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Исполинское радио
Джон Чивер - выдающийся американский писатель, признанный классик американской литературы XX века, автор множества рассказов и романов ("Буллет-парк", "Фалконер", "Семейная хроника Уопшотов", "Скандал в семействе Уопшотов"). Джон Чивер - блестящий новеллист, именно как мастер рассказа он и известен. Чивер - поклонник и благодарный ученик А.П.Чехова, О.Генри, Шервуда Андерсона и Э.Хемингуэя. Для его прозы характерно совмещение интриги, глубокого психологизма и юмора, порой довольно мрачного. Его герои жаждут обрести любовь и стать счастливыми и не понимают, почему им это не удается, но, несмотря ни на что, не теряют надежды. В настоящем издании собраны лучшие рассказы Джона Чивера, публикующиеся в переводах Т.Литвиновой.
411 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 1947
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689 people want to read
About the author
John Cheever
297 books1,068 followersJohn Cheever was an American novelist and short story writer, sometimes called "the Chekhov of the suburbs" or "the Ovid of Ossining." His fiction is mostly set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the suburbs of Westchester, New York, and old New England villages based on various South Shore towns around Quincy, Massachusetts, where he was born.
His main themes include the duality of human nature: sometimes dramatized as the disparity between a character's decorous social persona and inner corruption, and sometimes as a conflict between two characters (often brothers) who embody the salient aspects of both--light and dark, flesh and spirit. Many of his works also express a nostalgia for a vanishing way of life, characterized by abiding cultural traditions and a profound sense of community, as opposed to the alienating nomadism of modern suburbia.
His main themes include the duality of human nature: sometimes dramatized as the disparity between a character's decorous social persona and inner corruption, and sometimes as a conflict between two characters (often brothers) who embody the salient aspects of both--light and dark, flesh and spirit. Many of his works also express a nostalgia for a vanishing way of life, characterized by abiding cultural traditions and a profound sense of community, as opposed to the alienating nomadism of modern suburbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
August 17, 2025
“The Enormous Radio” (1947, published in The New Yorker) is one of the most popular short stories from John Cheever, one of the great short story writers of the twentieth century, a chronicler of NYC and the NYC suburbs. I am just reviewing this one story here, though it was later part of a short story collection of the same name. Here it is in pdf:
https://tnsatlanta.org/wp-content/upl...
Here’s an audio version from the CBS Radio Workshop:
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_CBS_...
“Jim and Irene are average. They have average income and respectability; they have two children and live on the 12th floor of an apartment house. They went to the theater an average of 10.3 times a year.”
Jim works, Irene stays home, so Jim buys her an enormous radio because she likes to listen to music. Irene finds it too dark, too large, and ugly, and when she turns it on she is able to listen to the lives of others in the building. Jim listens too at first, then gets sick of it, finds it maddening, but Irene becomes obsessed with it--their arguments, their money troubles, their carnal life--oh, no, that woman on 14 is having an affair with that creepy super!
Irene begins to wonder if all the unhappy people she encounters through the radio are like her, like them, and this question leads to fights. There’s a Twilight Zone feel to this story, call it light horror, as the radio itself seems to possess the power to hurt and maybe even lead to destroying their marriage. Or maybe it’s just the power of gossip to undermine good will and contentedness. I also thought of Rear Window with that self-destructive voyeuristic quality of obsession with others' lives.
I have read it more than a few times, and I do like it, it’s unique, entertaining, thought-provoking, though I like some of his other stories better.
https://tnsatlanta.org/wp-content/upl...
Here’s an audio version from the CBS Radio Workshop:
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_CBS_...
“Jim and Irene are average. They have average income and respectability; they have two children and live on the 12th floor of an apartment house. They went to the theater an average of 10.3 times a year.”
Jim works, Irene stays home, so Jim buys her an enormous radio because she likes to listen to music. Irene finds it too dark, too large, and ugly, and when she turns it on she is able to listen to the lives of others in the building. Jim listens too at first, then gets sick of it, finds it maddening, but Irene becomes obsessed with it--their arguments, their money troubles, their carnal life--oh, no, that woman on 14 is having an affair with that creepy super!
Irene begins to wonder if all the unhappy people she encounters through the radio are like her, like them, and this question leads to fights. There’s a Twilight Zone feel to this story, call it light horror, as the radio itself seems to possess the power to hurt and maybe even lead to destroying their marriage. Or maybe it’s just the power of gossip to undermine good will and contentedness. I also thought of Rear Window with that self-destructive voyeuristic quality of obsession with others' lives.
