Selected Shorts - Podcast Rankings and reviews

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.

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?

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.

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

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.