- Chronic City
Jonathan Lethem reads a passage from Chronic City, his new novel about a former child star who meets an unusual friend in a man named Perkus Tooth.
- Long Past Stopping
Oran Canfield reads a passage from Long Past Stopping, his memoir about growing up around anarchists, socialist rebels, and born-again circus clowns.
- My Life with Stella Kane
Linda Morganstein reads from My Life with Stella Kane, the story of a '50s Hollywood gay actress.
- The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
Reif Larsen reads a passage from The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, the story of twelve-year-old genius cartographer who leaves home and meticulously maps, charts, and illustrates his journey to self discovery.
- True Crime
Donna de la Perrière reads poems from her new book, True Crime.
- The Lace Makers of Glenmara
Heather Barbieri reads from The Lace Makers of Glenmara, the story of a fashion designer who travels to Ireland to escape her failed marriage.
- SUM
David Eagleman reads five vignettes from SUM: Forty Tales from the Afterlives, each of which imagines a different possible afterlife.
- Don't Cry
Mary Gaitskill reads the title story from Don't Cry about a middle-aged woman's quest to adopt a child in Addis Ababa.
- This Is Where I Leave You
Jonathan Tropper reads a passage from This Is Where I Leave You, the story of a man who must come to terms with the recent death of his father and his wife leaving him for his boss.
- Labor Day
Joyce Maynard reads a passage from Labor Day about a thirteen-year-old boy and the mysterious man who changes his life forever.
- Alive in Necropolis
Doug Dorst reads a passage from Alive in Necropolis, this year's One City One Book: San Francisco Reads selection.
- Split
Suzanne Finnamore reads a passage from Split, the story of her painful divorce told with the blackest of humor.
- Lie & More Lies
Gloria Frym reads "Lie" and "More Lies," two short stories that dissect artifice and the practice of lying.
- Into the Beautiful North
Luis Alberto Urrea reads from Into the Beautiful North, the story of a small Mexican town called Tres Camarones.
- Sag Harbor
Colson Whitehead reads a passage from Sag Harbor about two young brothers who are often mistaken for twins, but are beginning to grow apart.
- World Ball Notebook
Sesshu Foster reads from a collection of narrative prose poems from the genre-breaking World Ball Notebook.
- Love or Something Like It
Deirdre Shaw reads the first chapter from Love or Something Like It, the story of a thirty-something woman who moves to LA and quickly learns about the pitfalls of celebrity.
- Revenge of the Spellmans
Lisa Lutz reads from Revenge of the Spellmans, the third installment of the Spellman series that finds ex-private investigator Izzy reluctantly coming out of retirement.
- WB Extra: David Sedaris on Evil Politicians, Cursing, and more!
David Sedaris answers five completely random questions. Find out which politician he would like to kick in the shins and which country he thinks has the most "off-the-hook" curse words.
- Author, Author?
In the second episode of a two-part exclusive, David Sedaris reads "Author, Author?," a story that recently appeared in The New Yorker about the joys of book tours, giant boxes of condoms, and Costco.
- Just a Quick E-mail
In the first episode of a two-part exclusive, David Sedaris reads "Just a Quick E-mail," an unpublished story about the passive-aggressive sister of a paraplegic.
- Admission
Jean Hanff Korelitz reads a passage from Admission, the story of an admissions officer at Princeton University.
- Mudbound
Hillary Jordan reads a passage from her debut novel Mudbound, the story of racial prejudice in 1940s Mississippi.
- Captive Audience
Dave Reidy reads "The Regular," a story from his collection Captive Audience, in which two indie music lovers bond over their hatred of karaoke.
- Through Black Spruce
Joseph Boyden reads a passage from Through Black Spruce, the story of a retired Cree Bush pilot who narrates from within his coma, remembering as a way of clinging to life.
- Please Step Back
Ben Greenman reads a passage from Please Step Back, a swirling '60s saga of the rise and fall of a true American icon, a rock star called Rock Foxx.
- Kokomo Joe
John Christgau reads a chapter from Kokomo Joe, the story of the first Japanese American jockey and the adversity he faced in 1940s America.
- Lowboy
John Wray reads the first chapter of Lowboy, the story of a sixteen-year-old paranoid schizophrenic who has wandered away from the mental hospital into the subway tunnels believing that the world will end within a few hours and that only he can save it.
- Mercury Station
Mark von Schlegell reads two chapters from Mercury Station, his book about the collapse of human civilization in 2150.
- Ablutions
Patrick deWitt reads a passage from Ablutions about a bartender's relationship with three barflies called Monty, Marge, and Joe.
- The Mechanics of Falling
Catherine Brady reads "Slender Little Thing," a story from her new book The Mechanics of Falling and Other Stories, about a mother and daughter's changing relationship.
- Made Flesh
Craig Arnold reads "Hymn to Persephone," a love poem from his collection Made Flesh that uses Greek mythology to answer the question: How do we love anyone knowing we will eventually lose them?
- Little Bee
Chris Cleave reads an excerpt from Little Bee, the story of a young Nigerian refugee who flees from the tribal oil wars of her country to England.
