| Story | Author | Picker | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
"A Poor-Aunt Story" Ghost on his back. John's reflection on loneliness gap. #surreal#haunting#relationships | Haruki Murakami (2001) | Hannah | Jan 28, 2026 |
"Can Only Houses Be Haunted" Farm stand zombie. Exit Zero collection. #surreal#haunting#relationships | Marie-Hélène Bertino (2025) | Hannah | Jan 28, 2026 |
"Plants, Stones, Dirt, and Sky" All Play #all-play#time#conformity#death | Yan Lianke | JC | Dec 17, 2025 |
"Wing's Chips" All Play #all-play#time#conformity#death | Mavis Gallant | Hannah | Dec 17, 2025 |
"Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman" All Play #all-play#time#conformity#death | Harlan Ellison | Ruben | Dec 17, 2025 |
"My Dear You" All Play #all-play#time#conformity#death | Rachel Khong | John | Dec 17, 2025 |
"Unreasonable" #devastating-ending#death | Rivka Galchen | JC | Nov 21, 2025 |
"Hunter's Moon" #devastating-ending#death | Thomas Lynch | JC | Nov 21, 2025 |
"Signs and Symbols" John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read. #devastating-ending#surreal | Vladimir Nabokov | John | Oct 22, 2025 |
"Origin Story" John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read. #devastating-ending#surreal | Kelly Link | John | Oct 22, 2025 |
"The Lesson" John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read. #devastating-ending#surreal | Kelly Link | John | Oct 22, 2025 |
"Artist" Second Carver (first was "Cathedral" Jan 2023). #literary#aging | Lydia Millet | Ruben | Sep 24, 2025 |
"After the Denim" Second Carver (first was "Cathedral" Jan 2023). #literary#aging | Raymond Carver | Ruben | Sep 24, 2025 |
Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play #all-play#coming-of-age | Sherwood Anderson | Hannah | Aug 27, 2025 |
"Point of View" Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play #all-play#coming-of-age | Lucia Berlin | Ruben | Aug 27, 2025 |
"The Fête" Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play #all-play#coming-of-age | Tom Crewe | JC | Aug 27, 2025 |
"The Man Stopped" Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play #all-play#coming-of-age | Vladimir Nabokov | John | Aug 27, 2025 |
"Walter, Like Water" NY vs LA. Homes is a contemporary LA riff on Cheever. Cheever's birthday week. #literary#class | A.M. Homes | JC | Jun 18, 2025 |
NY vs LA. Homes is a contemporary LA riff on Cheever. Cheever's birthday week. #literary#class | John Cheever | JC | Jun 18, 2025 |
John: "I was hoping to become more familiar with the stories before sharing." #conformity#horror#too-long | Shirley Jackson | John | May 28, 2025 |
"Procession of the Black Sloth" John: "I was hoping to become more familiar with the stories before sharing." #conformity#horror#too-long | Laird Barron | John | May 28, 2025 |
"Cinnamon Shops" Ruben's dad Bob joined. Both authors also visual artists. Stories about "perception and taking walks." #surreal#childhood | Bruno Schulz | Ruben | Apr 30, 2025 |
"Speaking of Bashies" Ruben's dad Bob joined. Both authors also visual artists. Stories about "perception and taking walks." #surreal#childhood | A. Kendra Greene | Ruben | Apr 30, 2025 |
"Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce." #surreal#unreliable-narrator | Charlotte Perkins Gilman | Hannah | Mar 19, 2025 |
"Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce." #surreal#unreliable-narrator | Julio Cortázar | Hannah | Mar 19, 2025 |
"Up in the Gallery" "Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce." #surreal#unreliable-narrator | Franz Kafka (bonus) | Hannah | Mar 19, 2025 |
"The Particles of Order" Li's characters live in literary worlds. Character says: "My life is a William Trevor story." Trevor is "the Irish Chekhov." #literary#irish-lit | Yiyun Li | JC | Feb 26, 2025 |
"The Piano Tuner's Wife" Li's characters live in literary worlds. Character says: "My life is a William Trevor story." Trevor is "the Irish Chekhov." #literary#irish-lit | William Trevor | JC | Feb 26, 2025 |
"The Little Flashes" John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated." #fairy-tale#open-ended | Greg Shutz | John | Jan 22, 2025 |
