The New Yorker: Fiction

Clare Sestanovich joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Moons of Jupiter” by Alice Munro, which was published in The New Yorker in 1978. Sestanovich’s story collection, “Objects of Desire,” was published in 2021.

Gary Shteyngart joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Omakase,” by Weike Wang, which was published in *The New Yorker* in 2018. Shteyngart is the author of five novels including, most recently, “Lake Success” and “Our Country Friends.” 

Ling Ma joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Seeing Ershadi,” by Nicole Krauss, which was published in The New Yorker in 2018. Ma is the author of the novel “Severance” and the story collection “Bliss Montage,” which came out in September.

Jamil Jan Kochai joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “All Will Be Well,” by Yiyun Li, which was published in The New Yorker in 2019. Kochai is the author of two books, the novel “99 Nights in Logar,” which was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, and the story collection “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak,” which is a finalist for the National Book Award. He is currently a Hodder Fellow at Princeton.

Madeleine Thien joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Cafeteria in the Evening and a Pool in the Rain,” by Yoko Ogawa, translated from the Japanese by Stephen Snyder, which was published in The New Yorker in 2004. Thien’s books include the novels “Dogs at the Perimeter” and “Do Not Say We Have Nothing,” which won the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize. 

Elif Batuman joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Truth and Fiction,” by Sylvia Townsend Warner, which was published in The New Yorker in 1961. Batuman is the author of one book of nonfiction, “The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them,” and two novels, “The Idiot” and “Either/Or,” which was published earlier this year. She has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 2010.

André Alexis joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Waiting for Death in a Hotel,” by Italo Calvino, translated, from the Italian, by Martin McLaughlin, which was published in The New Yorker in 2006. Alexis’s novels include “Childhood,” “Days by Moonlight,” and “Fifteen Dogs,” which won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2015.

2022 © Italo Calvino, performed with permission of The Wylie Agency LLC.

Akhil Sharma joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Zombie,” by Joyce Carol Oates, which was published in The New Yorker in 1994. Sharma is the author of the novels “Family Life” and “An Obedient Father,” which will be reissued in a revised version this month.

Rachel Kushner joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Come Into the Drawing Room, Doris,” by Edna O’Brien, which was published in The New Yorker in 1962. Kushner is the author of three novels and most recently the essay collection “The Hard Crowd,” which was published last year.

Camille Bordas joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “A Father-to-Be,” by Saul Bellow, which was published in The New Yorker in 1955. Bordas’s novel “How to Behave in a Crowd,” was published in 2017

Sherman Alexie joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Where I’m Calling From,” by Raymond Carver, which was published in The New Yorker in 1982. Alexie is the author of nineteen books of fiction and poetry, including “Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories” and the novel “Flight.”

Gish Jen joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Friends,” by Grace Paley, which was published in The New Yorker in 1979. Jen is the author of nine books, including the novel “The Resisters” and the story collection “Thank you, Mr. Nixon,” which was published in February.

Alejandro Zambra joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Loneliness,” by Bruno Schulz, translated from the Polish by Celina Wieniewska, which was published in The New Yorker in 1977. Zambra is a Chilean poet, novelist, and story writer whose most recent novel, “Chilean Poet,” will be published in English this month.

Kevin Barry joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “A Family Man,” by V. S. Pritchett, which was published in The New Yorker in 1977. Barry is a winner of the International Dublin Literary Award and the author of six books of fiction, most recently the story collection “That Old Country Music,” which came out in 2020.

Will Mackin joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Falls,” by George Saunders, which was published in The New Yorker in 1996. Mackin’s first book, “Bring Out the Dog,” was published in 2018 and won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection.

Ben Lerner joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “In the Name of Bobby,” by Julio Cortázar, translated from the Spanish by Gregory Rabassa, which was published in The New Yorker in 1979. Lerner is the author of seven books of fiction and poetry, including the novels “10:04” and “The Topeka School,” which was a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. 

