I look forward to every new podcast! The variety of stories and performers is excellent. The hosts are great and interview give us insight as listeners.

The stories are interesting, but sometimes they’re kind of a miss, like what was the point of that story.. It’s like a knock off version of the Moth. But the host Meg needs to just make her own podcast where she talks the whole time because she’s clearly dying to be important and heard. She talks way way too much and she kills it for me.

Not only are the story choices incredible with a wide berth of subjects but the performers/ narrators are magic. Take a tiny head vacation to one of these fictional destinations. I really love this show. Thank you.

I really enjoy the observations and insights host Meg Wolitzer brings to Selected Shorts. I have been a fan of the show since before the word “podcast” made its debut, and loved waking up Sunday mornings to hear host Isaiah Sheffer introduce and sometimes perform the spoken stories. While I miss his low key demeanor and his polished voice, I was very pleased when Meg took the lead after Isaiah’s passing. Meg brings to the show a writer’s appreciation for the stories and the writers behind the stories. I will routinely look up other works by the writers, guided by Meg’s own impressions of what’s been presented. I’ve read with concern the posts that are dismissive or negative about Meg’s contributions to the show. To each his or her own, of course. But it would be a shame, in my view, were we to lose such a talented host. Don’t it always seem to go that we don’t know what we’ve got til it’s gone?

Update: is no one in the SS world hearing what we are all Saying about Meg? Read. The. Reviews. Even the 5 star ones are begging for Meg to shush up. Those of us who have loved this platform for over 25 years simply cannot wrap our heads around her silly and cringey intrusions. The "I love Meg" reviews are extremely rare and imo faker than a 3 dollar bill. She picks her own story to read this week? Then does commentary on it? It was a horrible story. The audience was sound asleep. Full of references no one got --but cmon! You can't pick your own story then host the show and slather butter all over your stale bread. At the very least get a guest host to take the reins the week you select your own story. My old review still stands: Are there directors? Rehearsals? Or do they just come from the sound stage of their sit coms to speed read through volunteer gigs? More than half of the stories are ones I cringe through because of the very very poor quality of the reading. The more famous and busier the reader, the worse the reading. From the first to the last word of capotes short story I was slack jawed. Not to mention that the intro was literally as long as the story. Meg Wolitzer is the bane of my existence. The. Bane. Then the first line of the next story just starts with a mistake. Is there a period after counter? This sounds like someone had never read the story before. SS has always had a smattering of emotive readers who over do it. That’s for the last 20 years. Maybe bc I’ve decided to give it a try again over Covid I’m poorly conditioned for performances like the ones I’ve been hearing. Also I’ve been spoiled by stellar performances on audible by no name readers of superior skill. Ok I get it audible is edited and this is live. All the more reason to rehearse and direct these readings.

Stories are great but I really miss the old host who passed away. This new one seems to thin we all need to hear her analysis of the story and her take on why it’s good. Too much nattering on - have to fast forward to get to the story.

The selection of stories use to be monumentally better. Meg's giant ego has stolen all of the greatness from this podcast. Other listeners have been giving feedback and reviews about the host for YEARS! How many hundreds of reviews have to be written before someone actually gives the listeners what they want.

Perfect selection for this time in history. Bravo!

This used to be such a great program when Isaiah Sheffer was host now the host rambles at the stories of boring. Why not mix it up the different hosts each week?

Irritated lately by the story selection. Snarky McSweeney’s essays and the like are commentary, not fiction. I was excited about the banned books episode but then they didn’t read a single banned work! The story selection under Wolitzer is just a huge disappointment. Ditch the essays, lose Wolitzer’s precious intros, and bring back good, substantive fiction read by actors with gravitas. And make the back catalog available please. Alec Baldwin reading Wharton, Jane Curtain reading anything/everything.

I love listening to the stories but I find the host’s seemingly endless banter to be unbelievably annoying. I cope by skipping through those parts, going straight to the stories.

