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Sherman Alexie (Susan Sheridan)
We get to know the multi-faceted contemporary writer Sherman Alexie up close, with a story, some poems, and good talk.
“In order to be terrified, one must lose all sense of time and place. When I heard those feet hit the floor, I traveled back in time—I de-evolved, I suppose—and became a primitive version of myself. I had been a complex organism—but I’d turned into a two-hundred-and two pound one-celled amoeba. And that amoeba knew only fear.”—Sherman Alexie, “Breaking and Entering.”
We get to know this multi-faceted contemporary writer up close, with a story, some poems, and good talk.
The wonderful American fiction writer and poet Sherman Alexie has grown to be a great friend of our SELECTED SHORTS enterprise, and we have featured a number of his stories about contemporary Native Americans coming to terms with their heritage, and modern life, as part of the series. This past season we invited him to host an evening at Symphony Space, an event that coincided with the publication of his new book, War Dances. From that book, we first hear a stunning and powerful tale of a moment when life changes, “Breaking and Entering,” read by the multiple-award-winning actor and television star B.D. Wong.
Part of Alexie’s SELECTED SHORTS evening included a conversation with his friend, the novelist Rick Moody, ranging from discussion of his mixed genre approach to War Dances (he describes it as a “mix tape”) to the inevitably political nature of Native American writing.
This program concludes with Alexie’s own readings of some of the poems featured in War Dances . In one, he writes: Why do poets think
They can change the world
The only life I can save
Is my own.
The musical interlude in this program is Ben Allison’s “Blowback,” from Little Things Run the World. The SELECTED SHORTS theme is Roger Kellaway’s “Come to the Meadow.”
"Breaking and Entering" by Sherman Alexie, read by B.D. Wong Selected poems, read by the author.
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
We’re interested in your response to these programs. Please comment on this site or visit www.selectedshorts.org
Listener’s choice! On June 9th, 2010, SELECTED SHORTS at Symphony Space in New York will feature stories selected by our nationwide audience. Go to http://www.symphonyspace.org/shorts/audience_picks to submit your suggestions for a published story you think we should read. Then in the spring, you’ll vote for your favorite from among the final contenders.
We get to know this multi-faceted contemporary writer up close, with a story, some poems, and good talk.
The wonderful American fiction writer and poet Sherman Alexie has grown to be a great friend of our SELECTED SHORTS enterprise, and we have featured a number of his stories about contemporary Native Americans coming to terms with their heritage, and modern life, as part of the series. This past season we invited him to host an evening at Symphony Space, an event that coincided with the publication of his new book, War Dances. From that book, we first hear a stunning and powerful tale of a moment when life changes, “Breaking and Entering,” read by the multiple-award-winning actor and television star B.D. Wong.
Part of Alexie’s SELECTED SHORTS evening included a conversation with his friend, the novelist Rick Moody, ranging from discussion of his mixed genre approach to War Dances (he describes it as a “mix tape”) to the inevitably political nature of Native American writing.
This program concludes with Alexie’s own readings of some of the poems featured in War Dances . In one, he writes: Why do poets think
They can change the world
The only life I can save
Is my own.
The musical interlude in this program is Ben Allison’s “Blowback,” from Little Things Run the World. The SELECTED SHORTS theme is Roger Kellaway’s “Come to the Meadow.”
"Breaking and Entering" by Sherman Alexie, read by B.D. Wong Selected poems, read by the author.
For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
We’re interested in your response to these programs. Please comment on this site or visit www.selectedshorts.org
Listener’s choice! On June 9th, 2010, SELECTED SHORTS at Symphony Space in New York will feature stories selected by our nationwide audience. Go to http://www.symphonyspace.org/shorts/audience_picks to submit your suggestions for a published story you think we should read. Then in the spring, you’ll vote for your favorite from among the final contenders.
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.
To listen to this program, and other recent programs, subscribe to the Selected Shorts podcast
Hosted by Isaiah Sheffer
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Comments [4]
Something that SA said during one of his _Cobert Reports_ appearances is, I believe, applicable here. He really does not like digital reproductions of his work because artists seldom recover (monetary) benefits of their work in a non-digital world and the computer age exacerbates this situation. Hence, his statement on his Web site:
"Whenever I use this website to link to another artist and their work, please be aware that I will also purchase, in one form or another, something from that artist. If I link to a writer, I will have either purchased the book or have it on order. If I link to a musician's video, I will have either purchased their music or have it on order. If I link to a magazine, I am either a current subscriber or will become a subscriber. I will, as an audience member and fellow artist, financially support my fellow artists."
No ambiguity here. I wish he would relinquish some control, especially in situations like the one above. BTW, I own a hard copy of "War Dances", but I would also appreciate listening to Wong's interpretation, too.
Now that the podcast of BD Wong reading Sherman Alexie's "Breaking and entering" is no longer available on podcast, is there any possible way to purchase or download a copy of this reading?
Dear Robert Thomsen:
Unfortunately, copyright restrictions prevent us from making downloads available past the limited podcast window, but individual stories do make their way into some of our CD anthologies. Let us know at selectedshorts.org that you think this is a strong contender!
Is a link available to hear the latest program with Sherman Alexie?
Unfortunately, copyright restrictions prevent us from streaming or archiving these programs, but they are available for a limited time as podcasts on iTunes, audible.com; and at npr.org.
I heard the Sherman Alexie show on Saturday night on my way home from work in my truck. Very good! I wanted to e-mail the show to a few friends and thought it would be great if there was a web-link I could send in an email to them. Not the whole process off signing up for pod-casts, etc., but a simple link they could click on in my e-mail and listen.
Just a thought, as a way to reach more people in a simple style.
Dear Timothy Parker:
Thank you for your note. Unfortunately, copyright restrictions prevent us from streaming or archiving these programs, so as to enable the kind of access you suggest, but they are available for a limited time as podcasts on iTunes, audible.com; and at npr.org.
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