Donald Antrim joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Balloon,” by Donald Barthelme, which was published in The New Yorker in 1966. Antrim is the author of three novels and the story collection “The Emerald Light in the Air.” His memoir, “One Friday in April: A Story of Suicide and Survival,” will be published this month.

“The Balloon” (c) 1966, by Donald Barthelme, performed with permission of the Wylie Agency, LLC.

Rebecca Curtis joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey,” by Haruki Murakami, which was published in The New Yorker in 2020. Curtis is the author of the story collection “Twenty Grand: and Other Tales of Love and Money.”

Ann Patchett joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Proxy Marriage,” by Maile Meloy, which was published in The New Yorker in 2012. Patchett is the author of eight novels, including “Commonwealth” and “The Dutch House,” which was a finalist for last year’s Pulitzer Prize.

Susan Choi joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Found Objects,” by Jennifer Egan, which was published in The New Yorker in 2007. Choi is the author of five novels, including “My Education” and “Trust Exercise,” which won the National Book Award in 2019.

Ben Okri joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Rescue Will Begin in Its Own Time,” four short fiction pieces by Franz Kafka, translated from the German by Michael Hofmann, which were published in The New Yorker in June of 2020. Okri is the author of two dozen books of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including the novels “The Famished Road,” which won the Booker Prize in 1991, and “The Freedom Artist,” which was published in 2019.

Téa Obreht joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Gallatin Canyon,” by Thomas McGuane, which appeared in a 2003 issue of the magazine. Obreht is the author of two novels, “The Tiger's Wife” and “Inland.”

Weike Wang joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Katania,” by Lara Vapnyar, which appeared in a 2013 issue of the magazine. Wang's first novel, “Chemistry,” won the PEN/Hemingway Award in 2018.

Douglas Stuart joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Fjord of Killary,” by Kevin Barry, which appeared in a 2010 issue of the magazine. Stuart’s first novel, “Shuggie Bain,” won the Booker Prize in 2020.

Hisham Matar joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “One Minus One,” by Colm Tóibín, which appeared in a 2007 issue of the magazine. Matar’s most recent book, the memoir “A Month in Siena,” came out last year.

Chang-rae Lee joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Coming Soon,” by Steven Millhauser, which appeared in a 2013 issue of the magazine. Lee’s sixth novel, “My Year Abroad,” will be published in February.

Samantha Hunt joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “A Sheltered Woman,” by Yiyun Li, which appeared in a 2014 issue of the magazine. Hunt’s four books of fiction include the story collection “The Dark Dark,” which was published in 2017, and “The Seas,” for which she won the National Book Foundations’s 5 Under 35 Award in 2006.

Elizabeth Strout joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Bravado,” by William Trevor, which appeared in a 2007 issue of the magazine. Strout’s most recent book, “Olive Again,” an Oprah’s book-club pick, was published in 2019. 

ZZ Packer joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Who Will Greet You At Home,” by Lesley Nneka Arimah, which appeared in a 2015 issue of the magazine. Packer’s story collection, “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere,” was published in 2003.

David Gilbert joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Three Days,” by Samantha Hunt, which appeared in a 2006 issue of the magazine. Gilbert is the author of two novels, “& Sons” and “The Normals.”

Tommy Orange joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Years of My Birth,” by Louise Erdrich, which appeared in a 2011 issue of the magazine. Orange’s first novel, “There There,” was published in 2018 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Allegra Goodman joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “No Place for You My Love,” by Eudora Welty, which appeared in a 1952 issue of the magazine. Goodman’s books include “The Family Markowitz” and “The Chalk Artist.” 

Bryan Washington joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “U.F.O. in Kushiro,” by Haruki Murakami, which first appeared in a 2001 issue of the magazine and was then republished in 2011, after an earthquake and tsunami devastated northern Japan. Washington’s début story collection, “Lot,” was published last year, and his first novel, “Memorial,” will come out in October. 

