Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Puerto Vallarta | 20120401 | 20140119 (R4) | 2011 was a phenomenal year for the young American author, Jennifer Egan. Her novel, 'A Visit From The Goon Squad' became a run-away bestseller and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Now a collection of her short stories has been re-published by Constable and Robinson. Entitled Emerald City, the stories are a pithy and sometimes poignant look at contemporary life in the United States. Young and middle-aged characters change, grow and regret in a series of tales that traverse the United States and the state of modern marriage, parenting and ambition. Egan is heralded as one of the best writers to emerge in the past decade and this collection underlines her ability to bring a spotlight on the particular and to reflect a nation in challenging times. Today's story, Puerto Vallarta, is a portrait of a family, where the truth is not as it seems and where a daughter has to make a choice and so find her own freedom. The Reader is Sasha Pick The Abridger is Miranda Davies The Producer is Di Speirs. When a girl who loves her father discovers his deception, it is time to grow up. Five pithy stories from the acclaimed US writer, Jennifer Egan |
| 02 | Emerald City | 20120408 | 20140126 (R4) | 2011 was a phenomenal year for the young American author, Jennifer Egan. Her novel, 'A Visit From The Goon Squad' became a run-away bestseller and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. In her first collection of short stories, entitled Emerald City, the stories are a pithy and sometimes poignant look at contemporary life in the United States. Young and middle-aged characters change, grow and regret in a series of tales that traverse the United States and the state of modern marriage, parenting and ambition. Today's title story, Emerald City, examines the allure and the disappointments of life among the trend-setters of New York, where fashionistas scrabble for fame and fortune and where realities hit hard. The Reader is Andrew Scott The Abridger is Miranda Davies The Producer is Di Speirs. A young man comes to understand the allure and the disappointment of New York. Five pithy stories from the acclaimed US writer, Jennifer Egan |
| 03 | One Piece | 20120415 | 20140202 (R4) | The next in our series of stories from 'Emerald City', the new collection by young American author Jennifer Egan, whose 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and made her name as one of the best new writers to emerge in the past decade. In today's story, 'One Piece', a young girl takes drastic action to put the broken pieces of her brother's life back together again. The Abridger is Miranda Davies The Producer is Justine Willett Reader: Teresa Gallagher. A young girl makes the ultimate sacrifice to save her guilt-ridden brother. Five pithy stories from the acclaimed US writer, Jennifer Egan |
| 04 | Spanish Winter | 20120422 | 20140209 (R4) | The next in our series of stories from 'Emerald City', the new collection by young American author Jennifer Egan, whose 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and made her name as one of the best new writers to emerge in the past decade. Today's story, 'Spanish Winter', is set in the shadows of the Alhambra, where a divorced woman tries to break free from the painful ties that bind, until a figure from her past forces her to rethink... The Abridger is Miranda Davies The Producer is Justine Willett Reader: Madeleine Potter. A divorced woman tries to break free from the painful ties that bind. Five pithy stories from the acclaimed US writer, Jennifer Egan |
| 05 | The Watch Trick | 20120429 | 20140216 (R4) | Another story from this insightful collection by the acclaimed writer, Jennifer Egan, which takes a pithy and sometimes poignant look at contemporary life in the United States. Hidden desires surface when the hedonistic antics of an old friend challenge a married couple's complacency. Reader: Fenella Woolgar Abridger: Miranda Davies Producer: Gemma Jenkins. Five pithy stories from the acclaimed US writer, Jennifer Egan |