Books of Some Substance

About Books of Some Substance

The unofficial podcast of literary misfits everywhere who want to engage with books of "substance" (i.e. serious, respected, heavy, philosophical, classic), or at least considered such.

Publisher

David Southard and Nathan Sharp

Category

arts · fiction

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

20 Feb 2016

Latest episode

27 May 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 117 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   27 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   115 - To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

   Hosts Nathan and David explore Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse," dissecting its stream-of-consciousness, characters, and themes of perception and meaning in an indifferent universe.

2. 

   4 Feb 2026

   114 - The Obscene Bird of Night by José Donoso

   José Donoso's The Obscene Bird of Night is one of the most difficult, disturbing, and rewarding novels in Latin American literature. In this episode, we get into the fractured identities, grotesque transformations, and decaying aristocracy at the heart of this surreal gothic masterpiece. We ask: Why does this book have such a formidable reputation? What's actually happening in those disorienting, dreamlike passages? And what do we make of the imbunche? Also, we cover: First reactions and why this book has such a notorious reputation; The reading experience (unreliable narrators, shifting perspectives, and dreamlike logic); Key plot threads: the Azcoitía family's secrets, Mudito's erasure, the decaying convent; Major themes: identity collapse, class decay, the grotesque body, sterility and death; Why this radical, unsettling novel stays with you long after. For readers of: Gabriel García Márquez, Clarice Lispector, Jorge Luis Borges, Gothic literature, Latin American Boom fiction. If you've read this book, or tried to, we want to hear from you. What overwhelmed you? What stuck with you? Drop your reactions in the comments. 00:00 Introduction to The Obscene Bird of Night 01:28 Initial Impressions and the Reading Experience 04:44 Quotes to Demonstrate the Madness and Multiplicity of the Novel 12:51 The Imbunche 13:59 Reading Strategies 15:48 Attempted Plot Breakdown 29:41 Exploring the Novel's Structure 35:00 Three Lenses for Viewing the Novel 36:24 Is the Novel Eating Itself 40:03 Monstrosity and Beauty 48:57 Decay and Three Epochs of Chilean Society 49:10 Success or Failure? 49:59 Historical Context 59:00 Identity Crisis 01:04:12 The Imbunche Myth 01:07:36 Desire for Erasure 01:10:04 Final Regret 01:14:32 Conclusion and Reflection 01:18:15 Closing Remarks

3. 

   20 Dec 2025

   113 - The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky (2 of 2)

   On this, our one hundred and thirteenth episode, we finish exploring Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. In this episode of the Books of Some Substance podcast, we (Nathan Sharp and David Southard) discuss the second half of the novel, looking at the novel's interplay of belief systems and reality, moral questions, and philosophical insights. We cover the characters' journeys, personal transformations, and the profound questions the narrative poses about life, justice, and existence. 00:00 Introduction to the Episode (Law and Order) 01:11 Reflections on the Second Half of the Book 01:54 Themes and Tangents in the Second Half 04:36 Alyosha's Transformation and Revelations 06:19 The Onion Story and Its Significance 11:31 Mitya's Descent and Arrest 18:09 Interrogation and Doubts About Mitya's Guilt 22:39 Alyosha's Encounters and the Story of the Boys 28:08 Insecurities and Mentorship 29:21 Polyphonic Quality of the Novel 29:32 Simultaneous Plotlines and Moral Alternatives 30:20 Evolving Character Dynamics 31:30 Ivan's Journey and Prison Encounters 33:13 Mitya's Transformation in Prison 38:38 The Trial and Its Implications 39:58 Final Reflections and Themes 01:01:04 Personal Takeaways and Conclusion 01:06:12 Closing Remarks

Inside a recent episode

115 - To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Published 27 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] It's half made up your own fantasies about what you need. It's a reflection of yourself on them. And you see that in all the relationships, especially near the end, when James and Cam, the son and daughter of the Ramses, are on the boat with their father, and they each have this perception of this tyrant, and yet they look at this old man sitting on this boat reading this paperback book, and they kind of weaken their thoughts. They're like, no, that's not, it's just certain parts of his behavior. Yeah, you see it in so many different characters, but there's one instance where, and maybe you have a thought on the spousal relationship between Mr. and Mrs. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

229,566

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

73 ratings

Spotify

4.5 / 5

135 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 76 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

92

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

66

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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