Selected Shorts

07/23/2025

Looking for the perfect Jane Austen classic to add to your TBR? Check out this fun article in the New York Times, and then get your tickets for our Selected Shorts celebration of Austen on Nov 12!

A peerless chronicler of class and romance, the “Pride and Prejudice” author was never prolific. But her work remains remarkably relevant, more than two centuries after her death.

07/23/2025

This week's pick comes from our Director of All Write!, Madeline! "Thanks to a recommendation from [Senior Producer of Literary Programs] Vivienne Woodward, I am reading A Tale for the Time Being, by Ruth Ozeki. The story is told through the diary of a 16-year-old Japanese girl, and the writer who finds it washed up on the shore of an island on the Pacific Northwest. Funny, sad, and mysterious!"

Image: A copy of the book A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki.

07/22/2025

On this week's Selected Shorts episode, Sizzling Summer Travels, actors Jin Ha, Campbell Scott, Stana Katic, and Maria Tucci perform summery stories by Umberto Eco, Elizabeth Spencer, Ben Loory, and Edith Wharton. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/46n8PNl

Images: Headshots of Jin Ha, Campbell Scott, Stana Katic, and Maria Tucci.

07/18/2025

This week, our Director of Marketing, Kristin, is Tiny Humans, Big Emotions by Alyssa Blask Campbell and Lauren Elizabeth Stauble.
"As a new mom to a very spirited 2-year-old, this book helped me take a closer look at what toddlers really need in those moments of complete meltdown. The authors divide the book into two parts, the first laying the groundwork on what emotions are and how caregivers can learn to process their own emotions before even addressing the child's. The second part gives helpful strategies on supporting the child in the moment. It's a great reminder to practice self care as a parent!"

Image: A hand holding a copy of the book Tiny Humans, Big Emotions, with various toys in the background.

07/16/2025

On this week's Selected Shorts episode, Sleight of Hand, actors Patricia Kalember, Daniel Gerroll, Hettienne Park, and Kate Burton perform stories by Penelope Lively, R. O. Kwon, and Dave Eggers. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/4lxXCOD

Images: Headshots of Patricia Kalember, Daniel Gerroll, Hettienne Park, and Kate Burton.

07/15/2025

This past Friday, Selected Shorts took the stage at The Avram at Stony Brook University in Southampton, NY for our first touring show of the season! Thank you to host Meg Wolitzer and actors Becky Ann Baker, Dylan Baker, Richard Kind, and Sonia Manzano, and everyone who joined us.

Image: Meg Wolitzer, Becky Ann Baker, Dylan Baker, Richard Kind, and Sonia Manzano stand backstage together at The Avram, smiling.

07/15/2025

A round of applause for our Emmy-nominated friends! Congratulations to Martin Short, Uzo Aduba, John Turturro, Carrie C**n, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Jeff Hiller, Michael Urie, Janelle James, Catherine O'Hara, Rob Delaney, Stephen Colbert, Cristin Milioti, Colman Domingo, Bowen Yang, and more.

The 77th Emmy Awards ceremony is planned for Sept. 14. See all the nominees below.

07/11/2025

We loved this list in the NY Times of some of our favorite authors' comfort books. Check it out! https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/books/comfort-books-celeste-ng-ann-patchett-and-others-coronavirus.html

07/10/2025

A new season of Selected Shorts is on sale now! Join us for great literature, captivating performances, and shared laughter with an amazing lineup of hosts, including Gary Gulman, Celeste Ng, and Anna Sale. Plus, more exciting events will be announced soon... so stay tuned! http://bit.ly/4lVBspt

07/09/2025

On this week's Selected Shorts episode, Laughing in the Face of Danger, actors Negin Farsad, Tony Hale, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Jane Curtin, and Mike Doyle perform stories by Anand Giridharadas, Gerald Jones and Jean Marple, David Sedaris, and Robin Hemley. Take a listen wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/4lPDqaN

(First, second, and third photos by Ellen Qbertplaya, fourth by Kevin Yatarola, fifth by Sean Sime)

Images: Negin Farsad, Tony Hale, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Jane Curtin, and Mike Doyle stand on the stage in front of a microphone reading a story.

07/08/2025

This week's installment of comes from our Marketing Manager, Mollie! She's reading Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. "Great Circle is a true feminist epic, spanning multiple timelines and perspectives with incredible agility. Shipstead crafts such memorable characters and provides extensive historical background, bringing you into Marian's world and not letting you go."

Image: A hand holds a copy of the book Great Circle in front of grass, trees, and sky.

07/08/2025

Enjoying summer in the Hamptons and looking for the perfect outing? It's your last chance to get tickets for Selected Shorts at The Avram at Stony Brook University in Southampton, NY this Friday! Host Meg Wolitzer and actors Becky Ann Baker, Dylan Baker, Richard Kind, and Sonia Manzano bring to life whimsical and poignant tales from Patricia Marx, Kurt Vonnegut, and more. https://bit.ly/4k6Rnj6

Image: A rotation featuring headshots of Meg Wolitzer, Becky Ann Baker, Dylan Baker, Richard Kind, and Sonia Manzano in front of a yellow background. There is text that says, "Selected Shorts on Tour: Stony Brook University, Southampton, NY, Fri, July 11 at 7PM."