Selected Shorts

Timeless Classics

By: James Thurber, Edith Wharton, Jack London, D. H. Lawrence

Narrated by: Maria Tucci, Charles Keating, James Naughton

Selected Shorts is an award-winning series of classic and contemporary short fiction read by acclaimed actors. The readings are recorded live at Peter Norton Symphony Space in New York City. The Selected Shorts radio series is a co-production of Symphony Space and WNYC, New York Public Radio, and is heard on public radio stations nationwide.

In this collection of timeless classics:

• James Thurber's "The Night the Ghost Got In" read by Isiah Sheffer
• Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever" read by Maria Tucci
• Jack London's "Make Westing" read by Steven Gilborn
• D.H. Lawrence's "The Rocking-horse Winner" read by John Shea
• Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" read by Marian Seldes
• Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" read by Charles Keating
• Raymond Carver's "Cathedral" read by James Naughton

©2005 The Symphony Space Inc. (P)2005 The Symphony Space Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Audiobook Adapted from Another Medium, 2007

"What makes these retellings fresh is the dynamic of the live audience, with the murmurs and, at times, laughter of the crowd helping to direct readers." ( Audiofile)

a worthwhile listen

While most of the stories are engaging, I did find myself zoning out while listening to a couple of them. Overall this is a good listen. The length of the stories is perfect for commute or on the treadmill. I would recommend.

first rate

perfect before sleep listening. the pieces are reasonably short and it's easy to navigate from one to the other.

great stories, well read. this is the nineteenth of a series from symphony space. i can only hope audible nabs the rest.

Very Good

The short stories are great and very very well read. I was highly entertained and pleased.

Outstanding!

A wonderful variety of stories, each one offers opportunities for perspectives you may not have considered before. Some will leave you podering others are just laugh out loud. So good you'll want to go back to listen again!

Wonderful Entertainment

Excellent!! Wonderful stories read by awesome performers.

UGH

I purchased this solely for Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever-" I have to write an essay on it and thought I could listen to this multiple times and feel like I knew the story. I wish I could return it, but since I canceled by audible subscription a few weeks ago, I had to pay $13 for it. YouTube has a MUCH better version read out-loud, my fault for depending on audible to have a better version. The lady who reads this version is SO theatrical its hard to not get distracted (as in, I'm interpreting the text this way, so why is everyone laughing and clapping in the audiobook? almost like the reader performed it at an impromptu slam night, but the laughter and clapping is fake), I think it pushes you to interpret the story a certain way, which shouldn't happen in literature. Like a sitcom, telling you when to laugh! This is fine for some I am sure, but in order to get the full effect of the short story, I personally don't really want to be swayed any particular way. I want to draw my own conclusions. The story comes off completely different without all the added theatrics. This is the worst $13 I have spent in months. If you want to think for yourself and absorb the beauty in language from a modern period author, probably not for you.