Selected Shorts: American Classics Audiobook By Amy Tan, Donald Barthelme, Eudora Welty, Edgar Allan Poe, Joyce Carol Oates, John Sayles, Alice Walker cover art

Selected Shorts: American Classics

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Selected Shorts: American Classics

By: Amy Tan, Donald Barthelme, Eudora Welty, Edgar Allan Poe, Joyce Carol Oates, John Sayles, Alice Walker
Narrated by: Freda Foh Shen, David Strathairn, Stockard Channing, René Auberjonois, Christine Baranski, Jerry Stiller, Malachy McCourt
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A compilation of classic tales by great American writers performed by terrific actors, with a lineup including Pulitzer Prize winners, National Book Award winners, and PEN Award winners.

  • Amy Tan's "Rules of the Game", performed by Freda Foh Shen. A strict Chinese mother bedevils her chess prodigy daughter.
  • Donald Barthelme's "Game", performed by David Strathairn. Playing cosmic chicken in a nuclear bunker.
  • Eudora Welty's "Why I Live at the P.O.", performed by Stockard Channing. Hilarious story of an independent young woman striking out on her own.
  • Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" performed by René Auberjonois. Terrifyingly delicious Poe masterpiece.
  • Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" performed by Christine Baranski. Sly, creepy tale of a teenage girl’s seduction by a dangerous drifter.
  • John Sayles' "At the Anarchists’ Convention", performed by Jerry Stiller. Laugh-out-loud classic.
  • Alice Walker's "Everyday Use", performed by Carmen de Lavallade. Siblings disagree about a precious piece of their family heritage.
  • John Cheever's "Christmas Is a Sad Season for the Poor", performed by Malachy McCourt. A high-rise elevator operator is overwhelmed by his riders’ holiday generosity.

©2010 Symphony Space (P)2010 Symphony Space Anthologies Anthologies & Short Stories Art of Storytelling Entertainment & Performing Arts Witty
Masterful Performances • Diverse Stories • Emotional Impact • Classic Literature • Live Audience Experience
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Sweet stories! Well worth the time. I find myself wanting to hear them all again.

Have a listen . This is very enjoyable! Very funny

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This is a fantastic collection of short stories by some of America's greatest writers.

Amy Tan's "Rules of the Game", performed by Freda Foh Shen. 4.5 stars - I loved this story about a young Chinese girl who becomes a chess prodigy. The relationship which Amy Tan depicts between the strict mother and her young daughter is priceless!

Donald Barthelme's "Game", performed by David Strathairn. 4.5 - Wow! A humorous look at what would happen when two people are left in the nuclear bunker for too long.

Eudora Welty's "Why I Live at the P.O.", performed by Stockard Channing. 4 - Funny story about family and getting away from them

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" performed by René Auberjonois. 4.5 - Classic Poe masterpiece.

Joyce Carol Oates' "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" performed by Christine Baranski. 4
-Creepy and disturbing - really well written - 4.5

John Sayles' "At the Anarchists’ Convention", performed by Jerry Stiller. - Humorous 4

Alice Walker's "Everyday Use", performed by Carmen de Lavallade. 4
-A glimpse of how siblings look at family treasures differently

John Cheever's "Christmas Is a Sad Season for the Poor", performed by Malachy McCourt. 4
-Funny story about the kindness people have towards each other at Christmas.

Classics

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I am a very big fan of short stories and have listened to the Selected Shorts program for over 20 years. Any collection can be hit or miss, but this selection of american classics are all big hits. I liked every story and every reader. The stories range from funny to outrageous and touching to creepy. What more could one ask for?

Classic classics

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Dude seriously. Listening to these performances makes me feel like I’m going to be a better/more imaginative reader in the future. Big fan :)

Performances are superb!

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Would you listen to Selected Shorts: American Classics again? Why?

Yes, I'm pretty sure I'll return to it more than once.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This is worth buying for Stockard Channing's reading of 'Why I live at the PO' and Joyce Carol Oates' disturbing 'Where are you going, where have you been' read so well by Christine Baranksi. I loved Jerry Stiller's reading of At the Anarchist's Convention too. But really, the whole collection is outstanding and every reader is brilliant.

Which scene was your favorite?

I kept laughing out loud on the bus listening to 'Why I live at the PO', and ended up in a foetal position listening to 'Where are you going ...'

Spectacular

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The first few are worth the price of admission. The Eudora Welty piece was my fav.

A bit uneven but some stellar performances

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! An excellent variety of stories I would not have read otherwise.

What did you like best about this story?

Every story had an outstanding reader, even if the story was not my style, all stories were entertaining and thought provoking.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Everything!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Story-time shorts are super!

Shorts are Super!

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If you could sum up Selected Shorts: American Classics in three words, what would they be?

Engaging. Dynamic. Diverse.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Selected Shorts: American Classics?

All of them are impressive. The Amy Tan story grabbed me by the heart and drew me in, as she does.

Who was the most memorable character of Selected Shorts: American Classics and why?

Joyce Carol Oates' Where are You Going, Where Have You Been, came alive for me in some new ways despite the fact that I've probably read it ten times in various English classes and on my own.

Any additional comments?

All of these collections of Selected Shorts benefit greatly from being performed in front of live audiences. I've purchased several short story collections because I've heard a story from an author that was well-read and grabbed me. Thanks Audible!

Selected Shorts Always a Listening Delight

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What a great surprise! To hear these stories, most of which I had read before, performed by good actors before a live audience! I laughed--a lot. The stories really cam alive in a new way.

FANTASTIC

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Where does Selected Shorts: American Classics rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best Audible selections of the dozens in my library.

What other book might you compare Selected Shorts: American Classics to and why?

A unique experience. Inspired pairing of readers and texts.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Rene Auberjonois' masterful, remarkable delivery of an Edgar Allen Poe story is worth the purchase price on its own. In his hands, the minute joys of Poe's writing are presented to their best advantage. Stockard Channing's similarly spellbinding performance in a Eudora Welty selection will make you want to read everything (or re-read) Welty ever wrote--her mastery of Welty's prose is astounding.

Any additional comments?

I can't recommend this highly enough.

Classics, indeed.

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