Kristen Roupenian joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Afternoon in Linen,” by Shirley Jackson, which appeared in a 1943 issue of the magazine. Roupenian’s début story collection, “You Know You Want This,” was published last year, and was just released in paperback under the title “Cat Person and Other Stories.” 

Deborah Treisman reads and discusses “Good People,” by David Foster Wallace, which appeared in a 2007 issue of the magazine. David Foster Wallace, who died in 2008, was the author of three short-story collections and three novels, including “Infinite Jest,” and “The Pale King,” which was published posthumously, in 2011, and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. 

Greg Jackson joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Where You’ll Find Me,” by Ann Beattie, which appeared in a 1986 issue of the magazine. Jackson is the author of “Prodigals,” a story collection published in 2016, for which he won the Bard Fiction Prize and the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Award. 

David Rabe joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Other Side of the Street,” by John Updike, which appeared in a 1991 issue of the magazine. Rabe, a fiction writer, playwright, and screenwriter, is the author of more than a dozen plays, including the Tony Award-winning “Sticks and Bones,” “In the Boom Boom Room,” and “Hurlyburly.” He received the PEN/Laura Pels Theatre Award as a Master American Dramatist in 2014. His novels include “Recital of the Dog” and “Girl by the Road at Night.” 

Andrea Lee joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Barn Burning,” by Haruki Murakami, which appeared in a 1992 issue of the magazine. Lee’s books of fiction include “Sarah Phillips,” “Interesting Women,” and “Lost Hearts in Italy.” A new book, “Red Island House,” will be published by Scribner in 2021. 

Ann Beattie joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Dédé,” by Mavis Gallant, which appeared in a 1987 issue of the magazine. Beattie has published eleven story collections and nine novels, including “Mrs. Nixon” and this year’s “A Wonderful Stroke of Luck.” She was also a winner of the 2005 Rea Award for the Short Story, as well as the PEN/Malamud Award. She has been publishing fiction in The New Yorker since 1974. 

Garth Greenwell joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Shorn Lamb,” by Jean Stafford, which appeared in a 1953 issue of the magazine. Greenwell is a fiction writer, poet, and critic. His first novel, “What Belongs to You,” was published in 2016, and won the British Book Award for Debut of the Year. A new book of fiction, “Cleanness,” will be published in January. 

Jhumpa Lahiri joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Quaestio De Centauris," by Primo Levi, translated, from the Italian, by Jenny McPhee, which appeared in a 2015 issue of the magazine. Lahiri is the author of four books of fiction, including the story collection "Interpreter of Maladies," which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000, and the novel "The Lowland." She is the editor of "The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories," which was published in September.

Etgar Keret joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "You Are Now Entering the Human Heart," by Janet Frame, from a 1969 issue of the magazine. Keret has published several short-story collections, including "The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God," "The Girl on the Fridge," "Suddenly, a Knock on the Door," and "Fly Already." His memoir, "The Seven Good Years," was published in 2015.

Margaret Atwood joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Corrie," by Alice Munro, from a 2010 issue of the magazine. Atwood is the author of numerous collections of poetry, stories, and novels, including "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Blind Assassin," which won the Booker Prize in 2000, and "Stone Mattress." A winner of the Franz Kafka Prize and the Governor General's Award, among others, she will publish "The Testaments," a sequel to "The Handmaid's Tale," in September.

Kirstin Valdez Quade joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "The Long Black Line," by John L'Heureux, from a 2018 issue of the magazine. Quade is the author of the story collection "Night at the Fiestas," which won the National Book Critic Circle's John Leonard Prize and a "5 Under 35" award from the National Book Foundation.

Andrew Sean Greer joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "I Live on Your Visits," by Dorothy Parker, from a 1955 issue of the magazine. Greer is the author of six books of fiction, including "The Confessions of Max Tivoli," "The Story of a Marriage," and "Less," which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2018. 

