Selected Shorts: Food Fictions (Selected Shorts: A Celebration of the Short Story)

Symphony Space is a performing arts center based in New York City that fosters artistically and culturally diverse performing arts, literary, and film programs that bring artists and audiences together in an atmosphere of exploration and intimacy. This organization reaches audiences throughout New York City, the wider metropolitan area, and--through distribution of programs via media such as radio, recordings, podcasts, and touring--the nation.

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with SELECTED SHORTS: TRAVEL TALES.]--Well-known actors read short stories in front of appreciative audiences at New York's Symphony Space in the long-running public radio series "Selected Shorts." Seasoned performers spurred to do their best by the combination of good writing and live audiences are irresistible. Thankfully, Symphony Space has been publishing anthologies culled from the broadcasts for some time. These two are unified by the themes of food and travel. Joanne Woodward, John Lithgow, Christina Pickles, and others read works by Chekhov, T.C. Boyle, Nadine Gordimer, and other authors, serious and comic. The humorous pieces are particularly enjoyable because of the palpable synergy between narrator and laughing audience. But all are enjoyable and satisfying. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine