Bookishness for Incurable Readers
Close Reads is a book podcast co-hosted by David Kern, Heidi White, Sean Johnson, and Tim McIntosh.
Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books. We think of ourselves as enthusiastic curators and advocates—friendly bookish neighbors, if you will.
Originally launching in 2015, Close Reads is dedicated to deep reading and stimulating conversation about the best novels and short stories ever written. We have read and discussed works by Jane Austen, Leo Tolstoy, Charlotte Bronte, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Wendell Berry, Dorothy Sayers, Flannery O'Connor, Evelyn Waugh, E.M. Forster, Ernest Gaines, J.R.R. Tolkien, Daphne DuMaurier, Charles Portis, and many, many others — with more to come!
Close Reads is produced by Goldberry Studios, the podcast wing of Goldberry Books, a family-run indie bookshop in Concord, NC.
Close Reads HQ
Here at Close Reads HQ you will find every episodes of the podcast, including subscriber-exclusives, plus community conversation and news, links, etc. In addition to giving you access to that content, your subscription funds the production of our shows.
When you subscribe you gain access to:
Bi-weekly bonus episodes on longer novels (Anna Karenina, LOTR, Crime and Punishment, etc. )
Access to our monthly discussion on a classic mystery novel
Access to our monthly live poetry hour
Early access to registration for events and retreats
Access to live episodes
THE DAILY POEM — An audio anthology of the greatest poetry ever written
Goldberry Studios also produces The Daily Poem, a podcast that offers one essential poem each weekday morning. From Shakespeare and John Donne to Robert Frost and E..E Cummings, The Daily Poem curates a broad and generous audio anthology of the best poetry ever written, read-aloud by David Kern (on Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursday) and Heidi White (on Mondays and Fridays). Some brief commentary is included and poems are often read twice, as time permits.
The Facebook Group
Close Reads is driven by a book-loving, conversation-loving, and all-around loving community of listeners. If you love good books and want to talk about them with other people, be sure to join the Close Reads Facebook discussion group.
You can also follow Goldberry Studios on Instagram here.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date
To keep up with all the happenings, be sure to subscribe here. It’s free.
Show Archives
We have received many questions about the Close Reads archives, since most podcast apps don’t go back further than around 100 episodes. Click here to see the full archive list of the earliest episodes.
