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.

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.

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.

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?

Perfect selection for this time in history. Bravo!

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.

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.

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?