"The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear" John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated." #fairy-tale#open-ended | Kelly Link | John | Jan 22, 2025 |
"Revision" John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated." #fairy-tale#open-ended | Daisy Hildyard (bonus) | John | Jan 22, 2025 |
Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play #all-play#time#death | Ted Chiang | JC | Dec 18, 2024 |
"Wait a Minute" Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play #all-play#time#death | Lucia Berlin | Hannah | Dec 18, 2024 |
Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play #all-play#time#death | Kate Chopin | Ruben | Dec 18, 2024 |
"I Like All Colors" Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word." #anthology | Semezdin Mehmedinovic | Ruben | Nov 18, 2024 |
"Pillory" Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word." #anthology | Omar El Akkad | Ruben | Nov 18, 2024 |
"The Creek, the Wind, the Holly" Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word." #anthology | Lacy Johnson | Ruben | Nov 18, 2024 |
"Little Rabbit" "Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." Bonus: "Time and Distance Overcome" – Eula Biss (essay on lynching). #surreal#horror | Maria Reva | Hannah | Oct 23, 2024 |
"Slumberland" "Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." Bonus: "Time and Distance Overcome" – Eula Biss (essay on lynching). #surreal#horror | Laura van den Berg | Hannah | Oct 23, 2024 |
"Gimpel the Fool" JC: "I'm not really sure if we will have a productive discussion; it could be a quiet 75 minutes." #jewish-lit#folk-tale | Isaac Bashevis Singer (trans. Saul Bellow) | JC | Sep 25, 2024 |
"Invented Jewish Tales" JC: "I'm not really sure if we will have a productive discussion; it could be a quiet 75 minutes." #jewish-lit#folk-tale | Sam Sax | JC | Sep 25, 2024 |
"Job History" Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Annie Proulx | JC | Aug 28, 2024 |
"The Crossing" Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Mark Slouka | John | Aug 28, 2024 |
"A Quarreling Couple" Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Jane Bowles | Hannah | Aug 28, 2024 |
"Forever Overhead" Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play #all-play#short#coming-of-age | David Foster Wallace | Ruben | Aug 28, 2024 |
"A Small Good Thing" "Rabbit rabbit rabbit." #grief#class | Raymond Carver | John | Jul 24, 2024 |
"Rabbit rabbit rabbit." #grief#class | Nikolai Gogol | John | Jul 24, 2024 |
"The Company of Others" Inspired by Peter Attia's "Outlive" on self-compassion. "Would you be this hard on your friend? No? Then go lighter on yourself." #self-compassion#relationships | Sara Freeman | Ruben | Jun 21, 2024 |
"Annunciation" Inspired by Peter Attia's "Outlive" on self-compassion. "Would you be this hard on your friend? No? Then go lighter on yourself." #self-compassion#relationships | Lauren Groff | Ruben | Jun 21, 2024 |
"The Devourings" Read Bender first. "Image system near the end is downright incredible." #surreal#relationships | Aimee Bender | Hannah | May 29, 2024 |
"The Floating Bridge" Read Bender first. "Image system near the end is downright incredible." #surreal#relationships | Alice Munro | Hannah | May 29, 2024 |
"Kansas" JC's 20-year history with Gilead. "I was afraid the book would reveal me as I am: sedate, thinky, begrudgingly sentimental." #literary#meta | Marilynne Robinson | JC | Apr 24, 2024 |
JC's 20-year history with Gilead. "I was afraid the book would reveal me as I am: sedate, thinky, begrudgingly sentimental." #literary#meta | Grace Paley | JC | Apr 24, 2024 |
"Whoever is There, Come on Through" John: "I'll leave it to each of you to surmise" the theme. #irish-lit#devastating-ending | Colin Barrett | John | Mar 27, 2024 |
John: "I'll leave it to each of you to surmise" the theme. #irish-lit#devastating-ending | Tobias Wolff | John | Mar 27, 2024 |
"Raymond's Run" Running theme—Ruben recently got into distance running. #childhood#running | Toni Cade Bambara | Ruben | Feb 21, 2024 |
"Crown Heights North" Running theme—Ruben recently got into distance running. #childhood#running | Rivka Galchen | Ruben | Feb 21, 2024 |