- The New Haven Line
Jeff O'Keefe reads "The New Haven Line," a story about a young man's battle of wills with his mother, an ex-fashion model, set in New York's Penn Station.
- In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
Daniyal Mueenuddin reads "Nawbdin Electrician," the story of a struggling Pakistani electrician who encounters death and danger, from his collection, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders.
- Live Through This
Debra Gwartney reads a passage from Live Through This, the story of two runaway daughters and her frantic effort to recover them.
- The Tricking of Freya
Christina Sunley reads a passage from The Tricking of Freya, the story of a young woman obsessed with uncovering a family secret that draws her into the strange and magical history, language and landscape of Iceland.
- The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
Tiffany Baker reads a passage from The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, the story of larger-than-life Truly Place and the secrets she finds in her small-minded town's past.
- Fool
Christopher Moore reads a chapter from Fool, a retelling of Shakespeare's "King Lear" from the point of view of the Royal Fool.
- Legend of a Suicide
David Vann reads "Ichthyology," a story from his collection, Legend of a Suicide. Set in the wilds of Alaska, the story that takes on the shifting legend of a lost father.
- How to Survive
Laura Schadler reads "How to Survive," a short story about a young woman surviving in a collapsing world.
- Going to See the Elephant
Rodes Fishburne reads a passage from Going to See the Elephant, the story of Slater Brown and his attempt to become the greatest writer ever.
- Forevertron
Anisse-Marie Gross reads "Forevertron," an essay about a time machine in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
- The Mistaken Variations
PlayGround presents Molly Noble, Julia McNeal, Eric Fraisher Hayes and Mick Mize in Trevor Allen's short play, The Mistaken Variations. Jim Kleinmann directs.
- Denny Smith
Robert Glück reads "Conviction," a short story from Denny Smith about fathers and theft.
- My Other Family
J. M. Tyree reads "My Other Family," a story of child abandonment and revenge that takes place in a Wal-Mart.
- The Revisionist
Miranda Mellis reads a passage from The Revisionist about a civil scientist hired to 'revise' the facts of a crumbling society.
- Songs for the Missing
Stewart O'Nan reads a passage from Songs for the Missing, the story of a young girl's disappearance and its effect on those left behind.
- Serpent Box
Vincent Carrella reads a passage from Serpent Box, the story of Pentecostal preachers in the mountains of Appalachia.
- Forgotten Fashion
Kate Hahn reads an excerpt from Forgotten Fashion, a tongue-in-cheek history of faux fashion trends.
- Horses that Buck
Margot Kahn reads a passage from Horses that Buck, the story of a Wyoming cowboy and the transformation of his world, the frontier West.
- Stray Dog Winter
David Francis reads a passage from Stray Dog Winter about a young boy and his relationship with his alcoholic mother.
- Saguaro
Carson Mell reads a passage from Saguaro, a first person rock memoir chronicling the life of Bobby Allen Bird. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Oxygen
Carol Cassella reads an excerpt from Oxygen, a novel about the aftermath of an operating room disaster.
- Demons in the Spring
Joe Meno reads "What a Schoolgirl You Are," a short story from Demons in the Spring. Structured after the "choose your own adventure" series, the story puts the reader inside the mind of an awkward teenage girl as she decides to try out for the cheerleading squad.
- Investing
PlayGround presents Julia McNeal and Ken Sonkin in Evelyn Jean Pine's short play, Investing. Jim Kleinmann directs. (Running Time: 7:36)
- The Little Book
Selden Edwards reads a passage from The Little Book, the story of a California rock legend who finds himself in the past -- 1897 Vienna. (Running Time 19:51)
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Junot Díaz reads a passage from The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, the story of an overweight Dominican boy growing up in New Jersey. (Running Time 15:36)
- Something to Tell You
Hanif Kureishi reads an excerpt from Something to Tell You, the story of a middle-aged psychoanalyst with a dark secret. (Running Time: 21:03)
- Fate! Luck! Chance!
Amy Tan and Stewart Wallace read a passage from Fate! Luck! Chance! describing the inspiration for the opera adaptation of Tan's best-selling novel, The Bonesetter's Daughter. (Running Time: 10:44)
- Thirteen Views of Grief
Donna George Storey reads Thirteen Views of Grief, an essay tracing the impact of her father's death from when she was seventeen to the present day.
- The Gargoyle
Andrew Davidson reads an excerpt from the beginning of his first novel, The Gargoyle. (Running Time: 15:16)
- What Rhymes with Bastard?
Linda Robertson reads an excerpt from Chapter 3 of her memoir, What Rhymes With Bastard?, and performs an accordion ditty called "All Made Up." Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Man in the Dark
Acclaimed novelist Paul Auster reads the first chapter of his latest novel, Man in the Dark.
- Silhouettes
Bay Area writers Kelly Lydick, MG Roberts and Amy Reed read a few selections from their upcoming August 18, 2008 reading, Silhouettes at Mama Buzz Cafe in Oakland, CA.
- Finding Nouf
Zoë Ferraris reads an excerpt from her first novel, Finding Nouf.
- Serpent in the Garden of Dreams
Robin Messing reads a selection from her debut novel, Serpent in the Garden of Dreams.
