You Are Invited to Our Tenth Anniversary Celebration (and Book Launch Event)!

Last year, after returning home from our annual Close Reads retreat, Rachel Woodham wrote a lovely blog post about her experience at the event. She wrote that “reading together is about much more than an interest in the same books. Ultimately, reading in community happens when you are facing the same direction, asking the same questions.”

She then shared the following quote from C. S. Lewis, which is found in The Four Loves:

It may be a common religion, common studies, a common profession, even a common recreation. All who share it will be our companions; but one or two or three who share something more will be our friends. In this kind of love, as Emerson said, Do you love me? Means ‘Do you see the same truth?’ Or at least, ‘Do you care about the same truth?’ The man who agrees with us that some question, little regarded by others, is of great importance, can be our Friend. He need not agree with us about the answer.

Rachel’s very kind words are meaningful to me because ultimately they describe what I hope Close Reads is all about.

I have always hoped that this podcast might help people find each other. That it would be about camaraderie and conversation. That it would lead to friendship.

Close Reads has never been just about books for their own sakes, per se; it’s also about the experience. We have been reading closely for ten years now not just because books themselves are interesting and beautiful and insightful, although they most definitely are, but because when we experience books together we can see and hear and discover more. Reading in community is not about pithy slogans: it allows us to better pay attention to things that will ennoble our souls. That’s a bit lofty, I admit, but it’s the kind of search that is better done amongst like-minded friends than all alone.

So with that in mind, I hope you’ll join Tim, Heidi, Sean, and me August 1 and 2, here in Concord, NC for a Close Reads party: an extravaganza, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the show, the publication of Heidi’s long-gestating book, and the ongoing search for truth that we’ve all been engaged in together.

Here are some details:

What this event will include:

• The Close Reads variety hour (and other fun)

• Friday dinner (and a Tim McIntosh show)

• A tenth anniversary party on Friday evening

• Book launch event on Saturday featuring a reading, signing, and more

• Live literary presentations and discussions throughout

• Lunch on Saturday

• Q&A time

• and much more!

It’s going to be a raucous, jovial, thoughtful, delicious time together and I hope you’ll come celebrate with us!

Want to claim a seat? Register here.

In the meantime, happy reading!