I loved this show when Isaiah Sheffer was host. Now with Meg Woolitzer, there is too much talking before and after each story and when she stated the, “return of book club,” I let out a loud groan. Ugh. I’m here to listen to stories, not the host gabbing with their friends or family members. And, I don’t find her interviews with the actors who have done the reading very compelling or interesting.

Always a pleasure to listen to and enjoy. A delight.

This for me was the best. I grew up watching them and then the love story I experienced thank you for all the great memories.

Love every story and excited for the next episode.

I love Meg’s insight and selections! I delight in hearing every new episode and look forward to each Author and Narrator. As a whole, this show brings up sweet memories of chocolate milk and story hour in the afternoon as a small child!

It’s better than the best

….catch them exactly when they are ending. So many times I have enjoyed a story on this podcast and when it ends I am lost in thought about it. Then, suddenly I am ripped out of that wonderful feeling by Meg Walletzer and her unbearable commentary. I’ve found it pretty simple to fast forward past Meg Willitsir’s intros (which are all sad little bits of her relating everything to her own life and always pointing out that she’s a writer too!) The intros are easy to dismiss as pathetic even if I accidentally hear a moment or two. The outros are so bad that even hearing one or two words of them can ruin a story. Meg Wulletzaar’s compulsion to impart her godlike wisdom feels almost malicious. Meg explains the bigger meanings as she is the puzzle master and we are all dumbstruck. She breaks it down even more for all of us idiots and tells us specifically how the story “relates” to our everyday lives. Recently I had to listen to an outro I was on Bluetooth headphones and I couldn’t get to my phone, it happened to be commentary from a book club. It was so different than Meg’s toxic thoughts even though some of them focused on bigger themes. Some of them disagreed and some of them just said little things that they noticed and liked. It was great, it made me think about the story even more. I realized this is what Meg thinks she is doing. Oh well, as long as I catch the stories before I even hear a split second of Meg’s dogmatic voice this is a great podcast!

Just can’t listen to this podcast. Seems to be steeped in gay experiences and it just is. It what I want to listen to.

True writers read by exceptional actors who relate to what they are reading. Some stories remind me why I love literature others are just curious. But I love both, equally.

Consistently interesting stories read with passion by actors; if you love short stories or literature, you will love this podcast.

My father used to make up stories to get us to fall asleep! I will sometime enjoy a SS at bedtime too! I love the association!

This is more of a testament to the awesome Meg Wolitzer. Meg, your insights, interviews, and passion for good literature is refreshing. This is especially true during a season of non-literate persons foisting their elementary approach to story telling on us. You encourage and promote the best. You are the best, only to be challenged by your mom—-and I love your interviews of Mom!

…by how much more life there is in the actors’ rendition of stories than there is when I read them. Many Thanks for the literary awakening.

I have been a great fan of selected shorts .. I was ready to listen Thursday .. ALL of my saved shows and newly added - are all listed as”E” explicit- What happened ??

This and Snap Judgement are my required listening for amazing storytelling

And I don’t have to dress up!

Growing tired of Ms. Wolitzer's choices.

Thank you! The intros set the stage for time to stop - just listen and enjoy.

I found Iain McKeon here and others

I honestly don’t get the negative reviews, but then I didn’t follow the show before it was hosted by Meg. Personally I greatly enjoy Meg’s intros; they add flavor and context, and I like her style. And I relish so many of the stories themselves, whether for content and/or delivery. Of course I don’t enjoy them all equally; that would not be humanly possible.

Not a great radio voice- Ok but her content is worse! The act is reading. The stories are fantastic, as I have the stories selected.

Way too much time devoted to Meg. Never had that with Isiah.

Ophira is not the former host of a show….she was the host of a former show. Your editors lack of skill is very apparent

The fiction is usually very good and the actors’ readings are great. I used to love this show but Meg Wolitzer’s style is just not for me and she takes up too much time and space, which sort of ruins it for me. So I don’t listen very often any more. I used to listen every week. [sad face]

I’ve been listening to Selected Shorts for decades. Meg’s intros always give me insight into the writer’s craft. She sets the stage for the delights to come. It’s a wonderful aperitif to the readers’ performances.

