On Demand
Selected Shorts
Sunday, December 28, 2008
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(Kevin N. Murphy/flickr)Family matters
"Boy enter the house. Boys enter the house. Boy enter the house, and with them, the thoughts of boys.” - Rick Moody, “Boys”
A charming quartet of funny, whimsical and poignant family stories.
Four stories about families and children by classic and contemporary writers. “Charles” is a surprisingly light hearted tale by Shirley Jackson, author of the much anthologized “The Lottery” which paints a dark picture of American rural life and mores. However, like the more famous work, it packs a punch at the end. The reader is the distinguished stage and screen actress Lois Smith.
Israeli writer and filmmaker Etgar Keret is also a master of the unexpected, as we hear in this tale of the toll a childhood prodigy takes on his parents in “Pride and Joy.” The reader is Tony Award- winner Robert Sean Leonard (“The Invention of Love”).
Writer Jeanne Dixon had an idyllic childhood in the American West, and her charming story, “Blue Waltz with Coyotes,” in which a brother and sister have an adventure in the wild—and get to know each other. The reader is SHORTS regular Mia Dillon.
We complete this program with Rick Moody’s poignant story, “Boys.” In a style reminiscent of Virginia Woolf’s The Years it uses stream-of-consciousness and repetition to chronicle the life of two brothers from birth to adulthood in a brief but rich narrative. The reader is Broadway and television star B.D. Wong.
“Charles,” by Shirley Jackson read by Lois Smith
“Pride and Joy,” by Etgar Keret read by Robert Sean Leonard
“Blue Waltz with Coyotes,” by Jeanne Dixon read by Mia Dillon
“Boys,” by Rick Moody read by B.D. Wong For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
“Pride and Joy,” by Etgar Keret read by Robert Sean Leonard
“Blue Waltz with Coyotes,” by Jeanne Dixon read by Mia Dillon
“Boys,” by Rick Moody read by B.D. Wong For additional works featured on SELECTED SHORTS, please visit Symphony Space
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how do i submit something to Selected Shorts? Yes it's something I've written. And its good!
Bradley Shane
From the producer:
Dear Mr. Shane:
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
I just heard "Boys Enter the House" by Rick Moody. I'd like my husband and sons to hear this beautiful story. Is there an audio file that I can access?
Thank you.
Thank you for your kind remarks. Our programs are available for a limited time as podcasts on iTunes, audible.com; and at npr.org.
when is symphony space give on WYNC FM
what day and time?
From the producers:
Thank you for your interest. At this, time, however, SELECTED SHORTS on WNYC plays only on our AM channel, AM 820, with shows premiering at 4pm on Sundays, and then repeating the following Saturday at 4pm.
Please, how can I get a copy of the audio of "Boys", by Rick Moody? I think it last played on NPR 12/08. I really do want a copy of this touching story.
Thank you very much,
Laura Dean
Dear Laura:
Information about where the stories featured on SELECTED SHORTS are available in print can be found at our website, www.selectedshorts.org.
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