Rephonic
Artwork for Selected Shorts

Selected Shorts

Symphony Space
Short Stories
Selected Shorts
Symphony Space
Identity
New York City
Love
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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes38Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsFiction

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Selected Shorts

Latest Episodes

Meg Wolitzer presents three stories about characters who need someone to listen to them. In Jesse Eisenberg’s “If She Ran Into Me Now…” a high school failure wants to prove he did OK—and looks fabulous. It’s read by Santino Fontana. In Weike Wang’... more

Host Meg Wolitzer presents the podcast Before The Moment, hosted by music icon Nile Rodger. Nile sits down with some of music’s biggest names to uncover the turning points that defined them, and, importantly, what was happening before everything chan... more

Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about persuasive, but not always trustworthy, characters. In “Fortune-Telling,” by Alix Ohlin, an actor tries on new role, with unexpected consequences. The reader is Crystal Dickinson. And from an evening of cont... more

Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about unexpected guests. In Carlos Greaves’ “A Visit from the Tune Squad,” a procrastinating writer gets a surprise intervention, in performances by Santino Fontana, Dylan Marron, and Sarah Mezzanotte. In our secon... 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.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Crystal Dickinson
Broadway actor who has appeared in Clybourne Park and The Chi
Episode: Charming Devils
Jessica Lange
Oscar-, Tony- and Emmy-winning actor with a career in film, television and theater
Episode: Charming Devils
Patricia Clarkson
Emmy-winning actor known for TV and film roles, including The Station Agent and Sharp Objects
Episode: Unexpected Guests
Austin Blaze
Writer from Northern California whose work has been listed as a distinguished story in The Best American Short Stories
Episode: Too Hot For Radio: Austin Blaze "Hail Mary"
Colum McCann
Bestselling Irish author of Let the Great World Spin and Twist
Episode: Passport to Ireland with Colum McCann
Molly Bernard
Actor reading Have You Met Husband?
The Magician's Wife reading
Episode: Forsaking All Others
Jane Curtin
Actor reading The Magician's Wife by Mary Gordon
Mary Gordon story performance
Episode: Forsaking All Others
Tim Curry
British actor and performer
Episode: Tim Curry Performs "Ziggurat" by Stephen O'Connor
Kirsten Vangsness
Reader for Heart of a Champion
Selected Shorts performer
Episode: Seeing is Believing

Host

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

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 3.5k ratings
  • What Happened?!

    I used to listen to this podcast faithfully every week and then I’d listen to them again but not anymore. There are people out here who have an attention span of more than 7 minutes. We actually listened to the entire podcast when it was an hour long! Not anymore. You gave up quality for quantity. You lost this faithful listener. How many more did you gain?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    ApperUzr
    United Statesa month ago
  • I’ve been listening for too many years to count

    I enjoy listening to the stories and learning about the authors and readers. Perfect for the campfire, chopping wood, or making a long drive more enjoyable. Thanks!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MainelySteve
    United States2 months ago
  • 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 States5 months 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 States5 months 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 States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Praise for literary depth and varied voices; some want more traditional storytelling and fewer interviews.
Many appreciate strong story selections and actor-readings, though some critique performance intensity.
Listeners crave tighter host narration and prefer fewer pre- and post-story transitions.
Overall sentiment highlights high regard for storytelling quality and live performance energy.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#11
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#34
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#23
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#86
Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#130
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#35
Australia/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Too Hot For Radio: Austin Blaze "Hail Mary"
Q: Did you, when did that piece click for you that David was going to follow in his dad's footsteps?
Blaze says the story is not simply about a good son and a bad father. David's bet may be an attempt to recover money, prove something, test his control, or connect with his father by repeating his behavior.
Too Hot For Radio: Austin Blaze "Hail Mary"
Q: Would you say there were any initial inspirations for writing it?
Blaze cites John Cheever's “Reunion,” a story about a son's brief meeting with an estranged father, and says “Hail Mary” began with the scene at the bar before he worked backward.
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.

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 literary-arts podcast that pairs short fiction with live readings, anchored by a thoughtful host who guides discussions, author context, and performance. Episodes showcase a wide range of contemporary short stories, classic pieces, and themed salons, often interspersed with author intros, reader performances, and occasional branded segments. Notable elements include a strong emphasis on literary analysis, high-profile reader performances, and collaborations with literary communities, which can create a rich, theater-like listening experience. Potential listeners may appreciate nuanced storytelling, literary debates, and performances by accomplished actors, with occasional health or travel-themed and promotional interludes that broaden the... more

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?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Selected Shorts, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

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. This American Life
5. Snap Judgment

How many episodes of Selected Shorts are there?

Selected Shorts launched 20 years ago and published 38 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.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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. Crystal Dickinson
2. Jessica Lange
3. Patricia Clarkson
4. Austin Blaze
5. Colum McCann
6. Molly Bernard
7. Jane Curtin
8. Tim Curry

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days