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Artwork for Selected Shorts

Selected Shorts

Symphony Space
Short Stories
Selected Shorts
Symphony Space
Identity
Love
New York City
Friendship
Storytelling
Ray Bradbury
Literature
Family Relationships
Relationships
Games
Family Dynamics
Fiction
Book Banning
The New Yorker
Personal Narratives
Margaret Atwood
Grief

Our greatest actors transport us through the magic of fiction, one short story at a time. Sometimes funny. Always moving. Selected Shorts connects you to the world with a rich diversity of voices from literature, film, theater, and comedy. New episodes every Thursday, from Symphony Space.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes36Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
FictionBooksArts

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Artwork for Selected Shorts

Latest Episodes

Erin Somers is an author we've featured twice on Too Hot in the past, making her the first three-timer in the history of Too Hot! She's the author of the novels Stay Up with Hugo Best and The Ten Year Affair; the latter originated as a short story of... more

Host Meg Wolitzer presents the Health vs Hype podcast. It's a show from the American Medical Association and helps you make smarter, more informed decisions about your health, without the fear-mongering or confusion. We hope you enjoy it as much as w... more

In this program, created in collaboration with Waterwell and the New York Immigration Coalition, guest host Arian Moayed takes listeners through a live performance of thirteen stories and one song that vividly bring to life the vital role immigrants ... more

Host Meg Wolitzer presents three works from an evening with New Yorker author and cartoonist Roz Chast, inspired by Chast’s book I Must be Dreaming.  “The Wife on Ambien,” by Ed Park, is a sort of late-night fever dream.  It’s read by John Fugelsang.... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Roz Chast
New Yorker cartoonist, author of I Must Be Dreaming
Roz Chast/New Yorker
Episode: Roz Chast: While You Were Sleeping
Edward P. Jones
Pulitzer Prize-winning author; guest editor of Best Short Stories 2025, the O. Henry Prize Winners collection
Pulitzer Prize / Best Short Stories 2025
Episode: Twisty Tales: O. Henry Prize Winners with Edward P. Jones
Sonia Manzano
Actress and writer; voice of Maria on Sesame Street; reader on this episode
PBS / Sesame Street
Episode: Twisty Tales: O. Henry Prize Winners with Edward P. Jones
Hettienne Park
Reader/performer for Moon, stage/performer
Symphony Space (as reader)
Episode: Nothing to Do with Love
Min Jin Lee
Best American Short Stories guest editor
Author/Editor
Episode: Nothing to Do with Love
Peter Francis James
Broadway performer who reads The Model Millionaire
Theatre/Stage
Episode: The Pursuit of Happiness with Death, Sex and Money
Michael Stuhlbarg
Actor, performs Space
Film/Stage
Episode: The Pursuit of Happiness with Death, Sex and Money
Richard Kind
Actor reading The Sacrament of Confession
Actor reader
Episode: Death Sex Money
Seth Fried
Author of You Again (story performed)
Writer
Episode: Death Sex Money

Host

Meg Wolitzer
Host of Selected Shorts; prominent literary figure guiding readings and discussions.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 3.4k ratings
  • Too much talking

    Too much commentary, diatribes, and analysis. I spend as much time fast forwarding through the talking as I do listening to the readings. Interviews belong on a different podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    cocososnow
    United States20 days ago
  • Great stories but….

    I wish Meg would stick to a simple introduction presenting the title, author, and reader. Too much commentary.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Sonrise808
    United Statesa month ago
  • quality listening

    As an avid pod listener/former big reader who has fallen out of that habit in recent years, this show is reminding me of the value in the latter - i’m LOVING it!! Was moved to leave a good review after the last story “Arrangements” in the latest episode (Modest Expectations). Richly written stories with nuances and variety, which is hard to come across in the podcast world sometimes. So good!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    ziilecron
    United Statesa month ago
  • Interviews?

    When there are stories, I enjoy them a lot. But can you put these interviews on another feed? They’re not what I imagine most of us are here for

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    emmylou1212
    United States3 months ago
  • Nothing good left here

    The selection of stories use to be monumentally better.

    It's hard to come across a story that is not cringy overperformed by the reader.

    Gone are the good old days of this podcast. Farewell, good friend.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    goodpodclub
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans value high-profile guests and theatre-quality delivery of stories.
Positive feedback highlights the enduring literary focus and varied story selections.
Critics note inconsistent pacing and overemphasis on interviews in some episodes.
Listeners appreciate the quality of readings and performances, though some want fewer host interludes.
Many long-time listeners miss the original host and prefer a quieter editorial approach.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#8
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#35
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#15
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#47
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#89
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#235
United Kingdom/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Pursuit of Happiness with Death, Sex and Money
Q: What did you think about the way it was constructed narratively?
The narrative leaps across time and space to mirror grief and renewal, and it challenges the audience to track those jumps while still feeling the emotional throughline.
Homewreckers
Q: Do you feel like more of a short story writer or a novelist or do you not think that way?
Erdrich explains that she writes with a strong sense of narrative voice and point of view, often starting with a story-like impulse but evolving toward longer forms; she values the craft of shaping a perspective over whether a work is a story or a novel.
Meg Wolitzer Talks with Louise Erdrich
Q: Do you feel in your heart or guts what your next project is meant to be, and how does that influence your choice between a short story and a novel?
Both writers describe how intuition guides them: stories often begin with a wave of emotion, and eventually expand into longer forms when the story demands more space, making the decision between short story and novel a fluid, consciously evolved process.
To the Rescue
Q: Where did the concept for 'Animal Hospital' come from?
Joe Meno explains that his own experiences alongside conversations with his young children about death inspired the story and informed how children grapple with the idea of mortality through play.
The Role You Were Born to Play
Q: Are you drawing on any personal experience?
Yes, I have a half-sister who is much older than me, which gives me a mix of experiences between being an only child and having a sibling.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Selected Shorts

What is Selected Shorts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A curated showcase of literary short fiction brought to life by a rotating cast of celebrated actors and authors. Episodes blend live readings, dramatic performances, and thoughtful commentary, often curated in collaboration with literary communities like Belletrist. Guests range from renowned novelists and editors to stage and screen actors who perform or read excerpts, creating an intimate, theatre-like experience that ties literature to performance and culture. Noteworthy is the recurring mix of classic and contemporary stories, high-profile reading talent, and behind-the-scenes context about the production and sponsor partnerships, which gives listeners a sense of both artistry and literary community-building.

Where can I find podcast stats for Selected Shorts?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Selected Shorts. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Selected Shorts and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Selected Shorts get?

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What are the audience demographics for Selected Shorts?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Selected Shorts, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Selected Shorts have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Selected Shorts has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Selected Shorts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Selected Shorts:

1. The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice - New Fiction from The New Yorker
2. The New Yorker: Fiction
3. The Moth
4. Snap Judgment
5. This American Life

How many episodes of Selected Shorts are there?

Selected Shorts launched 19 years ago and published 36 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Selected Shorts?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Selected Shorts?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Selected Shorts from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Selected Shorts?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Selected Shorts. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Selected Shorts?

Recent guests on Selected Shorts include:

1. Roz Chast
2. Edward P. Jones
3. Sonia Manzano
4. Hettienne Park
5. Min Jin Lee
6. Peter Francis James
7. Michael Stuhlbarg
8. Richard Kind

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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