I have read it more than a few times, and I do like it, it’s unique, entertaining, thought-provoking, though I like some of his other stories better.
September 10, 2025
1.5 stars
No idea if the notion of a radio that can listen in on your neighbours was fresh when this short story was published way back in 1948, but it reads like the weakest, most foreseeable episode of The Twilight Zone ever.
Boo hiss.
The pacing is wonky, the reveal is...dumb...and it feels extremely contrived when our Mary Sue of a wife is outed by her Marty Stu husband as .
I guess that all was supposed to be shocking. Supposed to be. Wasn't. And Cheever is generally good.
No idea if the notion of a radio that can listen in on your neighbours was fresh when this short story was published way back in 1948, but it reads like the weakest, most foreseeable episode of The Twilight Zone ever.
Boo hiss.
The pacing is wonky, the reveal is...dumb...and it feels extremely contrived when our Mary Sue of a wife is outed by her Marty Stu husband as .
I guess that all was supposed to be shocking. Supposed to be. Wasn't. And Cheever is generally good.
October 29, 2021
Wow! What a insightful story on how a couple's life has changed in a matter of days from their experience with this enormous radio! There is so much on can think about life and sink your teeth into this extremely short story but worth the read IMO!
Once again Old Time Radio directs my reading by interesting me in something I heard! I was listening to Radio Classics on Sirus XM and this story was played out in the CBS Radio Workshop. May 10, 1956. This story was written in 1947.
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_CBS_...
(Go to this link and it is # 16 under the title of the story, if interested)
I read from a collection of his works.
The story is about 95% to the letter except certain things are not mentioned due to the controversial nature of that left out.
William Conrad narrated this with a huge cast of radio players.
I am glad I read this for many reasons, one because it shows human nature in its raw element and that one can try to understand life and live life better.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
After a re read 2021- It is like Ibsen's The Doll House, the wife's eyes are opened to life and she sees things differently, in how others treat each other. She wants to go back to hearing only good things for her life and wishes the radio was back to hearing others so she is not the one unhappy. She should do her best to see life's realities and try to make things better when she can because she can't make everybody happy. The abortion thing is something that upset her husband, in seeing his wife so matter of fact. The coolness she had does not mean she will not be effected by the choice in the future, something done so monumental has unknown effects to the person.
The below from 2018, in my notes
After the radio comes changes in the couple not noticed before start to appear. They are happy and content if they thought things they kept it to themselves but the radio which broadcasted the sordid parts of others lives and made it into seeing their calm existence not really so. The wife in thinking the radio is listening to them is others seeing themselves as not happy. Everything is different now. Kind of like watching reality tv or anything that people display of their sordid lives.
“The Westcotts differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest they shared in serious music. They went to a great many concerts—although they seldom mentioned this to anyone—and they spent a good deal of time listening to music on the radio. Their radio was an old instrument, sensitive, unpredictable, and beyond repair. Neither of them understood the mechanics of radio—or of any of the other appliances that surrounded them—and when the instrument faltered, Jim would strike the side of the cabinet with his hand. This sometimes helped. One Sunday afternoon, in the middle of a Schubert quartet, the music
faded away altogether. Jim struck the cabinet repeatedly, but there was no response; the Schubert was lost to them forever.”
“The music came through clearly. The new instrument had a much purer tone, she thought, than the old one. She decided that tone was most important and that she could conceal the cabinet behind a sofa. But as soon as she had made her peace with the radio, the interference began.”
“The rattling of the elevator cables and the opening and closing of the elevator doors were reproduced in her loudspeaker, and, realizing that the radio was sensitive to electrical currents of all sorts, she began to discern through the Mozart the ringing of telephone bells, the dialing of phones, and the lamentation of a vacuum cleaner.”
“The ringing of telephones and doorbells set in, joined by the rasp of the elevator doors and the whir of cooking appliances. The character of the noise had changed since Irene had tried the radio earlier; the last of the electric razors was being unplugged, the vacuum cleaners had all been returned to their closets, and the static reflected that change in pace that overtakes the city after the sun goes down. He fiddled with the knobs but couldn’t get rid of the noises, so he turned the radio off and told Irene that in the morning he’d call the people who had sold it to him and give them hell.”
“Those must be the Fullers, in 11-E,” Irene said. “I knew they were giving a party this afternoon. I saw her in the liquor store. Isn’t this too divine? Try something else. See if you can get those people in 18-C.”
“Irene shifted the control and invaded the privacy of several breakfast tables. She overheard demonstrations of indigestion, carnal love, abysmal vanity, faith, and despair. Irene’s life was nearly as simple and sheltered as it appeared to be, and the forthright and sometimes brutal language that came from the loudspeaker that morning astonished and troubled her. She continued to listen until her maid came in. Then she turned off the radio quickly, since this insight, she realized, was a furtive one.”
