Close Reads Podcast
Goldberry Studios
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. This is not an experts show: we’re book lovers, book enthusiasts. Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books.
Close Reads is produced by Goldberry Studios, the podcast wing of Goldberry Books, a family-run indie bookshop in Concord, NC. closereads.substack.com
This is a show for amateurs in the best sense. This is not an experts show: we’re book lovers, book enthusiasts. Our goal is have empathetic and intelligent conversations about good books.
Close Reads is produced by Goldberry Studios, the podcast wing of Goldberry Books, a family-run indie bookshop in Concord, NC. closereads.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 11, 2026 • 1h 3min
The Feast: Prologue-Sunday
A lively dive into Margaret Kennedy’s The Feast, focusing on its allegorical shape and unique structure. They map characters to themes, debate the book’s dark comedic tone, and unpack why the prologue reveals a death early. Conversations probe moral judgment, mercy versus justice, and how children, sermons, and Brontë echoes raise the stakes.
May 6, 2026 • 1h 3min
The Grapes of Wrath Q&A Episode
A lively Q&A unpacks alternate endings and why Steinbeck chose the one he did. They trace classical allusions and the meaning of Ma remaining unnamed. Conversations tackle whether Steinbeck’s portrayal of women is feminist and how the family shifts from nuclear to communal. The discussion compares hope in this novel to other bleak works and recommends further Dust Bowl reading.
4 snips
Apr 28, 2026 • 1h 4min
The Grapes of Wrath: To the End
A lively discussion unpacks the novel's ambiguous final scene and Rose of Sharon's mysterious smile. They debate symbolism from baptism to sacrifice and why the lost baby and water matter. The group compares the book's unresolved close to film adaptations and other novels. Conversations probe family versus community, Ma and Tom's choices, and how ambiguity pushes readers toward action.
Apr 21, 2026 • 1h 2min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapter 26
This week’s episode is dedicated entirely to the lengthy chapter 26 so we have a chance to discuss poor Casy’s complicated arc and the Christ-like allusion in his demise and whether the novel present’s Tom’s killing of Casy’s murderer as justified (and what justice is in this story). Plus we hear from a few listeners and much more. As always, happy listening! 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
Apr 14, 2026 • 1h 2min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 22-25
They debate whether Ma has emerged as the novel’s emotional center and whether the family functions as a single protagonist. Tension between Tom’s radicalism and Ma’s consoling authority comes up. Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy and its symbolism are examined. They also probe chapter 25’s lyrical praise of California and the corrosive effects of commerce and waste on labor and abundance.
Apr 10, 2026 • 1h 6min
Short Story Hour: "Leaf by Niggle" by J. R. R. Tolkien (FREE PREVIEW)
Welcome to another episode of our new series on classic short stories! This month, it’s Tolkien’s beloved story about creativity, hope, and the finitude of life. It’s also a little bit about Dante and Virgil, maybe a bit auto-biographical, and the perfect story to discuss during the Easter season. We discuss. Happy listening! 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
Apr 7, 2026 • 1h 13min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 19-21
Does Casy redeem himself with his heroic action? Does this this book live too much in the realm of artifice? Does this book, like East of Eden, feature the idea of timshel and in what ways is his view of human nature different in this novel. Also: Tom as microcosm. These and many other topics are on this episode’s rundown. Happy listening! 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
9 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 1h 9min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 15-18
Discussion of Steinbeck’s authorial voice and whether his interludes bolster or bog down the narrative. A debate about who or what serves as the antagonist, from corporate forces to petty tyranny. Analysis of tertiary characters as thematic tests and vivid roadside vignettes. Exploration of communal values, dignity of labor, and the family’s fraught arrivals and departures.
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 9min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 8-14
They debate whether Steinbeck's interstitial chapters enhance or interrupt the Joads' story. They argue about dialect, accessibility, and when symbolism lands. They give an intense reading of chapter 13, discussing burial, dignity, and emotional stakes. They also riff on literary brackets and AI-generated profiles for comic relief.
8 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 1h 5min
The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 1-7
They dig into Steinbeck’s alternating social and character chapters and how that structure shapes the story. The hosts debate his distinctly American prose and comparisons to Dickens and Hemingway. Conversation covers narrative scale, biblical echoes, and the novel’s political urgency. They also linger on the famous turtle chapter and its symbolism of endurance.