"The Semplica Girl Diaries" Both share "diaristic frame" and are "wildly dark and wildly funny and wildly strange." #diaristic#dark-humor#class | George Saunders | Hannah | Jan 24, 2024 |
"Christina the Astonishing" Both share "diaristic frame" and are "wildly dark and wildly funny and wildly strange." #diaristic#dark-humor#class | Kirstin Valdez Quade | Hannah | Jan 24, 2024 |
Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play #all-play#time | Washington Irving | Ruben | Dec 13, 2023 |
"Cortes the Killer" Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play #all-play#time | Samantha Hunt | Hannah | Dec 13, 2023 |
"The Perfume Thief" Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play #all-play#time | Susan Finley | JC | Dec 13, 2023 |
"If it keeps on raining" "I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring." #identity#open-ended | Jon McGregor | JC | Nov 15, 2023 |
"Gogol" "I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring." #identity#open-ended | Jhumpa Lahiri | JC | Nov 15, 2023 |
"Heart" "I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring." #identity#open-ended | Shuang Xuetao | JC | Nov 15, 2023 |
"The Husband Stitch" Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play #all-play#horror | Carmen Maria Machado | Hannah | Oct 18, 2023 |
"The Last Rung on the Ladder" Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play #all-play#horror | Stephen King | John | Oct 18, 2023 |
"Red Wind" Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play #all-play#horror | Raymond Chandler | JC | Oct 18, 2023 |
"October in the Chair" Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play #all-play#horror | Neil Gaiman | Ruben | Oct 18, 2023 |
Bonus: ["The School"](https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Barthelme_School.pdf) – Donald Barthelme. #literary#faith | Anton Chekhov | Ruben | Sep 24, 2023 |
"Rainbows" Bonus: ["The School"](https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Barthelme_School.pdf) – Donald Barthelme. #literary#faith | Joseph O'Neill | Ruben | Sep 24, 2023 |
"Does a Bee Care" Bonus essay: Le Guin intro to Left Hand of Darkness. #sci-fi#surreal | Isaac Asimov | Hannah | Aug 12, 2023 |
"Madame Bovary's Greyhound" Bonus essay: Le Guin intro to Left Hand of Darkness. #sci-fi#surreal | Karen Russell | Hannah | Aug 12, 2023 |
"Between Zero and One" #class#identity | Bo Young Kim | John | Jul 27, 2023 |
| #class#identity | F. Scott Fitzgerald | John | Jul 27, 2023 |
"Bruto" Hannah's first session. #class#escape | Helen DeWitt | JC | Jun 28, 2023 |
"The Fall of Edward Barnard" Hannah's first session. #class#escape | Somerset Maugham | JC | Jun 28, 2023 |
"The Moor" From Murakami's Birthday Stories anthology. #anthology | Russell Banks | Ruben | May 25, 2023 |
"Angel of Mercy, Angel of Wraith" From Murakami's Birthday Stories anthology. #anthology | Ethan Canin | Ruben | May 25, 2023 |
| #surreal#southern-lit | Jorge Luis Borges | John | Apr 20, 2023 |
"High-Water Railers" #surreal#southern-lit | Barry Hannah | John | Apr 20, 2023 |
"Story of Your Life" #sci-fi#time | Ted Chiang | Ruben | Mar 16, 2023 |
| #sci-fi#time | Isaac Asimov | Ruben | Mar 16, 2023 |
| #relationships#language | Dorothy Parker | JC/Ruben | Feb 17, 2023 |
"History of a Disturbance" #relationships#language | Steven Millhauser | JC/Ruben | Feb 17, 2023 |
"Cathedral" Founding session. Blue-collar first-person. #childhood#irish-lit#first-person | Raymond Carver | Ruben | Jan 13, 2023 |
"Foster" Founding session. Blue-collar first-person. #childhood#irish-lit#first-person | Claire Keegan | Ruben | Jan 13, 2023 |
"The Lame Shall Enter First" Self-deluded parents become monsters. #parenting#dark-humor | Flannery O'Connor | JC | Dec 16, 2022 |
"The Mom of Bold Action" Self-deluded parents become monsters. #parenting#dark-humor | George Saunders | JC | Dec 16, 2022 |
"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" Men fucking it up. George and Harry could be friends. #death#masculinity#class | Ernest Hemingway | JC | Nov 17, 2022 |
"A King Alone" Men fucking it up. George and Harry could be friends. #death#masculinity#class | Rachel Kushner | JC | Nov 17, 2022 |
What we love:
Things to avoid: Skinning of human beings (<1% target), stories too long to read twice