A tricky courtship and a quirky Southern romance, in two contemporary tales.
”…She began to embrace the idea of winnowing: travel less, do less, it is more…at first she regretted the winnowing, but then she did not: she had had a mind, but nothing had properly got in its way…So she’d burn her swamp, pat her good trees, cook her egg.”—Padgett Powell, “The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping.”
A tricky courtship and a quirky Southern romance, in two contemporary tales.
This SELECTED SHORTS program features two stories about remarkable couples, each featuring a pretty impressive male, in an encounter with an even more impressive female counterpart.
We start with Rita Dove’s story, “Second-Hand Man.” Rita Dove won the Pulitzer Prize for her 1987 novel Thomas and Beaulah, and in 1993 was appointed Poet Laureate by President Clinton. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. And Virginia is the name of the heroine of “Second-Hand Man,” a woman who knows what she wants and simply will not settle for second best—or for being second best. The reader is Broadway star, and Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald.
Our second story about a remarkable couple is Padgett Powell’s eccentric chronicle “The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping” which, in addition to being a quirky Southern romance, set on the edge of a Florida swamp, is a real lesson in what to do with clutter! Padgett Powell teaches creative writing at the University of Florida, and is the author of Mrs. Hollingsworth’s Men among other novels, and two collections of short stories, Typical and Aliens of Affection This tour de force reading, at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, is by the two-time Tony-winning actor and director, James Naughton.
“Second Hand Man” by Rita Dove, read by Audra McDonald
“The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping,” by Padgett Powell, read by James Naughton
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
For information about the 2009 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize contest, go to http://www.symphonyspace.org/shorts/writing_contest
A tricky courtship and a quirky Southern romance, in two contemporary tales.
This SELECTED SHORTS program features two stories about remarkable couples, each featuring a pretty impressive male, in an encounter with an even more impressive female counterpart.
We start with Rita Dove’s story, “Second-Hand Man.” Rita Dove won the Pulitzer Prize for her 1987 novel Thomas and Beaulah, and in 1993 was appointed Poet Laureate by President Clinton. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. And Virginia is the name of the heroine of “Second-Hand Man,” a woman who knows what she wants and simply will not settle for second best—or for being second best. The reader is Broadway star, and Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald.
Our second story about a remarkable couple is Padgett Powell’s eccentric chronicle “The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping” which, in addition to being a quirky Southern romance, set on the edge of a Florida swamp, is a real lesson in what to do with clutter! Padgett Powell teaches creative writing at the University of Florida, and is the author of Mrs. Hollingsworth’s Men among other novels, and two collections of short stories, Typical and Aliens of Affection This tour de force reading, at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, is by the two-time Tony-winning actor and director, James Naughton.
“Second Hand Man” by Rita Dove, read by Audra McDonald
“The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping,” by Padgett Powell, read by James Naughton
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
For information about the 2009 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize contest, go to http://www.symphonyspace.org/shorts/writing_contest
Comments [2]
Iheard a short story reading I think from the albany station on Sun..the winnowing of Mrs. Slupping (sp)..I would like to get a copy of the story..can you help me? tks dan
From the producer:
Thank you for your interest in this story. Please check our web site, selectedshorts.org, for information about where featured stories appear in print.
May I submit a short story to "Selected Shorts" for a possible read?
From the producers:
Thank you for your interest in contributing to our series. Submissions may be sent to Katherine Minton, Director of Literary Programs, Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway, New York, NY 10025. Please note that SELECTED SHORTS features only published short fiction. The one exception is our annual Stella Kupferberg Short Story Prize contest. For information about the contest and submission guidelines, please visit our website at www.selectedshorts.org
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