“Irene had two Martinis at lunch, and she looked searchingly at her friend and wondered what her secrets were. They had intended to go shopping after lunch, but Irene excused herself and went home.”
“A Salvation Army band was on the corner playing “Jesus Is Sweeter.” Irene drew on her husband’s arm and held him there for a minute, to hear the music. “They’re really such nice people, aren’t they?” she said. “They have such nice faces. Actually, they’re so much nicer than a lot of the people we know.” She took a bill from her purse and walked over and dropped it into the tambourine. There was in her face, when she returned to her husband, a look of radiant melancholy that he was not familiar with. And her conduct at the dinner party that night seemed strange to him, too. She interrupted her hostess rudely and stared at the people across the table from her with an intensity for which she would have punished her children.”
“Go up to 16-C, Jim!” she screamed. “Don’t take off your coat. Go up to 16-C. Mr. Osborn’s beating his wife. They’ve been quarreling since four o’clock, and now he’s hitting her. Go up there and stop him.”
“It’s indecent,” he said. “It’s like looking in windows. You know you don’t have to listen to this sort of thing. You can turn it off.” “Oh, it’s so horrible, it’s so dreadful,” Irene was sobbing. “I’ve been listening all day, and it’s so depressing.” “Well, if it’s so depressing, why do you listen to it? I bought this damned radio to give you some pleasure,” he said. “I paid a great deal of money for it. I thought it might make you happy. I wanted to make you happy.” “Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t quarrel with me,” she moaned,”
“No one is. If anything should happen to me, there’s the insurance, but that wouldn’t go very far today. I’ve worked awfully hard to give you and the children a comfortable life,” he said bitterly. “I don’t like to see all of my energies, all of my youth, wasted in fur coats and radios and slipcovers and—” “Please, Jim,” she said. “Please. They’ll hear us.” “Who’ll hear us? Emma can’t hear us.” “The radio.” “Oh, I’m sick!” he shouted. “I’m sick to death of your apprehensiveness. The radio can’t hear us. Nobody can hear us. And what if they can hear us? Who cares?”
“Why are you so Christly all of a sudden? What’s turned you overnight into a convent girl? You stole your mother’s jewelry before they probated her will. You never gave your sister a cent of that money that was intended for her—not even when she needed it. You made Grace Howland’s life miserable, and where was all your piety and your virtue when you went to that abortionist? I’ll never forget how cool you were. You packed your bag and went off to have that child murdered as if you were going to Nassau. If you’d had any reasons, if you’d had any good reasons—”
After the radio comes changes in the couple not noticed before start to appear. They are happy and content if they thought things they kept it to themselves but the radio which broadcasted the sordid parts of others lives and made it into seeing their calm existence not really so. The wife in thinking the radio is listening to them is others seeing themselves as not happy. Everything is different now. Kind of like watching reality tv or anything that people display of their sordid lives.
Once again Old Time Radio directs my reading by interesting me in something I heard! I was listening to Radio Classics on Sirus XM and this story was played out in the CBS Radio Workshop. May 10, 1956. This story was written in 1947.
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_CBS_...
(Go to this link and it is # 16 under the title of the story, if interested)
I read from a collection of his works.
The story is about 95% to the letter except certain things are not mentioned due to the controversial nature of that left out.
William Conrad narrated this with a huge cast of radio players.
I am glad I read this for many reasons, one because it shows human nature in its raw element and that one can try to understand life and live life better.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
After a re read 2021- It is like Ibsen's The Doll House, the wife's eyes are opened to life and she sees things differently, in how others treat each other. She wants to go back to hearing only good things for her life and wishes the radio was back to hearing others so she is not the one unhappy. She should do her best to see life's realities and try to make things better when she can because she can't make everybody happy. The abortion thing is something that upset her husband, in seeing his wife so matter of fact. The coolness she had does not mean she will not be effected by the choice in the future, something done so monumental has unknown effects to the person.
The below from 2018, in my notes
After the radio comes changes in the couple not noticed before start to appear. They are happy and content if they thought things they kept it to themselves but the radio which broadcasted the sordid parts of others lives and made it into seeing their calm existence not really so. The wife in thinking the radio is listening to them is others seeing themselves as not happy. Everything is different now. Kind of like watching reality tv or anything that people display of their sordid lives.
“The Westcotts differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest they shared in serious music. They went to a great many concerts—although they seldom mentioned this to anyone—and they spent a good deal of time listening to music on the radio. Their radio was an old instrument, sensitive, unpredictable, and beyond repair. Neither of them understood the mechanics of radio—or of any of the other appliances that surrounded them—and when the instrument faltered, Jim would strike the side of the cabinet with his hand. This sometimes helped. One Sunday afternoon, in the middle of a Schubert quartet, the music
faded away altogether. Jim struck the cabinet repeatedly, but there was no response; the Schubert was lost to them forever.”
“The music came through clearly. The new instrument had a much purer tone, she thought, than the old one. She decided that tone was most important and that she could conceal the cabinet behind a sofa. But as soon as she had made her peace with the radio, the interference began.”
“The rattling of the elevator cables and the opening and closing of the elevator doors were reproduced in her loudspeaker, and, realizing that the radio was sensitive to electrical currents of all sorts, she began to discern through the Mozart the ringing of telephone bells, the dialing of phones, and the lamentation of a vacuum cleaner.”
“The ringing of telephones and doorbells set in, joined by the rasp of the elevator doors and the whir of cooking appliances. The character of the noise had changed since Irene had tried the radio earlier; the last of the electric razors was being unplugged, the vacuum cleaners had all been returned to their closets, and the static reflected that change in pace that overtakes the city after the sun goes down. He fiddled with the knobs but couldn’t get rid of the noises, so he turned the radio off and told Irene that in the morning he’d call the people who had sold it to him and give them hell.”
“Those must be the Fullers, in 11-E,” Irene said. “I knew they were giving a party this afternoon. I saw her in the liquor store. Isn’t this too divine? Try something else. See if you can get those people in 18-C.”
“Irene shifted the control and invaded the privacy of several breakfast tables. She overheard demonstrations of indigestion, carnal love, abysmal vanity, faith, and despair. Irene’s life was nearly as simple and sheltered as it appeared to be, and the forthright and sometimes brutal language that came from the loudspeaker that morning astonished and troubled her. She continued to listen until her maid came in. Then she turned off the radio quickly, since this insight, she realized, was a furtive one.”
“Irene had two Martinis at lunch, and she looked searchingly at her friend and wondered what her secrets were. They had intended to go shopping after lunch, but Irene excused herself and went home.”
“A Salvation Army band was on the corner playing “Jesus Is Sweeter.” Irene drew on her husband’s arm and held him there for a minute, to hear the music. “They’re really such nice people, aren’t they?” she said. “They have such nice faces. Actually, they’re so much nicer than a lot of the people we know.” She took a bill from her purse and walked over and dropped it into the tambourine. There was in her face, when she returned to her husband, a look of radiant melancholy that he was not familiar with. And her conduct at the dinner party that night seemed strange to him, too. She interrupted her hostess rudely and stared at the people across the table from her with an intensity for which she would have punished her children.”
“Go up to 16-C, Jim!” she screamed. “Don’t take off your coat. Go up to 16-C. Mr. Osborn’s beating his wife. They’ve been quarreling since four o’clock, and now he’s hitting her. Go up there and stop him.”
“It’s indecent,” he said. “It’s like looking in windows. You know you don’t have to listen to this sort of thing. You can turn it off.” “Oh, it’s so horrible, it’s so dreadful,” Irene was sobbing. “I’ve been listening all day, and it’s so depressing.” “Well, if it’s so depressing, why do you listen to it? I bought this damned radio to give you some pleasure,” he said. “I paid a great deal of money for it. I thought it might make you happy. I wanted to make you happy.” “Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t quarrel with me,” she moaned,”
“No one is. If anything should happen to me, there’s the insurance, but that wouldn’t go very far today. I’ve worked awfully hard to give you and the children a comfortable life,” he said bitterly. “I don’t like to see all of my energies, all of my youth, wasted in fur coats and radios and slipcovers and—” “Please, Jim,” she said. “Please. They’ll hear us.” “Who’ll hear us? Emma can’t hear us.” “The radio.” “Oh, I’m sick!” he shouted. “I’m sick to death of your apprehensiveness. The radio can’t hear us. Nobody can hear us. And what if they can hear us? Who cares?”
“Why are you so Christly all of a sudden? What’s turned you overnight into a convent girl? You stole your mother’s jewelry before they probated her will. You never gave your sister a cent of that money that was intended for her—not even when she needed it. You made Grace Howland’s life miserable, and where was all your piety and your virtue when you went to that abortionist? I’ll never forget how cool you were. You packed your bag and went off to have that child murdered as if you were going to Nassau. If you’d had any reasons, if you’d had any good reasons—”
After the radio comes changes in the couple not noticed before start to appear. They are happy and content if they thought things they kept it to themselves but the radio which broadcasted the sordid parts of others lives and made it into seeing their calm existence not really so. The wife in thinking the radio is listening to them is others seeing themselves as not happy. Everything is different now. Kind of like watching reality tv or anything that people display of their sordid lives.
