Selected Shorts
Symphony Space
37 episodes
Our greatest actors transport us through the magic of fiction, one short story at a time. Sometimes funny. Always moving. Selected Shorts connects you to the world with a rich diversity of voices from literature, film, theater, and comedy. New episodes every Thursday, from Symphony Space.
Episodes
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Unexpected Guests
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…
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Introducing Before The Moment with Nile Rodgers
Host Meg Wolitzer presents the podcast Before The Moment, hosted by music icon Nile Rodger. Nile sits down with some of music’s biggest names to uncover the turning points that defined them, and, importantly, what was…
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Mostly Good Intentions
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,”…
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Fitting In
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…
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Too Hot For Radio: Austin Blaze "Hail Mary"
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…
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Passport to Ireland with Colum McCann
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…
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The New American West
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…
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Love and UFOs
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…
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A Full Plate
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…
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Forsaking All Others
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…
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Tim Curry Performs "Ziggurat" by Stephen O'Connor
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…
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Too Hot For Radio: Erin Somers "Washing Up"
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…
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Too Hot For Radio: Jonathan Lethem "The King of Sentences"
Today's story is all about what happens when you become infatuated with someone you don't really know. And what strange or scary things you might do in order to make real contact with that person. The story is also…
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Tell Me More: Jodi Kantor
In a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion, the two authors sit down to discuss journalism, the #MeToo movement, the Supreme Court, and what it takes to tell a good story. Jodi Kantor is a best-selling author and…
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Meg Wolitzer Talks with Louise Erdrich
In this bonus feature, host Meg Wolitzer talks with author Louise Edrich about “The Big Cat,” her craft, and her Native American roots. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information…
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Meg Wolitzer Talks with Denis O'Hare
In this bonus feature, host Meg Wolitzer talks with actor Denis O’Hare about his craft, and his approaches to readings of the two very different stories on this program. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See…
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Too Hot For Radio: Carmen Maria Machado "Persephone Rides at the End of Days"
Written by Carmen Maria Machado, the dark, inventive and sensual writer behind the collection Her Body and Other Parties, and the memoir In the Dream House, this story, “Persephone Rides at the End of Days," was…
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Bonus: Etgar Keret and Ira Glass
Symphony Space was thrilled to host an evening with Israeli writer Etgar Keret, whose stories we’ve featured many times on Selected Shorts. He was interviewed by his longtime friend, and host of This American Life, Ira…
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Meg Wolitzer Talks to Author Michael Cunningham
Meg Wolitzer sits down with her friend, writer Michael Cunningham. Michael is an American novelist, screenwriter, and educator. He is best known for his novel The Hours, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the…
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Tell Me More: Kathryn Nicolai
The host of Selected Shorts, Meg Wolitzer launches the spin-off podcast, Tell Me More. If you know Selected Shorts you know that we're obsessed with stories. This new show will give us the chance to talk about many…
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Bonus: A.M. Homes interviews Margaret Atwood
As part of our live event with Margaret Atwood, host A.M. Homes interviewed her from the stage at Symphony Space. Here is that interview. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks with Judy Blume
Meg Wolitzer speaks with author Judy Blume about her life, her writing and the challenges of book banning. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of…
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A Conversation with Andy Borowitz
Host Meg Wolitzer talks with political satirist and author Andy Borowitz in this bonus interview. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal…
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Too Hot For Radio: Ottessa Moshfegh "The Weirdos"
From the author of Eileen and My Year of Rest and Relaxation, a story about weird people doing weird things. Read by Colby Minifie from The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Fear the Walking Dead. Michael Ian Black…
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Picture Perfect
Host Meg Wolitzer presents three works about idealized lives, and ideas about what constitutes an “ideal” life. “Boy Meets Girl” is Jen Kim’s humorous version of a Hollywood love story. It’s read by Tony Hale. In the…
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Bonus: A Conversation with Elizabeth Strout
Host Meg Wolitzer talks with author Elizabeth Strout about her story “Home” and the fictional family Strout has created. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our…
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Meg Wolitzer interviews Louise Erdrich
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to author Louise Erdrich about her story; her writing life; and what do with left over index cards. • Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks to Denis O’Hare
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to actor Denis O’Hare about his craft, and his approaches to readings of the two very different stories on this program. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company.…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Visits Her Favorite Indie Bookstore
Host Meg Wolitzer visits a favorite indie bookstore, Three Lives & Company in Greenwich Village, remembers her early years there as a writer and reader, and is let in on some trade secrets. Hosted by Simplecast, an…
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Bonus: Margaret Atwood and A.M. Homes
In this bonus conversation, writers Margaret Atwood and A.M. Homes discuss everything from feminism, time, writing and dystopian fiction, to Atwood’s new short story collection “Old Babes in the Wood.” The interview…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks to Alison Stewart
In this bonus conversation, host and best-selling author, Meg Wolitzer, talks to host of WNYC’s All of It, Alison Stewart. Wolitzer reveals some of the secrets to great writing and the two share their own reading…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks to Patricia Marx
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to friend and New Yorker humorist Patricia Marx about her story “Singin’ in the Acid Rain,” and writing funny. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks with George Saunders
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to friend and Booker Prize-winning author George Saunders about crafting short stories, where ideas come from, and how his work has evolved over the years. Hosted by…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer Talks to Elizabeth Strout
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to friend and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout about writing, short stories, and the use of recurring characters in her work. Hosted by Simplecast, an…
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Host Meg Wolitzer Talks to Comedian Michael Ian Black
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to comedian and writer Michael Ian Black about what he’s been reading and the tricky business of being funny. Join and give!:…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer and Mona Eltahawy Talk Being a Dangerous Woman
In this bonus conversation, host Meg Wolitzer talks to journalist, activist and feminist writer Mona Eltahawy about her life, literature and what it means to be a "dangerous woman." Join and give!:…
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Bonus: Meg Wolitzer and Alison Stewart Talk Fiction
A bonus interview between our host and best-selling author, Meg Wolitzer, and the host of WNYC’s All of It, Alison Stewart. Wolitzer reveals some of the secrets to great writing and the two women share their own…
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