Spellbinding short stories by established and emerging writers take on a new life when they are performed by stars of the stage and screen. Whether we present stories around a lively theme, the favorite works of a guest author or a special collaboration with a museum or publication, each Selected Shorts event is a unique night of literature in performance.
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On this day in 1595 Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was first performed. Read about how Oregon Shakespeare Festival is taking "a promise to keep their actors emotionally and mentally safe" seriously in Shakespeare's works by hiring a resident intimacy director:
Sarah Lozoff is joining one of the nation’s leading regional theaters for all 11 of its productions in its 2020 season.
"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary..."
Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem "The Raven" was published 175 years ago today! Revisit a classic:
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
See where Gilmore Girls' precocious Rory Gilmore, Notting Hill's romantic Will Thacker, and even You's murderous Joe Goldberg rank on this fun list of the best fictional booksellers:
Here in the Literary Hub office, we argue about books—and literary culture, and pop culture, and Dermot Mulroney/Dylan McDermott quite a bit. Probably more than is strictly necessary, if I’m …
Shorts is heading south this weekend for a special show at the Dallas Museum of Art! Texans, be sure to join Zach Grenier, Wendie Malick, and Rita Wolf for an evening of O. Henry Prize–winning stories! Tickets:
Symphony Space is a performing arts center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan offering theater, film, literature, music, dance and family entertainment. Our mission is to connect art, ideas, and community through our programs and our commitment to literacy and education through the arts.
What a treat! Margaret Atwood will release a collection of poetry later this year, focusing on themes of “absences and endings, ageing and retrospection, gifts and renewals.”
If you love Margaret Atwood but don’t feel like immersing yourself in a too-close-to-home dystopia at the moment, good news! Dearly, Atwood’s first poetry collection in more than a deca…
We asked one of our favorite weirdos, comedian Michael Ian Black, to guest host this episode of #TooHotForRadio featuring a story by the acclaimed writer, Ottessa Moshfegh, and read by the talented Colby Minifie. After the story, Ottessa and Michael chat by phone about her life, work, and which parts of "The Weirdos" might be autobiographical. Let us know what you think!
"Morrison’s book cut a new path through the American literary landscape by placing young black girls at the center of the story."
Hilton Als writes in The New Yorker this week about Toni Morrison's “The Bluest Eye,” which was published fifty years ago this year. A great read, especially if you're still thinking about our Selected Shorts Toni Morrison event from last week (we sure are).
“The Bluest Eye,” which was published fifty years ago, cut a new path through the American literary landscape by placing black girls at the center of the story.
We're so thrilled for our friend and frequent Shorts reader Maulik Pancholy, whose novel "The Best at It" has just been named a Stonewall Honor Book by the American Library Association! Congrats Maulik!
The American Library Association (ALA) on January 27 announced the top books, video, and audio books for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at its Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.
So much love, power, respect, and truth was in the air at our Selected Shorts event honoring the late Toni Morrison. Thank you so much to our incredible host, our brilliant cast of actors and speakers, and our great audience for making this night of remembrance so special. And thank you mostly to Toni Morrison, whose work will continue to resonate and inspire us all ❤️
Read about the significance that literature has played in Bryan Stevenson's (the public interest lawyer who inspired new movie "Just Mercy") life and family lineage:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/books/review/just-mercy-bryan-stevenson.html
The best-selling author and public interest lawyer grew up in a home where words mattered. A lot.
We ❤️ BD! Check out our friend on this fantastic episode of Nancy Podcast:
Consider this episode a gift to start your 2020 off RIGHT: It’s our conversation with the one-and-only BD Wong. Dreams do come true.
The master of modernism meets the high-fashion runway as Givenchy turns to the works of Virginia Woolf for inspiration.
The author-as-muse at Givenchy, ikat-as-muse at Armani and upcycling at Margiela.
Happy #LibraryShelfieDay! A small glimpse into our Shorts stacks reveals (you guessed it) tons and tons of short story collections, many with their corners dog-eared or bursting with post-its to mark our favorite stories, some very old, some new, all cherished and lovingly read.
"The concept is simple yet revolutionary: Members meet up at a bar, a library, a bookstore or any venue that will host them. Once the bell rings, silent reading time commences. After an hour, the bell rings again."
How to have a book club without having to prepare a cheese board or vacuum your apartment first:
When the bell rings, it's reading time. At over 70 chapters around the world, people gather at Silent Book Clubs to read whatever they like, as long as it's in silence.