- West of Kabul, East of New York
Tamim Ansary reads "The Rebel Leader," a chapter from his memoir West of Kabul, East of New York.
- Maynard & Jennica
Rudolph Delson reads a selection from his debut novel, Maynard and Jennica. In this excerpt, Jennica Green waxes nostalgic for California, and her parents, brother, and long-lost best friend all chime in.
- Awesome
Jack Pendarvis reads the first chapter of Awesome, a humorous and heartwarming tale of the richest, sexiest, handsomest giant you'll ever meet.
- The Shared Patio
Miranda July reads a selection from No One Belongs Here More Than You, her debut collection of short stories. In "The Shared Patio," a woman longs to share her neighbor's life, but learns that her fantasy of him bears no resemblance to reality.
- The Story of a Marriage
Andrew Sean Greer reads the first chapter of The Story of a Marriage, in which Pearlie recounts her courtship and marriage to Holland Cook, her childhood sweetheart.
- Helpmate
Ben Greenman reads a letter from the forthcoming Correspondences. In "Helpmate," a man composes a letter to his wife, reminiscing on his life and (perhaps) its conclusion.
- Not a Genuine Black Man
Brian Copeland reads the first chapter of Not a Genunine Black Man, his hilarious memoir about growing up black in the all-white suburb of San Leandro, CA.
- Opium Magazine: Bookmark Contest, Pt. 2
Authors Rachel Khong and Matt Leibel join actors Jon Wolanske and Erin Carter to read "Two Eggs, Any Style," "Heartless," "Industry," "Minnesota Menage," and "Reading," the winner and some of the finalists of Opium Magazine's 250-word Bookmark Contest.
- Opium Magazine: Bookmark Contest, Pt. 1
Opium Magazine's Go Green! (But Save Me First) issue (May 2008) featured the winner and finalists of its 250-word Bookmark Contest, judged by Aimee Bender. Authors Lisa K. Buchanan and Kristin Kearns join actors Jon Wolanske and Erin Carter to read "Hiss," "What Follows Us," "The Hansel Fiasco," "The Sail," and "Mr. Artichoke Eats Monday."
- It's Not You, It's Your Uncontrollable Telekinesis
Ben Joseph reads "It's Not You, It's Your Uncontrollable Telekinesis," a completely true story loosely based on actual events.
- Operation Water Dump
Dan White reads "Operation Water Dump," a chapter from his book, The Cactus Eaters, which revolves around the extremely bad decision that inspired the book's title.
- Sunday School
Naomi Williams reads "Sunday School," the story of a woman asked to teach a second-grade Sunday school class and the various scenarios that might follow.
- The Pony Problem
Sloane Crosley reads a selection from her debut collection, I Was Told There'd Be Cake. In "The Pony Problem" she worries about what people might find in her apartment after an imagined freak accident.
- Reunion
Playground presents Delia MacDougall and Eric Fraisher Hayes in Kenn Rabin's short play, Reunion, the story of a convicted sex offender's arrival at his new home after being recently released from prison. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Beauty Talk & Monsters
Masha Tupitsyn reads "Kleptomania," the story of three intergenerational female movie icons meeting for cocktails at a bar. "Kleptomania" is from Tupitsyn's short story collection, Beauty Talk & Monsters.
- Turning Point
Peter Nathaniel Malae reads "Turning Point," the story of an ex-con who realizes that life outside prison is just as dangerous as life behind bars. "Turning Point" is from Malae's short story collection, Teach the Free Man. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Sharp Teeth
Toby Barlow reads a passage from Sharp Teeth describing the decisive battle between two rival werewolf packs in Los Angeles.
- Pampkin's Lament
Peter Orner reads "Pampkin's Lament," his Pushcart Prize-winning story about a man running for governor of Illinois who is about to lose more than just the election. "Pampkin's Lament" was originally published in McSweeney's. (Running Time: 17:12)
- Missive
In Garret Jon Groenveld's short play Missive, a letter holds the key to one man's troubled past and his surprising present. Presented by PlayGround, with Eric Fraisher Hayes as Bobby.
- The Invention of Everything Else
Samantha Hunt reads a selection from The Invention of Everything Else, in which Nicola Tesla, a young inventor, makes his way to the workshops of his hero, Thomas Edison.
- Off Mike
Michael Krasny reads the introduction to Off Mike, his memoir of talk radio and public life. (Running Time: 8:10)
- The Sixth Form
Tom Dolby reads a selection from his second novel, The Sixth Form, in which one of his main characters, Todd Eldon, has an unhappy reunion with his ne'er do well father.
- The Teahouse Fire
Ellis Avery reads a selection from The Teahouse Fire, in which Aurelia, an young American orphan, recounts the events that led her to the grounds of a Japanese tea ceremony school.
- Objects Of My Disaffection
Jean-Pierre Lacrampe reads his prose poem, "Objects Of My Disaffection."
- A Version of the Truth
Karen Mack and Jennifer Kaufman read the prologue to A Version of the Truth, in which Cassie Shaw describes the aftermath of the accident that sent her husband to an early grave.
- Travels in the Scriptorium
Paul Auster reads the first section of Travels in the Scriptorium, in which a man awakes to discover that he cannot remember who he is or how he has arrived in an unfamiliar room.
