The New Yorker: Fiction

Sherman Alexie reads "The Lesson," by Jessamyn West. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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." Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices