Selected Shorts

Meg Wolitzer presents three stories about characters who need someone to listen to them.  In Jesse Eisenberg’s “If She Ran Into Me Now…” a high school failure wants to prove he did OK—and looks fabulous.  It’s read by Santino Fontana.  In Weike Wang’s “A Children’s Story,” read by Conrad Ricamora, a writer tries to please his aging mother with just the right story—for children....

Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about persuasive, but not always trustworthy, characters.  In “Fortune-Telling,” by Alix Ohlin, an actor tries on new role, with unexpected consequences.  The reader is Crystal Dickinson.  And from an evening of contemporary Irish fiction, the great Jessica Lange, in her Selected Shorts debut, reads Andrew Meehan’s “Summer in the Mountains,” wh...

Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about unexpected guests.  In Carlos Greaves’ “A Visit from the Tune Squad,” a procrastinating writer gets a surprise intervention, in performances by Santino Fontana, Dylan Marron, and Sarah Mezzanotte.  In our second story, Willa Cather delivers a moving tale of sin and redemption.  Patricia Clarkson reads “The Burglar’s Christmas.” Hosted by...

Meg Wolitzer presents three stories that explore good intentions and how they can go wrong.  In “Mantis,” by Gina Chung, a deadly insect tries to mend her ways. The reader is Monica Raymund.  Dino Buzzati’s “The Jacket,” translated from the Italian by Lawrence Venuti, features a garment that just keeps on giving—but at what cost?  The reader is Justin Kirk.  And two outsid...

Meg Wolitzer presents three stories in that explore the idea of “fitting in,” and whether it’s worth the effort.  In “Reality,” by Diana Spechler, a woman longs for the ephemeral glory of a reality show. It’s read by Kirsten Vangsness. “Long Hair,” by Uche Okonkwo, performed by Karen Pittman, explores hair as a form of power.  And “A Sacrifice,” by Simon Van Booy, performed by Joann...

On this episode, a story about bad behavior. But it's also about family and the limits of forgiveness. While this story wasn't written that long ago, due to technological advancements, it feels like a piece of the past. Just 10, even 5 years ago, you had to know a character they called a "bookie" to "place your bets" and, if you didn't pay up, "have your legs broken." That's the world we're about...

On this Selected Shorts , host Meg Wolitzer invites us on a literary tour of Ireland with bestselling author Colum McCann, who hosted a live event at Symphony Space celebrating the rich heritage of Irish literature, and some gifted contemporary voices.  The program includes, “Lucy’s Boyfriend,” a sharp-witted story about contemporary dating mores by Anne Enright, read by Crystal Dickinson; a...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two works that reassess and redefine our ideas of “the West.”  It’s both a landscape of awesome beauty, and the scene of cultural appropriation, and we’ve got two masters sharing and shaping our experience.  In Louise Erdrich’s “The Hollow Children” a natural disaster tests family ties.  It’s read by Tate Donovan.  And writer and environmental activis...

Meg Wolitzer presents two stories that combine different sorts of unknowables:  unidentified—or hard to identify—flying objects, and romantic love.  In “The Duck,” by Ben Loory, a heartsick mallard has chosen a really unattainable object of affection.  The reader, at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, was Sonia Manzano.  And an early Haruki Murakami story,...

Meg Wolitzer presents two favorite Selected Shorts works in which food and nourishment figure both literally and symbolically.  The narrator of Haruki Murakami’s “The Year of Spaghetti” seems to be just sharing pasta recipes, but it’s the recipe for assuaging loneliness that may elude him.  The reader is Sopranos alum Michael Imperioli.  And unusual family dynamics shape Amy Bloom’s...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two works about love and marriage.  In Amy Silverberg’s “Have You Met Husband?” two men and a dog vie for this title.  The reader is Molly Bernard.  And Mary Gordon’s “The Magician’s Wife” is a touching portrait of life-long devotion—a kind of magic itself.  The reader is Jane Curtin. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

British actor Tim Curry died on August 26th at the age of 80. Celebrated for his infamous portrayal of Frank-N-Furter in the musical  The Rocky Horror Picture Show , his decades-long career included many other roles on stage and screen.   Among them, Mozart in  Amadeus ; King Arthur in the Monty Python musical  Spamalot;  and the evil clown, Pennyw...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three works of speculative fiction curated by best-selling author N.K. Jemisin.  In John Scalzi’s “When the Yogurt Took Over” a popular breakfast staple decides it’s good for everyone.  The reader in Jin Ha.  Chatbots and A.I. can be helpful—but sometimes too helpful--as we hear in Alexandra Chang’s “Me and My Algo,” read by Catherine Cohen.  And Jemi...

SELECTED SHORTS host Meg Wolitzer presents four works that were read as part of our live evening with WNYC’s Radiolab and hosts Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser. The theme was flight in many imaginative manifestations. Randa Jarrar’s “The Lunatics’ Eclipse” is a fable-like story of romance and interstellar travel, read by Abubakr Ali. Our second story is “Roy Spivey,” by Miranda July, and is a sly and...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about perception and the relationship between what we see and what we believe.  In “Heart of a Champion,” T.C. Boyle gives the children’s classic Lassie an affectionately humorous reboot.  The reader is Kirsten Vangsness.  In Jamel Brinkley’s “The Let-Out,” an unofficial street party provides a young man with an intriguing encounter, and a bit of family histo...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three lively stories about the allure—or not—of summer.  Italian writer Massimo Bontempeli creates a magical beach inside an apartment in “The Miraculous Beach, or Prize for Modesty.” The work was translated by Jenny McPhee and is read by Hugh Dancy. Humorist Samantha Irby doesn’t get summer, and presents a contrarian’s view in “The Case for Remaining Indoors,” read by R...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two works about losing something, but finding something revealing to take its place.  In “Light,” by Lesley Nkeka Arimah, parents differ about how to raise a strong-willed daughter.  The reader is Crystal Dickinson.  And in Taryn Bowe’s “Camp Emeline,” performed by Edie Falco, a family struggles after a loss, but grief leads to self-discovery for the determined narrator....

Erin Somers is an author we've featured twice on Too Hot in the past, making her the first three-timer in the history of Too Hot! She's the author of the novels Stay Up with Hugo Best and The Ten Year Affair ; the latter originated as a short story of the same title, which we did read on Too Hot. She's quite good at finding new ways to articulate the twists and turns of romantic relationships, as...

In this program, created in collaboration with Waterwell and the New York Immigration Coalition, guest host Arian Moayed takes listeners through a live performance of thirteen stories and one song that vividly bring to life the vital role immigrants play in New York City's past, present and future. Here are their names:  Mary Twomey, Sara M., Zead Ramadan and Andy Eng, Mónica Carrillo, Sabelo Nara...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three works from an evening with New Yorker author and cartoonist Roz Chast, inspired by Chast’s book I Must be Dreaming.   “The Wife on Ambien,” by Ed Park, is a sort of late-night fever dream.  It’s read by John Fugelsang.  In Tessa Hadley’s “Bad Dreams,” images than begin in dreams envelop a family in real life. The reader is Rita Wolf.  Tom Barbash’s “Stay Up With Me...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two O. Henry Prize-winning stories, from the volume guest edited by Edward P. Jones.  The Prize was created in honor of the 19th-century writer best known for slyly humorous stories like “The Ransom of Red Chief” and “Gift of the Magi,” but contemporary selections range wide.  In “Rosaura at Dawn,” by Daniel Saldaña París, a woman searches for new life, and a new home. T...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two unconventional love stories, one classic, one contemporary, that avoid the usual tropes of “meet cute,” “opposites attract,” or “happily ever after” but are still engaging.  In “Love in the Slump,” by Evelyn Waugh, clueless upper-crust newlyweds are sent on a comic odyssey.  The reader is Jane Kaczmarek.  And Esther Yi’s “Moon” explores something we often mistake for...

In the second of two programs created with the podcast Death, Sex, and Money and our live event host Anna Sale, we explore issues of happiness.  Host Meg Wolitzer introduces a satirical romance by Oscar Wilde (did he write any other kind?).  “The Model Millionaire” is read by Peter Francis James.  In Kevin Brockmeier’s “Space,” a grieving widower and his son try to get past their loss, looking for...

In the first of two programs created with the podcast Death, Sex, and Money and host Anna Sale, we explore issues of identity and connection.  In “Sacrament of Confession,” by Ernie Wang, a man struggles with a messy past that is affecting the present.  The reader is Richard Kind.  And in a touching do-over, a man meets his wife for the first time—again. Amy Ryan reads Seth Fried’s “You Again.” Ho...

Host Meg Wolitzer presents four stories, recorded at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, in which characters shape their expectations and dreams to a manageable size.  So if you’re “Medusa,” as in our first story, by Tania James, you try to figure out how to live in the world instead of turning it to stone.  The reader is Constance Zimmer.  Parents in our second story, “We Only Wanted Their Happiness...