- Framing the Black Panthers
Jane Rhodes reads a selection from Framing the Black Panthers, which chronicles the Panthers' May 1967 protest of a gun-control bill at the California state capitol building in Sacramento.
- Sewermonster Diaries
PlayGround presents Danielle Levin, Eric Fraisher Hayes, Cat Thompson and Mark Farrell in Brady Lea's Sewermonster Diaries, a comic portrait of a woman who withdraws from society and descends sewers of San Francisco.
- Stop
Pia Ehrhardt reads "Stop," from her collection Famous Fathers and Other Stories. If you are in need of some New Year's resolution advice, have a listen as Ehrhardt describes what you should most emphatically NOT do to change your life for the better. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Pink Harvest
Toni Mirosevich reads the first story from her nonfiction collection, Pink Harvest. "The View" involves a homeless man, an acute care clinic in an urban hospital, and a viewfinder. It's a few days before Christmas.
- twin time: or, how death befell me
Veronica Gonzalez reads a selection from her debut novel, twin time: or how death befell me, in which her main character, Mona, recounts her father's early childhood. (Running Time: 14:17)
- East Side/West Side
Nora Pierce reads "East Side/West Side," a story about choosing sides, in which two eleven year olds try to "dance their way out of the ghetto."
- The Flame
Tess Urize Holthe reads a story from her collection The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes. In "The Flame," Serena barr visits an open house, which she believes belongs to her husband's ex-lover.
- Broken World
Joseph Lease reads a selection of poems from his collection Broken World.
- Lost
Jean Thompson reads "Lost," the story of a '70s era college romance that goes bad. "Lost" is from Thompson's short story collection, Throw Like a Girl. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- The Futurist
In this excerpt from his novel The Futurist, James P. Othmer reads the career ending speech given by Yates, a consultant, guru and keynote speaker at the "Futureworld" conference.
- by George
Wesley Stace reads from the first section of his book, by George the story of the Fisher family, as told by two different boys named George: one a dummy owned by one of the greatest ventriloquists in WWII-era England, the other the eleven-year-old grandson of that ventriloquist, who uncovers secrets about his famous grandfather. In this excerpt, George, the ventriloguist's dummy describes his origins.
- Lost Son
M. Allen Cunningham reads from Lost Son, his fictional biography of poet Rainer Maria Rilke. In this excerpt Rilke meets his lifelong muse, Lou Andreas-Salomé.
- Laundry Day
Elizabeth Bernstein reads her very short story, "Laundry Day."
- Up High in the Trees
Kiara Brinkman reads selections from her debut novel, Up High in the Trees.
- Michael Tolliver Lives
Armistead Maupin reads the first chapter of Michael Tolliver Lives, where we find Michael "Mouse" Tolliver, one of the most beloved characters in contemporary fiction, grappling with what it means to be a middle-aged gay man today. Please Note: This episode contains adult language and situations.
- Wakefield
Andrew Sean Greer reads "Wakefield," a retelling of the Nathaniel Hawthorne story of a man who walks out his door one day and does not return for twenty years.
- Our American King
David Lozell Martin reads selections from his new novel, Our American King. In a near-future America, devastated by a recent cataclysm, Tazza, a presumptive king rises to power. In this selection, Tazza makes a speech in front of the White House that speaks to the current state of leadership and democracy in America.
- The New Mecca
George Saunders Bonus Feature: George Saunders reads a second selection from his non-fiction collection, The Braindead Megaphone. In an excerpt from "The New Mecca," Saunders checks out Dubai, the Vegas of the Middle East, and thinks about world peace.
- Manifesto
George Saunders reads a selection from his non-fiction collection, The Braindead Megaphone. In "Manifesto," a press release from the People Reluctant to Kill For An Abstraction (PRKA), the group touts the success of its most recent initiative.
- Ondine
Playwright Garret Jon Groenveld introduces us to the story of Ondine and Him, star-crossed lovers from completely different worlds. How far will the white knight go to be with his mythical water nymph? With Gabriel Marin and Gwen Loeb and presented by PlayGround.
- Guerrero
Sean Beaudoin reads his short story "Guerrero," which provides a view from the floor of a Guerrero Street flat. The story is from the "Love" edition of Instant City, a San Francisco literary quarterly.
- Imeldific
In Gina Apostol's short story "Imeldific," a cohort of the dethroned first lady, Imelda Marcos, goes nuts in the aftermath of her heroine's downfall. Her daughter reflects with grim irony on the perils of life for women with bouffant hairdos in a newly emerging democracy.
- The Devil You Know
Mike Carey reads a selection from The Devil You Know in which freelance exorcist, Felix Castor goes out for a pint with a few of the workers from a library haunted by a particularly nasty ghost.
- Angel Face
San Francisco theater company, Word for Word perform a few scenes from Cornell Woolrich's Angel Face, a suspense-driven story from the pages of the famous pulp magazine, Black Mask. Angel Face is a wisecracking chorine with a beautiful face using all her charms to save her brother from a date with the electric chair.
- Fake
Kenneth Walton reads an excerpt from Fake: Forgery, Lies and eBay, which details the downward spiral of greed that ultimately led to his federal felony conviction for selling paintings of questionable origin.