Did anyone wonder why the classic children's story "Goodnight Moon" didn't make the NYPL's 10 most-checked-out books of all time list? It's all boils down to one librarian with a grudge...
This footnote in New York Public Library history hints at a rich story of power, taste, and the crumbling of traditional gatekeepers.
Actress Gillian Anderson sees Toni Morrison as "one of the most interesting, intelligent and talented writers of the last century," could listen to "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac every single day, and recently devoured Sara Collins's debut novel, “The Confessions of Frannie Langton."
The London-based actress finds time for cultural enrichment between starring in “Sex Education” and “The Crown.”
Writer and editor Mona Simpson has been appointed as The Paris Review's new publisher! Cynthia Nixon performed Simpson's incredible story "Wrong Object" earlier this season at our show celebrating the newest Best American Short Stories collection.
Simpson succeeds Susannah Hunnewell, who passed away in June 2019.
Check out how rapper Noname is encouraging library card registration, and utilizing her bookclub to promote "a space for young people to experience works by and for people of color."
The rapper started a hashtag to encourage people to divest from corporations.
Read about Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury, and more philanthropic authors who donated their works and resources to their beloved libraries:
A list of eight library bequests where authors (and their families) donated their papers and/or donations to libraries (and one hospital).
"In 1963, while sitting at my desk at The New Yorker, I watched the March on Washington, which he and other civil-rights activists organized, and shed more tears as King talked about his dream of living in a country where his four children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. In the speech, he displayed the humility as well as the strength of his convictions that I had seen in Atlanta, before hundreds of thousands of Americans."
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Today and every day, may we work to follow MLK's example of activism, service, empathy, and justice. ❤️🌎
I will always remember that moment and what it taught me about Dr. King and one of his core values: humility.
"The First Folio always stands out. It is a phenomenon."
It is also about to sell for 6 million dollars at auction this April:
Only six of these famous texts are in private hands, and one of them is about to go to auction.
"Cognitive tests showed that the children who used screens more than an hour a day 'had poorer emerging literacy skills, less ability to use expressive language, and tested lower on the ability to rapidly name objects' than the children who were read to."
A recent study done by the Reading & Literacy Discovery Center of Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital has shown that too much exposure to screens for children under five years old can …
“It was so popular right away — we started with 20 instruments and in the first 24 hours, the instruments were all booked up."
Libraries are the BEST. Did you know you can rent out musical instruments at the Central Branch of Brooklyn Public Library?
Libraries, as well as private initiatives are trying to get more instruments into more hands.
Our friend and frequent Shorts reader Cynthia Nixon is set to direct the 40th-anniversary production of "Last Summer at Bluefish Cove"!
Jane Chambers' groundbreaking lesbian-themed play Last Summer at Bluefish Cove will receive a 40th-anniversary production on Broadway this year. Two-time Tony winner Cynthia Nixon ...
“On Sunday afternoon, September 27, 1998, I had the first time gratifying and tranquilizing experience of ‘Selected Shorts’... No doubt you heard my standing ovation.”
A really special Selected Shorts #listenerletter from ‘98 💛
When an independent bookstore sent out a melancholy tweet about a slow day at the shop, writer Neil Gaiman stepped in by retweeting their message. Soon after, the little store found over $1,000 of orders coming their way!
We're so excited to have Gaiman, literary mensch as he is, join us in the spring for Selected Shorts: Ray Bradbury Centennial Celebration!
Petersfield Bookshop had no customers for first time in 100-year history – until a sad tweet attracted 1,100 new followers
Love this 'lil library!
Antonio La Cava, a retired school teacher, transformed his 3-wheeler into a tiny mobile library to spread the joy of books to children in the remote places of Italy.
We are so excited to have Michelle Collins (The Michelle Collins Show on Sirius XM) and Sarah Thyre (Dark at the Roots) host our upcoming Selected Shorts evening next Wednesday!
Come laugh with us as Collins and Thyre divulge strange and intriguing stories about family! Get tickets here:
https://www.symphonyspace.org/events/selected-shorts-runs-in-the-family-with-sarah-thyre
Symphony Space is a performing arts center on the Upper West Side of Manhattan offering theater, film, literature, music, dance and family entertainment. Our mission is to connect art, ideas, and community through our programs and our commitment to literacy and education through the arts.
Finally learn the difference between e.g. and i.e.:
You know how to use them. But do you know where they come from?
Party on, readers
How one reader arrived at the decision to pay less attention to how much he was reading, and more attention to how much reading fun he was having.
"Not surprisingly, what many of our 21st-century, image-bombarded, constantly visually stimulated kids want to read more than ever is graphic novels. They like stories told through a combination of text and pictures."
What could possibly make this generation of image-bombarded, constantly visually stimulated kids choose books more often? One answer lies in graphic novels.
"There’s a generation that demands to see themselves represented in some way in their culture. This generation is going to usher in so much more. This is just the tipping point. There’s not a lot of me right now. There’s going to be more."
We're so excited to tune in to Awkwafina's new show! The highly-anticipated sitcom also stars one of our favorite Selected Shorts readers and hosts, BD Wong! We can't wait to watch.
The actress, who recently won a Golden Globe for her turn in “The Farewell,” has had her share of firsts. Her semi-autobiographical TV show, soon to premiere on Comedy Central, is another one.
"For the first time ever, the library on Monday released a list of its most checked out books in its 125 year history. The top 10 lists is mostly filled with children's books and American literary classics that most people probably got the chance to read in school."
Check out the NYPL's list of most check out books!
If your New Year’s resolution was to read more, the New York Public Library has got you covered. For the first time ever, the library on Monday released a list of its most checked out books in its 125 year history. The top 10 lists is mostly filled with children’s books and American literary cla...
Exciting news! The Atlantic is recommitting to publishing short fiction, kicking things off with a new story from Shorts-favorite Lauren Groff! Give it a read:
Over the centuries, our magazine has prized great storytelling. Now we’re recommitting ourselves to publishing short fiction, beginning with a story by Lauren Groff.
"In the year leading up to the 2020 election, I would read (at least) one book from each state... prioritizing contemporary fiction and memoir, with the hope of exploring shared experiences, such as family, identity and a sense of home."
52 weeks, 52 books: Heather John Fogarty explores the shared experiences of a fractured nation through a literary journey.
"Perhaps the key to Smith's longevity as an artist is that she hasn't changed much. For the past fifty years, she has been working more or less the same way: in complete devotion to art, in all its forms."
In her new memoir, “Year of the Monkey,” Smith dives deeper into the endless possibilities of her dream life, in the face of loss.
The NYPL's most borrowed book of all time is Ezra Jack Keats’ "The Snowy Day," a 1962 illustrated kids’ book that "evokes the magic of a first snow." ❄️❄️❄️
The NYPL recently tallied up its all-time check-out numbers and released a top ten list of the most borrowed books in its history. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of children’s books and classics…
Definitely adding some of these to our January book pile:
From a classic dispatch about community college to a pants-wettingly disturbing true-crime audiobook.
From Bushwick to the Upper East Side, these NYC literary havens are the perfect spots for someone who likes a pint with their Pynchon. Check 'em out:
Calling all bar-hopping bookworms! If you’re an avid reader and love a themed bar with a classy touch, these literary havens in ...
Lupita Nyong'o's list spans from American classics to graphic novels to celebrity memoirs and more. Check out her top ten reads!
F. Scott Fitzgerald, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Marianne Williamson, and more.
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Yesterday’s surprise squall hitting our Upper West Side theater hard ❄️❄️❄️
Through our Global Arts and All Write! programs, we are harnessing the power of the arts to change lives! Your donation will open a world of possibilities for thousands of New Yorkers and their families, today and for generations to come. Give the gift of arts education, and donate to Symphony Space! Link in bio 🎁
Make this #GivingTuesday an extraordinary one by giving to Selected Shorts and Symphony Space today! Because of your generosity, we are able to bring together exceptional artists and passionate audiences, creating magical shared experiences. Donate today via link in bio, and your gift will be matched 2-to-1, tripling the impact of your donation!
An all-star casts comes to Selected Shorts TONIGHT to celebrate the Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories. Limited tickets still available, get yours: http://bit.ly/331jxFx
Explore our 19/20 season of Selected Shorts, including shows with literary greats like Joyce Carol Oates, Etgar Keret, Chimananda Ngozi Adichie, Jhumpa Lahiri, and more: https://bit.ly/2QdpXOY
Tickets for Symphony Space’s 19/20 season are on sale now! Check out all of our events, including amazing literary shows with powerhouse writers Colson Whitehead and Ta-Nehisi Coates, cultural icon Gloria Steinem, and tons of incredible Selected Shorts shows. See you at Symphony Space this fall! 🎟🎭🎼🎤🎬 Tickets: https://bit.ly/2Qq7P5m
Goodies at the Symphony Space book sale today, including a like-new hardcover copy of “Kaddish.com” by Nathan Englander, some essential Edith Wharton, and a must-have Joyce Carol Oates collection!
