Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

Close Readings

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by London Review of Books

4.5(76 reviews)

231 episodes

Updated Daily

Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇬🇧

Podcast Authority

Beta

GoodBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality81

Social0

YouTube0

Engagement98

Learn more

Podcast Overview

Close Readings is a multi-series podcast from the London Review of Books. Two contributors explore areas of literature through a selection of key works, providing an introductory grounding like no other. Listen to some episodes for free here, and extracts from our ongoing subscriber-only series. How To Subscribe In Apple Podcasts, click 'subscribe' at the top of this podcast feed to unlock the full episodes. Or for other podcast apps, sign up here: https://lrb.me/closereadings RUNNING IN 2026 'Who's afraid of realism?' with James Wood and guests 'Nature in Crisis' with Meehan Crist and Peter Godfrey-Smith 'Narrative Poems' with Seamus Perry and Mark Ford 'London Revisited' with Rosemary Hill and guests Bonus Series: 'The Man Behind the Curtain' with Tom McCarthy and Thomas Jones ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CLOSE READINGS SUBSCRIPTION: 'Conversations in Philosophy' with Jonathan Rée and James Wood 'Fiction and the Fantastic' with Marina Warner, Anna Della Subin, Adam Thirlwell and Chloe Aridjis 'Love and Death' with Seamus Perry and Mark Ford 'Novel Approaches' with Clare Bucknell, Thomas Jones and other guests 'Among the Ancients' with Emily Wilson and Thomas Jones 'Medieval Beginnings' with Irina Dumitrescu and Mary Wellesley 'The Long and Short' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry 'Modern-ish Poets: Series 1' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry 'Among the Ancients II' with Emily Wilson and Thomas Jones 'On Satire' with Colin Burrow and Clare Bucknell 'Human Conditions' with Adam Shatz, Judith Butler, Pankaj Mishra and Brent Hayes Edwards 'Political Poems' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry 'Medieval LOLs' with Irina Dumitrescu and Mary Wellesley Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

Language

🇺🇲

Publishing Since

10/1/2022

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🇺🇸 Charts #3

Outreach generated

Apple 142

Spotify 827

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Podcast Authority

Beta

GoodBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more

Quality81

Social0

YouTube0

Engagement98

Learn more

Excellent Areas

Good Performance

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excellent

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Every 6 days

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6.5/10

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Recent Episodes

September 15, 2026

Who’s afraid of realism?: ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ by Muriel Spark

Literary critic James Wood interviews himself about Muriel Spark's "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," exploring her realist techniques and postmodernist interrogation of storytelling.

September 7, 2026

London Revisited: Coffee, Satire and Bubbles

Host Rosemary explores London's 1690s coffee culture, financial booms, and public print with Professor Markman Ellis, revealing how coffee houses shaped politeness and literature.

August 31, 2026

Narrative Poems: ‘Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came’ by Robert Browning

Hosts Seamus and Mark interview each other to explore Robert Browning's 'Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came' as a rejection of Romanticism, revealing insights into narrative poetry.

231 total episodes available with 32 transcripts

Recent guests on Close Readings

Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.

James Wood

Guest

Markman Ellis

Guest

Patricia Lockwood

Guest

Vanessa Harding

Guest

Tom McCarthy

Guest

Miranda Seymour

Guest

See every guest on Close Readings

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Frequently asked questions

Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

What is Close Readings?: Close Readings is a multi-series podcast from the London Review of Books. Two contributors explore areas of literature through a selection of key works, providing an introductory grounding like no other. Listen to some episodes for free here, and extracts from our ongoing subscriber-only series.

How To Subscribe

In Apple Podcasts, click 'subscribe' at the top of this podcast feed to unlock the full episodes.

Or for other podcast apps, sign up here: https://lrb.me/closereadings

RUNNING IN 2026

'Who's afraid of realism?' with James Wood and guests

'Nature in Crisis' with Meehan Crist and Peter Godfrey-Smith

'Narrative Poems' with Seamus Perry and Mark Ford

'London Revisited' with Rosemary Hill and guests

Bonus Series: 'The Man Behind the Curtain' with Tom McCarthy and Thomas Jones

ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CLOSE READINGS SUBSCRIPTION:

'Conversations in Philosophy' with Jonathan Rée and James Wood

'Fiction and the Fantastic' with Marina Warner, Anna Della Subin, Adam Thirlwell and Chloe Aridjis

'Love and Death' with Seamus Perry and Mark Ford

'Novel Approaches' with Clare Bucknell, Thomas Jones and other guests

'Among the Ancients' with Emily Wilson and Thomas Jones

'Medieval Beginnings' with Irina Dumitrescu and Mary Wellesley

'The Long and Short' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry

'Modern-ish Poets: Series 1' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry

'Among the Ancients II' with Emily Wilson and Thomas Jones

'On Satire' with Colin Burrow and Clare Bucknell

'Human Conditions' with Adam Shatz, Judith Butler, Pankaj Mishra and Brent Hayes Edwards

'Political Poems' with Mark Ford and Seamus Perry

'Medieval LOLs' with Irina Dumitrescu and Mary Wellesley

Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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