- Free Food for Millionaires
In this excerpt from the first chapter of Min Jin Lee's novel, Free Food for Millionaires, the Han family dinner is disrupted when a violent argument breaks out between Joseph and his eldest daughter Casey, who is home for the summer after graduating from Princeton. Please Note: This episode contains adult language.
- The King of Methlehem
In this selection from The King of Methlehem, author Mark Lindquist introduces "Howard Schultz," the self-proclaimed monarch of methamphetamine production in Pierce County, Washington and Wyatt James, the veteran police officer on his trail.
- The Beginning
Playground presents John Patrick Moore and Gabriel Marin perform Tom Swift's short play, The Beginning, about the sweet, awkward and sometimes painful moments at the beginning of a new relationship. Jim Kleinmann directs.
- Chicken on Church
Jeremy Larner reads three selections about art and artists from his poetry collection, Chicken on Church.
- Little Stalker
Jennifer Belle reads a selection from Little Stalker, which enters the chaotic mind of Rebekah Kettle, a one-time successful novelist (now hopelessly blocked), as she attends a book party for an attractive British novelist, delivers a signed copy of his book to her ex-boyfriend and remembers a trip to Disneyworld.
- Darling, I Like You That Way
Ayelet Waldman reads her essay "Darling, I Like You That Way," in which she defends her not-so-secret wish that at least one of her two sons would turn out gay.
- The Last Chinese Chef
Nicole Mones reads the from her novel, The Last Chinese Chef. In this selection, the first chapter of a fictional Chinese food classic, also called The Last Chinese Chef, chef Liang Wei recounts his early life as a slave in the Forbidden City's palace kitchen.
- The Immense Complexities of Love
Book #3 in Kottie Paloma's "Books on Tape" series, The Immense Complexities of Love captures the brief history of a relationship. (Running Time: 2:19)
- The Increasing Crime Rate
Elaine Beale reads "The Increasing Crime Rate," a first-person nonfiction story inspired by the author's personal experiences in Oakland for the last half of 2006.
- The First Man-Made Man
Pagan Kennedy reads the first chapter of The First Man-Made Man, her biography of Michael Dillon, the first female-to-male transsexual. (Running Time: 30:45)
- Rear Views
Kristen Yawitz reads "Rear Views," a story from her unpublished collection Reward Body. (Running Time: 7:31)
- The Spellman Files
Lisa Lutz reads a selection from her debut novel The Spellman Files, in which Isabel "Izzy" Spellman describes her younger sister, Rae.
- Jimmy
Aaron Nielsen reads his short story, "Jimmy," the story of a sometimes awkward and difficult high school friendship between two boys; one gay, the other not.
- Heyday
Kurt Andersen reads a selection from Heyday, his sprawling novel of nineteenth century America. In this excerpt, amateur photographer Timothy Skaggs and volunteer fireman Duff Lucking photograph a Manhattan dairy fire.
- Alice
Elizabeth Bernstein reads "Alice," the darkly comic story of Joel and Alice Holding, a brother and sister with a big problem on their hands -- the Guinea worm that emerges through the skin just below Alice's belly button.
- Black, Gray, Green, Red, Blue: A Letter From a Famous Painter on the Moon
Ben Greenman reads "Black, Grey, Green, Red, Blue: A Letter From a Famous Painter on the Moon" from his short story collection, A Circle Is a Balloon and Compass Both: Stories About Human Love.
- Un Lun Dun
China Miéville reads a selection from Un Lun Dun, in which twelve-year-old Zanna and her friend Deeba find a secret entrance leading to Un Lun Dun, an urban Wonderland of strange delights where all the lost and broken things of London end up . . . and some of its lost and broken people, too.
- Red River
Lalita Tademy reads a selection from her novel, Red River, which tells how former slaves Lucy and Israel came to be together in Louisiana during Reconstruction.
- Still Water Saints
Alex Espinoza reads the first chapter of his novel, Still Water Saints, describing a day in the life of the Botánica Oshún.
- Tove's Secret Letter Writing Campaign
Claire Phillips reads her short story, "Tove's Secret Letter Writing Campaign," an action-packed, erotically charged rags-to-riches tale set in the United States of Beef at an unknown time in the future.
- Devotion
Howard Norman reads a selection from his novel, Devotion, describing the first meeting between David Kozol and Maggie Field at the Durrants Hotel in London.
- Honey, I'm Home
PlayGround presents Anthony Nemirovsky and Kerri Shawn in Geetha Reddy's short play, Honey, I'm Home. Jim Kleinmann directs.
- Dermaphoria
Craig Clevenger reads the first two chapters of his novel, Dermaphoria, in which Eric Ashworth awakens in jail, unable to remember how he got there or why.
- Lost City Radio
Daniel Alarcón reads a selection from Lost City Radio, an emotionally raw story of the consequences of war. In this excerpt, Victor, a young boy from the jungle village of 1797, is sent to the capital to deliver a list of his village's missing to Norma, the voice of Lost City Radio. Norma's weekly show broadcasts the names of those who disappeared during the long conflict, both to reunite families and to keep the memories of the departed alive.