Emma Cline joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "The Metal Bowl," by Miranda July, from a 2017 issue of the magazine. Cline's first novel, "The Girls," was shortlisted for the John Leonard Award from the National Book Critics Circle and the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize.

Marisa Silver joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Nawabdin Electrician," by Daniyal Mueenuddin, from a 2007 issue of the magazine. Silver is the author of two short-story collections and four books of fiction, including "The God of War" and "Little Nothing."

Joy Williams joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "The Itch," by Don DeLillo, from a 2017 issue of the magazine. Williams is the author of four novels and five story collections, including "The Quick and the Dead," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and "Ninety-Nine Stories of God." Her most recent book is "The Visiting Privilege: New and Collected Stories."

Joseph O'Neill joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "The Pet," by Nadine Gordimer, from a 1962 issue of the magazine. O'Neill's four novels include "The Dog" and "Netherland." His most recent book, the story collection "Good Trouble," was published last year.

Orhan Pamuk joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Ibn Hakkan Al-Bokhari, Dead in his Labyrinth," by Jorge Luis Borges, from a 1970 issue of the magazine. Pamuk's novels include "Snow," "My Name is Red," and "The Museum of Innocence." He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006.

Dave Eggers joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Indianapolis (Highway 74)," by Sam Shepard, from a 2009 issue of the magazine. Eggers is the author of twelve books, including the novels "Heroes of the Frontier," "The Circle," and "The Wild Things." A new novel, "The Parade," will be published in March.

Stuart Dybek joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Miracle Polish," by Steven Millhauser, from a 2011 issue of the magazine. Dybek is a poet and fiction writer, whose story collections include "Paper Lantern: Love Stories" and "Ecstatic Cahoots: Fifty Short Stories." He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2007.

Roddy Doyle joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Community Life," by Lorrie Moore, from a 1991 issue of the magazine. Doyle is the author of two story collections - "The Deportees and Other Stories" and "Bullfighting" - as well as eleven novels for adults, including "Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha," which won the Booker Prize in 1993, and eight children's books. His most recent novel, "Smile," was published in 2017.

Tessa Hadley joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "New York Girl," by John Updike, from a 1996 issue of the magazine. Hadley is the author of nine books of fiction, including the story collection "Bad Dreams and Other Stories," which was published last year. She won the Windham-Campbell Prize for fiction in 2016 and has been publishing in The New Yorker since 2002.

Kate Walbert joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Pet Milk,” by Stuart Dybek, from a 1984 issue of the magazine.

Ottessa Moshfegh joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "My Life Is a Joke," by Sheila Heti, from a 2015 issue of the magazine.

A.M. Homes joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Stone Mattress," from a 2011 issue of The New Yorker.

Hari Kunzru reads and discusses “The Colonel's Daughter,” by Robert Coover, from a 2013 issue of The New Yorker.

Mohsin Hamid joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “The Book of Sand,” by Jorge Luis Borges, from a 1976 issue of the magazine.

Lorrie Moore joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Naked Ladies," by Antonya Nelson, from a 1992 issue of the magazine.

Colin Barrett joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Stuff" by Joy Williams, from a 2016 issue of the magazine.

David Sedaris joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss "Leopard," by Wells Tower from a 2008 issue of the magazine.

Last month, in honor of the tenth anniversary of the Fiction Podcast, we asked you to vote for your favorite episode from our first ten years. The winner was an episode from 2012, in which David Sedaris read and discussed "Roy Spivey," by Miranda July. This is a re-release of that podcast.

Sarah Shun-lien Bynum joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Extra,” by Yiyun Li from a 2003 issue of the magazine.

Lauren Groff joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Shirley Hazzard’s “In These Islands,” from a 1990 issue of the magazine.

Matthew Klam joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss John Updike’s “Twin Beds in Rome,” from a 1964 issue of the magazine.

Curtis Sittenfeld joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Tessa Hadley’s “The Surrogate,” from a 2003 issue of the magazine.

Akhil Sharma reads and discusses “Baster,” by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Gabe Hudson joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Robert Coover’s “The Frog Prince,” from a 2014 issue of the magazine.

Colm Tóibín reads and discusses “In The Middle of The Fields,” by Mary Lavin.

Rachel Kushner reads and discusses “The Black Lights,” by Thom Jones.

Salman Rushdie reads and discusses “Love Far From Home,” by Italo Calvino

Mary Gaitskill reads and discusses “The Five-Forty-Eight,” by John Cheever.

Junot Díaz reads and discusses "Seven," by Edwidge Danticat.

Richard Powers reads and discusses “A Visit,” by Steven Millhauser

David Means reads and discusses “The Toughest Indian in the World,” by Sherman Alexie.

Ben Marcus reads and discusses "A Dream of Men," by Mary Gaitskill.

Karen Russell joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Mavis Gallant’s “From the Fifteenth District,” from a 1978 issue of the magazine.

Annie Proulx joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss J. F. Powers’s “A Losing Game,” from a 1955 issue of the magazine.

Alice Mattison reads "The First American" by Lore Segal.

Ben Lerner joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss John Berger’s “Woven, Sir,” from a 2001 issue of the magazine.

Karl Ove Knausgaard joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss V. S. Naipaul's “Jack's Garden,” from a 1986 issue of the magazine.

Dana Spiotta joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Joy Williams’s “Chicken Hill,” from a 2015 issue of the magazine.

Anne Enright joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Frank O'Connor's "The Masculine Principle," from a 1950 issue of the magazine.

Beginning March 21, you’ll be able to hear the stories that appear in The New Yorker, read by their authors, on our new podcast, The Author’s Voice: New Fiction from The New Yorker. For this special, one-time preview episode of the podcast, we’ve put together an anthology of recent readings. First, you’ll hear Michael Cunningham reading his updated fairy tale “Little Man”; next will be Zadie Smith reading her story “Escape from New York”; and, finally, Tom Hanks reading his fiction piece “Alan Bean Plus Four.” If you like what you hear, don’t forget to subscribe to The Author’s Voice on your podcast app. Next week’s episode will feature Ian McEwan reading his latest story. We’ll be back here next month with a new episode of The New Yorker Fiction Podcast. 

Jonathan Franzen joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss David Means's "The Spot," from a 2006 issue of the magazine.

Kevin Barry joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Brian Friel's "The Saucer of Larks," from a 1960 issue of the magazine.

Rivka Galchen joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Isaac Bashevis Singer's "The Cafeteria," from a 1968 issue of the magazine.

Andrew O'Hagan joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Edna O'Brien's "The Widow," from a 1989 issue of the magazine.

Lydia Davis joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Robert Gorham Davis's “Then We’ll Set it Right,” from a 1943 issue of the magazine. 

Allan Gurganus joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Grace Paley’s “My Father Addresses Me on the Facts of Old Age,” from a 2002 issue of the magazine.

Lionel Shriver joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss T. C. Boyle’s  “Chicxulub,” from a 2004 issue of the magazine.

Sam Lipsyte joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss James Purdy’s “About Jessie Mae,” from a 1957 issue of the magazine.

Yiyun Li joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Patricia Highsmith’s “The Trouble with Mrs. Blynn, the Trouble with the World,” from a 2002 issue of the magazine.

Michael Cunningham joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Harold Brodkey’s “Dumbness Is Everything,” from a 1996 issue of the magazine.

Joshua Ferris joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Robert Coover’s “Going for a Beer,” from a 2011 issue of the magazine.

Thomas McGuane joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss David Means’s “The Tree Line, Kansas, 1934,” from a 2010 issue of the magazine.

Etgar Keret joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Donald Barthelme’s “Chablis,” from a 1983 issue of the magazine.

Antonya Nelson joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Tom Drury’s “Accident at the Sugar Beet,” from a 1992 issue of the magazine.

Joseph O’Neill joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Muriel Spark’s “The Ormolu Clock,” from a 1960 issue of the magazine.

Aleksandar Hemon joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Vladimir Nabokov’s “Pnin,” from a 1953 issue of the magazine.

David Gilbert joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Steven Polansky’s “Leg,” from a 1994 issue of the magazine.

George Saunders joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Grace Paley’s “Love,” from a 1979 issue of the magazine, and Barry Hannah’s “The Wretched Seventies,” from a 1996 issue.

Akhil Sharma joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Tobias Wolff’s “The Night In Question,” from a 1996 issue of the magazine.

Joyce Carol Oates joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Cynthia Ozick’s “The Shawl,” from a 1980 issue of the magazine.

Miranda July joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Janet Frame’s “Prizes,” from a 1962 issue of the magazine.

Rebecca Curtis joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss Leonard Michaels’s “The Penultimate Conjecture,” from a 1999 issue of the magazine.

Tim Parks reads Peter Stamm.

Nathan Englander Reads John Cheever’s “The Enormous Radio”

Jennifer Egan reads Mary Gaitskill's "The Other Place."

T. C. Boyle reads two short stories by Donald Barthelme: “Game” and “The School.”

Paul Theroux reads "The Letter Writers," by Elizabeth Taylor, which appeared in The New Yorker in 1958.

Jonathan Safran Foer reads Amos Oz's "The King of Norway," which first appeared in The New Yorker in 2011.

On this month's fiction podcast, Louise Erdrich reads "Mastiff," by Joyce Carol Oates, which appeared in the magazine in 2013. Erdrich's latest book, "The Round House," won the National Book Award in 2012.

On this month's fiction podcast, Jonathan Lethem reads "The Rescue," by V. S. Pritchett, which was first published in The New Yorker in 1973 and can be found in Pritchett's "Complete Collected Stories." (Lethem's most recent fiction in the magazine, "The Gray Goose," was excerpted from his new novel, "Dissident Gardens.") In his discussion with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, Lethem says that Pritchett is a "total sorcerer," a writer who lets readers into a world that seems stable and then "pulls the rug out from under" them, changing where the story is going and what they think of the characters. "The Rescue," which is narrated by a sixteen-year-old girl whose mother brings home an awkward boy named Ellis to help her plan the town's annual pageant, is, according to Lethem, a perfect model for the way Pritchett tends to "overturn expectations."

Rick Bass reads "Ice," by Thomas McGuane.

Donald Antrim reads "Work," by Denis Johnson.

Gary Shteyngart reads "Paper Losses," by Lorrie Moore.

Robert Coover reads "The Daughters of the Moon," by Italo Calvino.

Richard Ford reads "The State of Grace," by Harold Brodkey.

Margaret Atwood reads "Voices Lost in Snow," by Mavis Gallant.

Edwidge Danticat reads "Girl" and "Wingless," by Jamaica Kincaid.

Francisco Goldman reads "Clara," by Roberto Bolano.

Tony Earley reads "Love," by William Maxwell.

Hisham Matar reads "Shakespeare's Memory," by Jorge Luis Borges.

David Sedaris reads "Roy Spivey," by Miranda July.

Sherman Alexie reads "The Lesson," by Jessamyn West.

In this month's fiction podcast, Tessa Hadley reads "City Lovers," a story by the South African writer and 1991 Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer. The story, which was published in The New Yorker in 1975, focusses on a love affair between a white man and a "colored" woman in Apartheid South Africa. It's deeply political in its details--the man is a geologist at a mining company, the couple's affair is illegal, and they cover it up by pretending that she is his servant. But Gordimer writes with a focussed intimacy that makes the piece a tragic love story rather than a political morality tale. "One of the things I think she can teach us," says Hadley, "is how to write politically without becoming shrill."

Maile Meloy reads Laurie Colwin's "Mr. Parker" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Mr. Parker" was published in the April 14, 1973, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Passion and Affect." Maile Meloy's novels include "Liars and Saints" and "A Family Daughter."

James Salter reads Reynolds Price's "His Final Mother" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "His Final Mother" was published in the May 21, 1990, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Reynolds Price: The Collected Stories." James Salter's novels include "The Hunters" and "Light Years."

Dave Eggers reads Roddy Doyle's "Bullfighting," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Bullfighting" was published in the April 28, 2008, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Bullfighting: Stories." Dave Eggers's new novel, "A Hologram for the King," comes out this month.

Matthew Klam reads Charles D'Ambrosio's "The Point" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "The Point" was published in the October 1, 1990, issue of The New Yorker and was the title story of D'Ambrosio's first collection. Matthew Klam's most recent book of stories is "Sam the Cat."

Colm Toibin reads Sylvia Townsend Warner's "The Children's Grandmother," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "The Children's Grandmother" was published in the November 25, 1950, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Winter in the Air and Other Stories." Colm Toibin's most recent collection of stories is "The Empty Family."

Nicole Krauss reads Bruno Schulz's "Father's Last Escape," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Father's Last Escape" was published in the January 2, 1978, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "The Street of Crocodiles and Other Stories"; David Grossman wrote about Schulz in the June 8, 2009, issue. Nicole Krauss's most recent book, "Great House," was excerpted in the the magazine's 20 Under 40 issue.

Thomas Beller reads Niccolo Tucci's "The Evolution of Knowledge," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "The Evolution of Knowledge" was published in the April 12, 1947, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "The Rain Came Last & Other Stories." Thomas Beller is the author of "How to Be a Man: Scenes from a Protracted Boyhood."

Tea Obreht reads Stephanie Vaughn's "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog" was published in the June 5, 1978, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Sweet Talk," which will be reissued in 2012. Tea Obreht is the author of the novel "The Tiger's Wife."

Said Sayrafiezadeh reads Thomas Beller's "A Different Kind of Imperfection," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "A Different Kind of Imperfection" was published in the February 11, 1991, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "Seduction Theory." Said Sayrafiezadeh is the author of the memoir "When Skateboards Will Be Free."

Colum McCann reads Benedict Kiely's "Bluebell Meadow," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Bluebell Meadow" was published in the April 14, 1975, issue of The New Yorker and can be found in "The Collected Stories of Benedict Kiely." Colum McCann's most recent book is "Let the Great World Spin."

Ben Marcus reads Kazuo Ishiguro's "A Village After Dark," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "A Village After Dark" was published in the May 21, 2001, issue of The New Yorker. Ben Marcus's upcoming book, "The Flame Alphabet," will be published in 2012.

Salman Rushdie reads Donald Barthelme's "Concerning the Bodyguard," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Concerning the Bodyguard" was published in the October 16, 1978, issue of The New Yorker, and was collected in "Forty Stories." Salman Rushdie's most recent book is "Luka and the Fire of Life."

ZZ Packer reads Stuart Dybek's "Paper Lantern," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Paper Lantern" was published in the November 27, 1995, issue of The New Yorker, and was reprinted in "The Best American Short Stories 1996." ZZ Packer is the author of the short-story collection "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere."

Lauren Groff reads Alice Munro's "Axis," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Axis" was published in the January 31, 2011, issue of The New Yorker.

Allegra Goodman reads John Updike's "A & P," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "A & P" was published in the July 22, 1961, issue of The New Yorker and is collected in "The Early Stories: 1953-1975."

Sam Lipsyte reads Thomas McGuane's "Cowboy," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Cowboy" was published in the September 19, 2005, issue of The New Yorker and is collected in "Gallatin Canyon."

Daniel Alarcon reads Roberto Bolano's "Gomez Palacio."

Anne Enright reads John Cheever's "The Swimmer."