See tzila99’s review

I’ve enjoyed Selected Shorts since the Isaiah Sheffer days when you had to tune into NPR on the radio one day a week. But i am finally giving up on it. The story selections are always so joyless the last few years. Even when they are intended to be funny, its always just grim humor, or worse, bitter humor. Just drab and joyless tales week after week. Don’t get me wrong. I am not looking for only humor. I like a good sad tale, or social commentary, but those don’t have to be dreary. A moving story now and then would be great too. I will miss the professionally read stories, so much talent. However, all the talent in the world can’t save story after story of the divorcee coming to terms with - fill in the blank: spousal betrayal, kids leaving home, friendship failures, aging parents. We need a better mix: Down to the Sea in Ships, mixed with Cheever, then Frankencat, then Wharton, then, fine, some dreary modern angst. But, please, a larger emotional range than story after story of ho-hum nobody’s muddling through a joyless experience/life/day/interaction. So sick of it. Every week i try to listen and every week its a different version of the same thing. Stories can be meaningful and witty without being comedy. And there is a filling of the heart in a moving, heroic, or poignant tale that is like joy. So, I am not trying to say that the show has to be more funny. By the way, SS, throwing in the occasional Etgar Keret doesn't prove I am wrong. It just proves I am right. Yes he is a fenius surrealist and often funny, but his stories are mostly grim looks at a harsh realities. So just another example of the narrow emotional range that i am entirely over. I cannot be the only one here who would like a fresh take on story selections. Maybe I will check back in the future.

Her narrative is it’s own story

Love Meg’s thoughtful reflections. A great addition to one of my long time favorite shows.

The stories and the actors are the highlight, but you have to get through an unnecessary amount of commentary from Meg Wolitzer to get to them. The episode where she interviews her own mother made me want to throw my phone out the window. It was fun when they had different hosts each episode.

…in how this show has changed. I listen for the stories and the intros that used to be brief. I don’t enjoy the new format at all.

I agree with several fellow listeners that the podcast was better before Wolitzer became host. She is fine when limiting her commentary to the story at hand but, frequently, she inserts annoying bits and bobs from her own life. I am also dismayed to see Wolitzer being permitted to have her mother pop up on the podcast sometimes, which I feel to be an inappropriate use of Wolitzer’s platform as host. The mother’s recent story was cute, but not of the caliber listeners have come to expect. It then went on to include an interview with Wolitzer’s mother during which Meg as host shamelessly continued to promote her mother’s work, as she did during a Mother’s Day segment. That, too, included a not-terribly-interesting interview of mother by daughter, during which her mother offered rather prosaic thoughts about writing, under the guise of insights. I listen for the stories, not for background about Meg — or her mother. Meg seems not to understand or care about this. (Does anyone on the Selected Shorts’ Board read these reviews?)

Loved this podcast until she began hosting. I listen because I am interested in the authors and the readers — I don’t dislike Wolitzer as a writer but this series is NOT about her. It’s annoying to me to hear her insert her into it so much — enough so that I no longer subscribe.

What is this? There are only 16 episodes and maybe a third are stories; it’s mostly interviews and discussions. I realize many hosts desperately want to make a living talking to interesting people or sharing their thoughts, but don’t deceive us by pretending this is a fiction podcast.

I used to love Selected Shorts but now I have to skip through the host’s parts because she is SO irritating. Lately, the stories are being replayed without any indication in the description. Are you sure you want to continue the podcast? Unless there are changes, I’ll unfollow.

What happened to all the episodes? Please don’t put this show behind a pay wall.

I used to order Selected Shorts compilations on audio CDs from my library so you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover that my favorite stories were right under my nose all along!

I have been following this Podcast quite a while. I look forward with excitement bto each new release and play it right away. I listen to this Podcast while I knit on a project such as socks, a sweater, or some such item. They go together so well. I recommend this Podcast to anyone and everyone. Enjoy 🙂👍

Love the stories, but I’m fast forwarding past the intros, outros and interstitial comments. Can you please just tell me a story, let me savor and reflect on it, and save the writer’s workshop prattle for another podcast?