- The Last of Her Kind
Sigrid Nunez reads a passage from The Last of Her Kind, an examination of the revolutionary era in which two women came of age. Ann and George's turbulent relationship begins when they are assigned to the same dorm room at Barnard College in 1968. In this excerpt, the two deal with the aftermath of George's rape.
- Candy from Strangers
William P. Arney of San Francisco's Noir City Film Festival reads "It Was the Meat," the first chapter of Mark Coggins' novel CANDY FROM STRANGERS, in which jazz bass-playing private eye August Riordan's gig at the venerable House of Shields bar doesn't go exactly as planned.
- The Long Night of Flying
Sharon Olson reads several selections from A Long Night of Flying, her first full-length collection of poetry. (Running Time: 8:34)
- The Oracles
Pati Poblete reads a couple of selections from her book, The Oracles, a memoir about the clash of values in a Filipino American household.
- My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up
Stephen Elliott reads a chapter from My Girlfriend Comes to the City and Beats Me Up, a collection of true stories that wrestle with the unknown and unspoken essences of love. In "Three Men and a Woman" Elliott struggles to share his girlfriend with her husband -- and another man.
- Sever
PlayGround presents Anthony Nemirovsky, Kerri Shawn and John Dana Kenning in Aaron Loeb's Sever. Jim Kleinmann directs. (Running Time: 10:43)
- Colored Purple
"All this time I've been leading up to this. God knows why I never wrote this, but I LOVE Prince. It's indescribable. He's my favorite everything! He's SOOO cool." Inspired by Mortified, Christina Nunez shares selections from the diary she kept as a thirteen year old obsessed with Prince.
- Rose of No Man's Land
A whirlwind exploration of poverty and dropouts, Rose of No Man's Land is the world according to Trisha -- a furious love story between two weirdo girls, brimming with snarky observations and soulful wonderings on the dazzle-flash emptiness of contemporary culture.
- Paint It Black
Janet Fitch reads a selection from Paint It Black, in which teen runaway turned art model, Josie Tyrell meets her fiancé's mother, Meredith Loewy, a concert pianist who disapproves of her son's lifestyle.
- One Good Turn
Kate Atkinson reads a selection from One Good Turn, wherein Gloria, after witnessing a brutal fit of road rage, thinks back on her life with Graham, an unscrupulous real estate tycoon.
- Mortified: Horus Hears a Ho
Jennifer Kirmse reads "Horus Hears a Ho," a series of entries from the journal she kept as a teenager, wherein she attempts to gain the attention and affection of her classmate and neighbor Horus. The piece is from Mortified: Real Words Real People Real Pathetic, an anthology of people's actual childhood writings, ripped from the pages of their lives and shared with total strangers.
- Gemma
Meg Tilly reads a selection from her novel Gemma, a disturbing, yet compelling exploration of the complex dynamics between a sexual predator and his teenage victim, told from the perspective of both the pedophile and his prey.
- The House Beautiful
Allison Burnett reads the introduction to his novel The House Beautiful, wherein B.K. Troop, a witty, middle-aged, bipolar, alcoholic homosexual, describes how his life is turned upside down when he inherits his best friend's Manhattan brownstone.
- Halfway House
Katherine Noel reads the first chapter of her novel Halfway House, describing the day that Angie Voorster -- diligent student, all-star swimmer, and Ivy League-bound high school senior -- dove to the bottom of a swimming pool and stayed there, throwing her close-knit family into turmoil.
- Magic for Beginners: The Hortlak
Kelly Link reads "The Hortlak," from her short story collection Magic for Beginners. "The Hortlak" is a Turkish word, meaning revenant, or ghost. Eric and Batu work at the All Night Convenience store across the road from the Ausible Chasm, at the bottom of which lies a vast zombie city. Zombies stop in at the All Night on their way to the chasm. Are Eric and Batu part of some kind of "new retail" experiment designed to study the shopping habits of zombies? Will Eric ever get the nerve to talk to Charley, the woman who works at the local SPCA putting dogs to sleep?
- The Return of the Player
Michael Tolkin revisits his character Griffin Mill a decade after he made his murderous ascent to Hollywood power in The Player. Now, with his career stalled and only $6 million in the bank, he is, by Hollywood standards, broke. In this excerpt from The Return of the Player, Mill assesses his situation, says a prayer for guidance and forgiveness and begins to calculate his next move. Mill's anti-heroic effort to wring love and meaning from a loveless and meaningless life is heartfelt and cynical, resulting in a powerful dark comedy that transcends the shopworn genre of Hollywood satire.
- The Book of Fate
Wes, a young Presidential aide, is about to have his life changed forever. An assassination attempt is made on the President of the United States and Wes is caught in the crossfire. Best-selling thriller author Brad Meltzer reads the first chapter to his novel "The Book of Fate."
- Adverbs
Adverbs is a novel about love -- a bunch of different people, in and out of different kinds of love. The title of each chapter is an adverb that describes the "love" story contained therein. "collectively" is a story about a bunch of people who really love a guy they hardly know. There's just something about him that's lovable, who knows what it is? He's got it and now he also has a group of folks dropping in for a visit so they can get to know him better.
