| Story | Author | Picker | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
"Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny" First Hogarth Press release (Woolf's imprint). Channel Four: childhood memory, scrambled cable TV, brass reflections, Pittsburgh resonance. Technology + consciousness thread through all three. John engaged. Ohio shows up in 2 of 3 stories. JC called in from Tokyo at 4:47am. #technology#consciousness#modernism#memory | Ted Chiang (Exhalation) | John | Mar 25, 2026 |
"The Mark on the Wall" First Hogarth Press release (Woolf's imprint). Channel Four: childhood memory, scrambled cable TV, brass reflections, Pittsburgh resonance. Technology + consciousness thread through all three. John engaged. Ohio shows up in 2 of 3 stories. JC called in from Tokyo at 4:47am. #technology#consciousness#modernism#memory | Virginia Woolf (Two Stories) | John | Mar 25, 2026 |
"Channel Four" First Hogarth Press release (Woolf's imprint). Channel Four: childhood memory, scrambled cable TV, brass reflections, Pittsburgh resonance. Technology + consciousness thread through all three. John engaged. Ohio shows up in 2 of 3 stories. JC called in from Tokyo at 4:47am. #technology#consciousness#modernism#memory | Michael Sears (Zoetrope: All-Story) | John | Mar 25, 2026 |
"The Aforementioned Journal" Wings in both stories (subconscious connection). Hollander: overwrought but genuine, "macaroni on macaroni." Márquez: "The world had been sad since Tuesday." Translation discussion. #literary#surreal#wings | David Hollander (LA Quarterly) | Ruben | Feb 20, 2026 |
Wings in both stories (subconscious connection). Hollander: overwrought but genuine, "macaroni on macaroni." Márquez: "The world had been sad since Tuesday." Translation discussion. #literary#surreal#wings | Gabriel García Márquez | Ruben | Feb 20, 2026 |
"A Poor-Aunt Story" Ghosts/haunting in both. John's reflection on loneliness gap. Farm stand zombie. #surreal#haunting#relationships | Haruki Murakami | Hannah | Jan 28, 2026 |
"Can Only Houses Be Haunted" Ghosts/haunting in both. John's reflection on loneliness gap. Farm stand zombie. #surreal#haunting#relationships | Marie-Hélène Bertino (Exit Zero) | Hannah | Jan 28, 2026 |
"Plants, Stones, Dirt, and Sky" All Play. Theme: Time. #all-play#time#conformity#death | Yan Lianke | JC | Dec 17, 2025 |
"Wing's Chips" All Play. Theme: Time. "If you could just hold on to one thing. If just one thing could be enough." — Hannah #all-play#time#conformity#death | Mavis Gallant | Hannah | Dec 17, 2025 |
"Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman" All Play. Theme: Time. #all-play#time#conformity#death | Harlan Ellison | Ruben | Dec 17, 2025 |
"My Dear You" All Play. Theme: Time. #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 |
All Play. Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday. #all-play#coming-of-age | Sherwood Anderson | Hannah | Aug 27, 2025 |
"Point of View" All Play. Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday. #all-play#coming-of-age | Lucia Berlin | Ruben | Aug 27, 2025 |
"The Fête" All Play. Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday. #all-play#coming-of-age | Tom Crewe | JC | Aug 27, 2025 |
"The Man Stopped" All Play. Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday. #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 |
All Play. Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad. #all-play#time#death | Ted Chiang | JC | Dec 18, 2024 |
"Wait a Minute" All Play. Theme: Time. #all-play#time#death | Lucia Berlin | Hannah | Dec 18, 2024 |
All Play. Theme: Time. #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. #anthology | Omar El Akkad | Ruben | Nov 18, 2024 |
"The Creek, the Wind, the Holly" Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. #anthology | Lacy Johnson | Ruben | Nov 18, 2024 |
"Little Rabbit" "Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." Bonus: "Time and Distance Overcome" – Eula Biss. #surreal#horror | Maria Reva | Hannah | Oct 23, 2024 |
"Slumberland" "Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." #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" #jewish-lit#folk-tale | Sam Sax | JC | Sep 25, 2024 |
"Job History" All Play. Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes." #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Annie Proulx | JC | Aug 28, 2024 |
"The Crossing" All Play. Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Mark Slouka | John | Aug 28, 2024 |
"A Quarreling Couple" All Play. Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). #all-play#short#coming-of-age | Jane Bowles | Hannah | Aug 28, 2024 |
"Forever Overhead" All Play. Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). #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 |
| #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" #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" #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 |
| #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 |
| #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" #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" #diaristic#dark-humor#class | Kirstin Valdez Quade | Hannah | Jan 24, 2024 |
All Play. Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. #all-play#time | Washington Irving | Ruben | Dec 13, 2023 |
"Cortes the Killer" All Play. Theme: Time. #all-play#time | Samantha Hunt | Hannah | Dec 13, 2023 |
"The Perfume Thief" All Play. Theme: Time. #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" #identity#open-ended | Jhumpa Lahiri | JC | Nov 15, 2023 |
"Heart" #identity#open-ended | Shuang Xuetao | JC | Nov 15, 2023 |
"The Husband Stitch" All Play. Theme: Mystery/Horror. #all-play#horror | Carmen Maria Machado | Hannah | Oct 18, 2023 |
"The Last Rung on the Ladder" All Play. Theme: Mystery/Horror. #all-play#horror | Stephen King | John | Oct 18, 2023 |
"Red Wind" All Play. Theme: Mystery/Horror. #all-play#horror | Raymond Chandler | JC | Oct 18, 2023 |
"October in the Chair" All Play. Theme: Mystery/Horror. #all-play#horror | Neil Gaiman | Ruben | Oct 18, 2023 |
Bonus: "The School" – Donald Barthelme. #literary#faith | Anton Chekhov | Ruben | Sep 24, 2023 |
"Rainbows" #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" #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 |
Four friends meeting monthly since 2022 to discuss short stories. One person picks two stories, everyone reads, we talk for 75 minutes on Google Meet.
"Two stories, two different authors, hopefully two different time periods. I feel like we're reading good stuff and have good conversations. That's all I wanted out of the group." — JC, Jan 2023
What we like: older narrator reflecting on childhood · ambiguous endings · devastating final paragraphs · stories that reward re-reading · short enough to read twice · increasing bewilderment