Close Reads Podcast

Join in for annual tradition as we winnow down a long list of nominees and choose what books to discuss on the show in 2027!

We’ve come to the end of Mark Twain’s classic novel so this week we dig into the final chapters:

* The significance of Tom Sawyer’s return

* The river as a symbol

* The ending as a reflection of Huck’s moral journey

* Jim as hero

* T. S. Eliot’s take

* and much more!

Happy listening!

Hello and welcome back to our series on Mark Twain’s classic novel! This week we discuss:

* Huck’s crisis

* The conscience vs the heart

* Twain’s critique of American religion and hypocrisy

* The role of individual conscience versus societal norms

* The symbolism of Providence and divine watchfulness

* Twain’s use of humor and absurdity to critique society

* Whether great regional novels can be subtle

* and much more!

Welcome back to our ongoing conversation about Mark Twain’s classic novel. This week we discuss faux Dukes and Dauphins, satire and allegory, local conflicts and civil wars, and much more, including the protean nature of the book. Happy listening!

Welcome back to our series on Mark Twain’s most essential novel. This week we discuss:

* The development of Huck Finn’s conscience

* Jim’s character development

* The river as a symbol of journey and uncertainty

* The expurgated passage

* Twain’s homage to the Odyssey

* Jim’s humanization and moral integrity

* Twain’s technique of withholding information

* The significance of the Mississippi River as a unifying setting

* and more

Happy reading!

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.

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!

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 editions and the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths

* The influence of Shakespeare and other literary traditions on Twain’s work

* The opening narrative and its role in framing the story

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 role of realism in literature and its effects on reader sympathy

* Green’s background as a journalist and diplomat influencing his fiction

* The concept of truth versus fiction in espionage and storytelling

* The importance of particular love and community over abstract ideals

Thanks so much for listening. Happy listening!

Don’t forget to check our CiRCE’s upcoming event: A World without Heroes.

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 much more. Happy listening!