- The Suitors
Ben Ehrenreich reads the second chapter of The Suitors, an audacious reimagining of The Odyssey, in which Penny waits alone at home while Payne, a modern-day Odysseus, gallivants around the world on battleships and attack helicopters, waging wars of conquest. A drinking, drugging crew of ne'er-do-well squatters surrounds Penny, eager for her attention. Even their most eyebrow-raising exploits can't distract her, though, as she angrily pines for Payne. But when a mysterious man with suspicious origins arrives on the scene, the suitors' precarious pecking order falls to pieces in the glow of Penny's newly ignited ardor. Brutal, playful, sexy, and subversive, The Suitors is a classic of its own kind.
- Special Topics in Calamity Physics
Meet Blue Van Meer, the preternaturally erudite heroine of Marisha Pessl's hilarious yet heartrending debut novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics. Never having lived in a place longer than it takes for most people to get a mortgage approval, she has been raised and educated by her brilliant, handsome, big-hearted (even bigger-mouthed), academic tome-citing, neo-Marxist, womanizing, Swiss professor father, Gareth Van Meer. When Gareth decides to settle for one year in one place before Blue goes off to Harvard, she blossoms from a shy, impressionable girl into a truly wise, independent young woman.
- Mary
Mary Todd Lincoln shares the story of her life, beginning with an account of the day her eldest son had her declared insane and committed to Bellevue Place, an asylum for women with nervous conditions.
- The Stolen Child
Inspired by the W.B. Yeats poem about the folk legend of the fairy changelings, this beguiling and truly original tale moves from contemporary America to nineteenth-century Germany and deep into humankind's most basic fantasies and fears. The Stolen Child is the story of Henry Day, a seven year old kidnapped in the dark forest near his home. No ordinary kidnappers, they are the fairy changelings -- ageless beings whose secret
community is threatened by encroaching modern life. They give Henry a new name, Aniday, and the gift of agelessness -- now and forever, he will be seven years old.
- The Adventure of the Giant Rat of Sumatra
"The Adventure of the Giant Rat of Sumatra" is the long-lost story of one of Watson's most intriguing adventures, one for which the "world was not ready" during Holmes' lifetime. The story deals with Professor Moriarty, Colonel Sebastian Moran, and the infamous Dr. Culverton-Smith, who together collude to introduce the bubonic plague into England. Holmes and Watson nearly face their own ends in their efforts to foil this deadly and dastardly plot.
- Slipstream
Set in and around the eerie expanse of Los Angeles International Airport, Slipstream is an intricately crafted tale of five people whose lives are quietly drawing toward a fateful collision as each struggles to stay afloat in the face of major setbacks, minor failures, and a reckless pursuit of elusive second chances.
- The Secret Language of Sleep
With The Secret Language of Sleep, a couple finally unlocks the secrets hidden within their chosen sleeping position. Each pose (there are thirty-nine in all) is deciphered using an easy-to-identify illustration, an overview of the sleepers' traits and tendencies, along with tips about which stretches and diets to try to enhance the effectiveness of the pose. A
legend of handy icons points the way to the poses that are most therapeutic for specific kinds of sleepers, including: snorers, outdoorsmen, couples suffering from intestinal ailments, and anyone confined to a twin-sized bed or tent. The book is color-coded based on the four Comfort Zones, and features a dream-blue cover embossed with an illustration of The Ticket Puncher, the favorite pose of couples whose schedules never quite mesh.
- We of the Capitals
"We of the Capitals," a poem in 14 sections, is about the value of abstract nouns in wartime. It is from the book, Parcel (O Books 2006).
- Crawl Space
It's 1999 and Emile Poulquet awaits sentencing in a Paris court for deporting thousands to almost certain death during World War II. But haunted by ghosts from his past, and determined to confront his dark legacy, he escapes and heads toward his beloved Finier, a rural town in the south of France. In Finier, Poulquet finds shelter within the strange embrace of a group of teenage wastrels, and encounters new breeds of idealism, degeneracy, and friendship. He sets out to find Arianne -- a lifelong obsession and the widow of a Resistance hero -- in order to hand her his last will and testament. But as he begins his quest, he cannot help being drawn, inexorably, toward another circle of refugees and reporters in town for a wartime reunion. He doesn't yet know that his worst betrayal -- and the greatest test of his own ability to pardon another -- is yet to come.
- The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril
In The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril, Paul Malmont draws upon his long fascination with the pulp era and the lives of the greatest pulp authors of them all -- Lester Dent, creator of Doc Savage, and Walter Gibson, author of The Shadow -- and brings a beloved genre roaring out of the past. Deftly weaving real-life biographies into a work of fiction, Malmont's adventure begins in 1937 at New York's legendary White Horse Tavern. Gibson tells a young, pre-scientology L. Ron Hubbard (then a pulp writer himself) the "Tale of the Sweet Flower War," asking him to identify what's real and what's pulp.
- Herman Melville, Metafictional Laff Riot
"Herman Melville, Metafictional Laff Riot" is an essay slated for an upcoming issue of Kitchen Sink Magazine. It celebrates the first three words of Moby Dick, and attempts to cast Mr. Melville's writing in a more "punk rock" light than it is usually thought of.
