIntosh. We read good books and talk about them. This is a show for amateurs in the best sense.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 12
- Latest publication
- Sep 4, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 9, 2026
Latest episodes
Remembering Wendell Berry With Those Who Know Him (opens the original)
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In this second tribute episode to Wendell Berry, Martin Cothran and Alan Cornett join the show to share what it was like to know Berry the man, not just the great literary figure. 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
Remembering Wendell Berry (Part 1) (opens the original)
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One of our literary heroes, the great Wendell Berry, died this week at the age of 92 and we’re here to pay tribute. In this episode, we consider his influence on literature, agriculture, and culture, plus share some personal stories, favorite passages, and insights into what makes Berry a timeless writer and thinker. Thanks for tuning in. We’d love to hear what Berry meant to you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapters 1-8 (opens the original)
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Welcome to our new series on Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ! This we’re discussing its literary significance, controversial language, and the themes of race, trauma, and storytelling. Key Topics * The significance of the Mississippi River in American culture and literature * The role of race and language * The challenges of teaching and interpreting Huck Finn in modern education * Twain’s use of dialect and vernacular language as literary devices * The debate over expurgated ed
Our Man in Havana: Q&A (opens the original)
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Welcome to the conclusion of our conversation on Graham Greene’s novel. This week we’re answering your questions and topics include: * The difference between a Catholic novel and a novel with Catholic characters * Green’s personal faith and its influence on his writing * The book’s depiction of religion and piety * The conflict between the Catholic moral vision and modernity * Humor, satire, and irony in Green’s narrative techniques * The significance of Millie’s character and her faith * The ro
A Very Special Follow-up Episode on “Beloved” with Dr. Angel Adams Parham (opens the original)
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Close Readers, I’m thrilled to present this very special episode on Beloved with Dr. Angel Adams Parham, a professor at the University of Virginia and the co-author of The Black Intellectual Tradition: Reading Freedom in Classical Literature. We chatted about the literary tradition at the heart of the book, Morrison’s aesthetic choices, the concept of re-memory and its significance in the story, its moral vision and the implications therein, teaching strategies for complex texts like this, and m
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