Selected Short's most popular volume! Over three hours of stories to tickle your funny bone.Nicholson Baker's "Subsoil"performed by Thomas GibsonA darkly comic thriller about a tractor historian besieged by man-eating potatoes.David Schickler's "Jamaica"performed by Isaiah ShefferA man with his head stuck between the banisters has no choice but to listen in on his wife's "Gorgon Book Club."Neil Gaiman's "Chivalry"performe...

THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS' CHOICE • The arc of literary giant John Updike’s life emerges in these luminous daily letters to family, friends, editors, and lovers—a remarkable outpouring over six decades, from his earliest consciousness as a writer to his final days.As James Schiff writes in the introduction to this volume, of the writer who would eventually “express himself in written form as copiously and as elegantly as any American writer” b...

In this captivating collection of short nonfiction works, renowned philosophers and thinkers share their profound insights on life, virtue, and the pursuit of happiness. From the timeless wisdom of Epictetus to the thought-provoking ideas of Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, this anthology offers a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration. Each essay, meticulously crafted and unabridged, invites readers to delve into the depths of human nature, explore the complexities of morality, and discov...