- Matches
Matches is about a young American Jew who serves in the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip. Somewhat based on the author's experience as an American-Israeli soldier, Nathan Falk's journey into the troubled heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of disillusionment and sobering revelation, but also of a newly steeled determination to survive, as a Jew in a hostile world, at all costs. "The Orchard" is the prologue to the novel.
- A Scarecrow's Bible
In a house trailer in the rural South, a married Vietnam veteran, addicted to drugs and haunted by memories of the past, is on the brink of collapse. Just when he thinks the dream of another life is over, the unspeakable happens. He falls in love with a frail, ghostly younger man who reminds him of youth, beauty, and the possibility of a life beyond the prison he has created for himself.
- The City, Not Long After
The City, Not Long After is a novel set in a future San Francisco. Half a generation before the novel takes place,a plague wiped out all but one in one thousand. The city is inhabited by artists, and they are transforming it with art and imagination. San Francisco is a haunted, dreaming place, peopled with memories. Invaded by an army from Sacramento, the artists fight back, using art as their weapon of choice.
- Made of Steel
"Made of Steel," the first chapter of Elizabeth Block's novel, A Gesture Through Time, introduces the forbidden love affair between the narrator and Magnitude Hortense Zappa.
- Sperm Are From Men, Eggs Are From Women
In Sperm Are From Men, Eggs Are From Women, an average guy takes a look at the whole issue of relationships through the lens of sociology, biology, anthropology, and some pretty awful dates. Elegant and earthy, intelligent and a little bit insane, the real reason men and women are different is the very reason human beings are made for each other.
- The Problem with E.S.P.
The Golden Rule for a bedwetter: nobody can ever know. Well, maybe Mom and Dad can know, but nobody else. Unfortunately however, in "The Problem with ESP" a young bedwetter has to contend with a teacher's supernatural forces -- ESP. This humorous account of awkward adolescence details the narrator's lifelong struggle with chronic bedwetting and the various methods he employed to conceal his secret.
- Crashing America
Katia Noyes read selections from her novel, Crashing America, which follows a runaway torn between her yearnings for freedom and her need for belonging.
- Monstress
"Monstress" is loosely based on an actual event, or rather, an actual movie: years ago, I read about a movie deemed by a group of critics as the worst movie ever made; a horror/sci-fi flick made of two films -- one from the Philippines, one from the US -- spliced together.
- Zoo Material
"Zoo Material" is the story of a man who gets fired from his job at the zoo, if not for his own good, then certainly for the poor animals, who among other things seem to be "acting oddly in his presence."
- Billy and the Ants
My 'Billy' stories are my attempt to capture in words, like flies in corn syrup, the hopes and dreams of children everywhere. They are intended to be read aloud to boys and girls you hope never to see again.
- A Series of Walks
Jeff T. Johnson reads "A Series of Walks," a three-poem cycle about a visit to Vancouver in the dead of winter.
- From Somewhere Down South to South Beach
"From Somewhere Down South to South Beach" takes an irreverant look at the seedier side of the MFA experience.
- Magic Kingdom
In "Magic Kingdom," a 315-pound complexity engineer with a briefcase full of software is bound for Orlando to boot up Disney's new "Origins of Life" exhibit. He finds himself seated next to a man who is clinically aerophobic.
- Always a Happy Man
Is it art or is it obsession? Is art always obsessive? Follow the story about Danny Moran (about many of us) who keeps the hum turned up inside his body. Will his product be his demise?
- Always Coming Second
This poem describes my relationships with musicians. I do find myself using music as a jumping off point for a lot of my writing, but with this poem, there's a very sustained conversation going on about how music and writing are the same, and how they are inevitably going to be different -- and how those differences can impact communication.
- La Ann
Stefanie Kalem reads "La Ann," her essay about meeting Ann Magnuson and starting a new life in San Diego.
- Girl Reporter
Stephanie Harrell reads "Girl Reporter," a short story recounting Lois Lane's torrid relationship with the man of steel.
- Animals Here Below
Eric Puchner reads "Animals Here Below," a selection from his short story collection Music Through the Floor.
- Devil in the Details
Jennifer Traig reads "Sacre Bleu," a selection from her memoir Devil in the Details.
- Weight Less Than Shadow
Jim Nisbet reads his short story "Weight Less Than Shadow" from the San Francisco Noir anthology.
- Agnes and Iris
Ben Bush reads his short story "Agnes and Iris."
- Fusion City
Kate Braverman reads "Fusion City," an essay from her "accidental memoir" Frantic Transmissions to and from Los Angeles.
- Choir Boy
Charlie Anders reads a selection from her novel Choir Boy.
- Hidden Kitchens
The Kitchen Sisters read selections from their book Hidden Kitchens.
- Spook
Mary Roach reads "Listening to Casper," a chapter from her book Spook, wherein she investigates whether ghosts play bass. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers.
- Flores
Julie Orringer reads her short story "Flores."
- Nothing Ever Just Disappears
Kevin Killian reads "Nothing Ever Just Disappears" from The Wild Creatures, a collection of stories by Sam D'Allesandro, which he edited.
