"Really, she hadn’t neglected the poor fish. ‘Neglect’ seems a word too heavy with submerged intent. Something was bound to slip to the side amidst the chaos of the domestic arena."
--David Means, "The Secret Goldfish"
A fish is more than a family pet, and another woman enriches a marriage in a contemporary story and a tale by an American master.
David Means’ “The Secret Goldfish” was featured in a program celebrated the Best American Short Stories—the annual volume published by Houghton Mifflin and guest edited in 2005 by Michael Chabon. In this intricately crafted tale the live of the family goldfish seems to parallel that of the family itself, and his tank, a reflection of their past, present, and future. “The Secret Goldfish” is the title story of Means’ latest collection; his previous book, Assorted Fire Events was critically acclaimed for its emotional fervor and meticulous prose. Reader Charles Keating played Rex in the celebrated adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, and had two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other theatre credits include >em>What the Butler Saw, A Man for All Seasons and Pygmalion. He brings Fish and his troubled family vividly to life.
From one of our programs presented at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts comes Sherwood Anderson’s confessional “The Other Woman,” a tale of true love and temptation. Anderson is best known as the author of Winesburg, Ohio but also published a handful of novels including the aptly named Many Marriages (he was, four times) and. Reader Keir Dullea, star of 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and David and Lisa and many regional theatre productions, tours regularly with SELECTED SHORTS.
--David Means, "The Secret Goldfish"
A fish is more than a family pet, and another woman enriches a marriage in a contemporary story and a tale by an American master.
David Means’ “The Secret Goldfish” was featured in a program celebrated the Best American Short Stories—the annual volume published by Houghton Mifflin and guest edited in 2005 by Michael Chabon. In this intricately crafted tale the live of the family goldfish seems to parallel that of the family itself, and his tank, a reflection of their past, present, and future. “The Secret Goldfish” is the title story of Means’ latest collection; his previous book, Assorted Fire Events was critically acclaimed for its emotional fervor and meticulous prose. Reader Charles Keating played Rex in the celebrated adaptation of Brideshead Revisited, and had two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other theatre credits include >em>What the Butler Saw, A Man for All Seasons and Pygmalion. He brings Fish and his troubled family vividly to life.
From one of our programs presented at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts comes Sherwood Anderson’s confessional “The Other Woman,” a tale of true love and temptation. Anderson is best known as the author of Winesburg, Ohio but also published a handful of novels including the aptly named Many Marriages (he was, four times) and
About Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts features some of the finest artists of the American theater reading contemporary and classic short fiction-the most distinguished works of the early masters such as Chekhov, Maupassant, Malamud and dozens of others.
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