Guest host David Sedaris presents an unexpectedly funny story by thriller writer Patricia Highsmith, and a great father and son tale by Tobias Wolff

Wit on wit: David Sedaris introduces stories by the legendary Dorothy Parker.

Guest host David Sedaris offers a program celebrating the late David Rakoff, who is heard performing two stories.

It is the job of good fiction to make sense of the senseless. "Valor," a powerful tale by Richard Bausch, just named the winner of the Rea Award for the Short Story, is reprised in recognition of the events in Boston last week.  Oscar-winner William Hurt is the reader.

Colson Whitehead, Walter Dean Myers, and Susan Cheever celebrate Central Park.  Happy spring!

David Strathairn reads a post-Katrina tale of family and friendship by Richard Ford

Tony Award-winner Liev Schreiber reads a dazzling fantasy by Italo Calvino, introduced by Radio Lab's Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich.

Jim Dale reads PG Wodehouse on a program inspired by Downton Abbey.

On this episode of Selected Shorts, fantasy author Neil Gaiman guest hosts a program of weird and wacky tales of the unexpected.

This week, a story from Karen Russell's new collection Vampires in the Lemon Grove.  "Reeling for the Empire" is a story of oppression, finding freedom, and fantastic transformation.   Broadway and television star BD Wong hosts.

Guest host Cynthia Nixon presents stories by two American masters that feature improbable relationships.

Guest host Cynthia Nixon presents two stories in which people find happiness in unexpected places. 

Guest host Cynthia Nixon introduces two tales of avarice and pretension among the well-heeled and well-born.

Guest host Cynthia Nixon presents readings of three stories whose characters hope for love.

Guest host Neil Gaiman presents two ironic stories about wish fulfillment.

Guest host Neil Gaiman introduces two tales of illusion.

Guest host Neil Gaiman introduces two American classics.