Hilton Als reads James McCourt's "Kaye Wayfaring in 'Avenged'"

Cynthia Ozick reads Steven Millhauser's "In the Reign of Harad IV."

Jennifer Egan reads Lore Segal's "The Reverse Bug."

David Means reads Raymond Carver's "Chef's House."

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reads Jamaica Kincaid's "Figures in the Distance."

Chris Adrian reads Donald Barthelme's "The Indian Uprising."

Salvatore Scibona reads Denis Johnson's "Two Men."

Rivka Galchen reads Leonard Michaels's "Cryptology."

Monica Ali reads Joshua Ferris's "The Dinner Party."

Chang-Rae Lee reads Don DeLillo's "Baader-Meinhof."

Lorrie Moore reads Julie Hayden's "Day-Old Baby Rats."

Julian Barnes reads Frank O'Connor's "The Man of the World."

Karen Russell reads Carson McCullers's "The Jockey."

Junot Diaz reads Edwidge Danticat's "Water Child."

Yiyun Li reads John McGahern's "The Wine Breath."

Orhan Pamuk reads Vladimir Nabokov's "My Russian Education" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Marisa Silver reads Peter Taylor's "Porte-Cochere" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Joshua Ferris reads George Saunders's "Adams" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

David Bezmozgis reads Sergei Dovlatov's "The Colonel Says I Love You" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Jonathan Franzen reads Veronica Geng's "Love Trouble Is My Business" and Ian Frazier's "Coyote v. Acme" and discusses them with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Tobias Wolff reads Denis Johnson's "Emergency" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Nathan Englander reads Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story "Disguised" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Joyce Carol Oates reads Eudora Welty's short story "Where Is the Voice Coming From?" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Roger Angell reads John Updike's short story "Playing with Dynamite," and talks with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, about editing Updike.

Thomas McGuane reads James Salter's "Last Night," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Roddy Doyle reads Maeve Brennan's short story "Christmas Eve," and discusses Brennan's relationship with Ireland and Doyle's own family, with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

A. M. Homes reads Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Gary Shteyngart reads Andrea Lee's short story "Brothers and Sisters Around the World," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Tobias Wolff reads Stephanie Vaughn's short story "Dog Heaven," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Jeffrey Eugenides reads Harold Brodkey's short story "Spring Fugue," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Aleksandar Hemon discusses Bernard Malamud's short story "A Summer's Reading" with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Mary Gaitskill reads "Symbols and Signs," Vladimir Nabokov's first story published in The New Yorker, and discusses it with fiction editor Deborah Treisman.

Invalid Souls: Hilton Als discusses Jean Stafford and her story "Children Are Bored on Sunday" with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. Reading by Eliza Foss.

Louise Erdrich reads Lorrie Moores short story "Dance in America" and discusses Moore with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Jonathan Lethem reads James Thurber's short story "The Wood Duck" and discusses Thurber with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

T. Coraghessan Boyle reads Tobias Wolff's "Bullet in the Brain" and discusses Wolff with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

E. L. Doctorow reads John O'Hara's short story "Graven Image" and discusses O'Hara with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Jhumpa Lahiri reads the short story "A Day," by William Trevor, and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Triesman.

Antonya Nelson reads Mavis Gallant's short story "When We Were Nearly Young" and discusses Gallant with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Paul Theroux reads Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Gospel According to Mark" and discusses Borges with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "The Gospel According to Mark" was published in The New Yorker on October 23, 1971.

Nell Freudenberger discusses Grace Paley's short story "Somewhere Else" with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. The podcast includes a reading of the story by Barbara Rosenblatt. "Somewhere Else" was published in The New Yorker on October 23, 1978.

George Saunders reads Isaac Babel's short story "You Must Know Everything" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Donald Antrim reads Donald Barthelme's 1974 short story "I Bought a Little City" and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

Junot Díaz reads a story; Edwidge Danticat and Deborah Treisman discuss.

Richard Ford reads "Reunion" by John Cheever.