Member pre-sale for Symphony Space's 2019/2020 season is open now until July 24th! Become a member today and be the first to claim your seats to our fantastic lineup of shows, including Selected Shorts performances with authors like Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, Jhumpa Lahiri, and more! Explore the 19/20 season and learn how to become a member: https://bit.ly/2YcQCiQ 🎟🎭🎟
On May 29th, we dedicate a night of fiction to reflect the cultural and historical importance of the gay liberation movement, 50 years after the now-famous riots at the Stonewall Inn. The evening will be hosted by Kathy Tu and Tobin Low from WNYC's Nancy Podcast, and feature performances by Ivory Aquino, Kay Ulanday Barrett, Becca Blackwell, Kate Bornstein, and John Benjamin Hickey. Get tickets: https://bit.ly/2ZZzueh
Our newest episode of Selected Shorts is out now! This time, we’re celebrating 25 years of Riverhead Books, the powerhouse publishing house out of which so many of our very favorite writers and stories have come. This exciting collaboration features stories by #LaurenGroff and #JamesMcBride, special commissions by Aja Gabel & Ro Kwon, and incredible performances by Maria Dizzia, Teagle Bougere, and Hettienne Park. Listen here: https://bit.ly/2JIXhLB
#ThrowbackThursday to the incomparable Jane Curtin doing a screen test for Saturday Night Live in the late 70s. The comedy legend will be joined on stage at Selected Shorts: Comedy Tonight! by the great Dick Cavett, next month here at Symphony Space! Get tickets here: https://bit.ly/2DYw7v2
41 years (and one day) ago, our founders, Allan Miller and Isaiah Sheffer opened the doors of the then-decrepit Symphony Theater for a one-day, open-to-the-public music extravaganza called Wall to Wall Bach. The event was so successful that Miller and Sheffer decided to rent out the theater for more programming, and the rest is history! From that first Wall to Wall, Symphony Space grew into a cultural center that works to champion the best in music, literature, dance, theater, film, and more. On our birthday, we'd like to thank all of our patrons, performers, and members for an amazing 41 years on the Upper West Side. Enjoy some footage from the event that started it all in 1978!
41 years (and one day) ago, our founders, Allan Miller and Isaiah Sheffer opened the doors of the then-decrepit Symphony Theater for a one-day, open-to-the-public music extravaganza called Wall to Wall Bach. The event was so successful that Miller and Sheffer decided to rent out the theater for more programming, and the rest is history! From that first Wall to Wall, Symphony Space grew into a cultural center that works to champion the best in music, literature, dance, theater, film, and more. On our birthday, we'd like to thank all of our patrons, performers, and members for an amazing 41 years on the Upper West Side. Enjoy some footage from the event that started it all in 1978!
Happy New Year from Symphony Space! As we greet the brand new year ahead, it's also a wonderful moment to reflect on 2018, and all of the action we squeezed into 365 days. Please enjoy this retrospective of 2018 "by the numbers," and here's to making many more incredible memories with all of you in 2019!
There are only 6 hours left of 2018, which means there are only 6 hours left to give the gift of the arts this holiday season! Donate before midnight and we’ll match your contribution 2-to-1, tripling its impact! Head here to give: https://bit.ly/2CBukf5
Words matter. Music matters. Art education matters. Access and opportunity matter. Before the clock strikes midnight, we hope you will join our celebration of what matters. As we approach the final hours of 2018, we hope you will give the gift of the arts by making a tax-deductible contribution to Symphony Space. Donate before midnight, and we’ll match your contribution 2-to-1, tripling it’s impact! Follow the link in our bio to give!
Words matter. Music matters. Access and opportunity matter. There are three days left to support what matters by making a tax-deductible donation to Symphony Space! Donate today, and your gift will be matched 2-to-1, TRIPLING it’s impact. Head here to give: https://bit.ly/2CBukf5
This week's Selected Shorts features stories from The Paris Review! This famous literary magazine offers up excellent short fiction in every issue, and in this episode, we've handpicked some of the best tales just for you! Listen here: https://bit.ly/2PxGo4a
Thank you for making Symphony Space a home for art, ideas, and community worth sharing! Give the gift of the arts--and your donation will be matched 2-to-1...TRIPLING the impact of your gift. DONATE: https://bit.ly/2r8Qv5x
Sherman Alexie is in his car and coming to Selected Shorts! Get your tickets http://www.symphonyspace.org/event/8887/Literature/selected-shorts-sherman-alexie-and-edwidge-danticat
The Driven Magazine www.thedrivenmagazine.com
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