November 13, 2025
I’m surprised by the low reviews of this, I thought it was an excellent tale of how technology can intrude on and expose the ugly underbelly of our lives.
April 2, 2016
A fascinating short story about a wife and husband who own a radio that lets them overhear other people's lives. The voyeuristic nature of "The Enormous Radio" speaks to our use of social media today: I, for one, have spent large amounts of time analyzing people based on their social media presence, even though I know most individuals portray an idealized image of themselves online. John Cheever's story shows our thirst to know other people's intimacies and how that desire has both good and bad consequences. I found most intriguing the divide between hearing people's woes and taking action to address them, as well as the slight gender themes in Cheever's piece. Overall, a great short story I would recommend to those interested in magical realism and to those who find themselves on Facebook maybe a little too often.
June 8, 2023
now that’s a short story. exceptional stuff.
john cheever’s the swimmer is one of my favorite stories/films of all time, and ‘the enormous radio’ did not disappoint. here he tackles modern living’s cognitive dissonance and the irony of it all.
i’ll def be returning to this.
john cheever’s the swimmer is one of my favorite stories/films of all time, and ‘the enormous radio’ did not disappoint. here he tackles modern living’s cognitive dissonance and the irony of it all.
i’ll def be returning to this.
February 4, 2025
Jim and Irene's new radio broadcasts sounds from around their apartment building. I liked the mix of reality, humor, and magical realism/science fiction in "The Enormous Radio." 4.5 stars.
This is story #3 in the collection "The Stories of John Cheever."
This is story #3 in the collection "The Stories of John Cheever."
November 6, 2017
First published in 1947 this was a strange little read that can only be described as 'audio voyeurism' about a couple, who through their radio get to listen in on other residents in their apartment block. One thing I really like about Mr Cheever's short-story writing, is that within just a few sentences he is able to offer a compounding diagnosis of characters, and their lives. The start of this for example (below) is simple, but sets the scene perfectly for what follows.
'Jim and Irene Westcott were the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability that is reached by the statistical reports in college alumni bulletins. They were the parents of two young children, they had been married nine years, they lived on the twelfth floor of an apartment house near Sutton Place, they went to the theatre an average of 10.3 times a year, and they hoped someday to live in Westchester'.
While listening to a Mozart concerto, Irene begins hearing strange noises coming out of the loudspeaker. She soon realizes the radio is transmitting the ambient sounds of her apartment building: elevator doors, doorbells, electric razors, before moving on to neighbours and their conversations. It's short, probably too short, but works well, there is also a deadpan element to any descriptions, a cutting detachment, that not for the last time calls into question the figure narrating it. 'The Enormous Radio' was only about half an hours reading, but it did linger in my mind for a few days.
'Jim and Irene Westcott were the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability that is reached by the statistical reports in college alumni bulletins. They were the parents of two young children, they had been married nine years, they lived on the twelfth floor of an apartment house near Sutton Place, they went to the theatre an average of 10.3 times a year, and they hoped someday to live in Westchester'.
While listening to a Mozart concerto, Irene begins hearing strange noises coming out of the loudspeaker. She soon realizes the radio is transmitting the ambient sounds of her apartment building: elevator doors, doorbells, electric razors, before moving on to neighbours and their conversations. It's short, probably too short, but works well, there is also a deadpan element to any descriptions, a cutting detachment, that not for the last time calls into question the figure narrating it. 'The Enormous Radio' was only about half an hours reading, but it did linger in my mind for a few days.
December 30, 2018
Read it. It will make you think about your own life
This short story resembles another short story by the same author (The Swimmer) in which the protagonist sees his own life go by in a flash – a life spent in meaningless parties and left in ruins.
This time, the protagonists examine the lives of others while listening to them through a magic radio and then are forced to question their own lives. However, you could also argue that this is an essay defending the benefits of privacy and examining the dangers of breaking the limits of privacy.
It’s a brilliant little story that makes you reflect about the meaning of your own life. Sadly though – and I know this isn’t a comparison – this story isn’t as good as The Swimmer, the author’s best tale in my opinion.
This short story resembles another short story by the same author (The Swimmer) in which the protagonist sees his own life go by in a flash – a life spent in meaningless parties and left in ruins.
This time, the protagonists examine the lives of others while listening to them through a magic radio and then are forced to question their own lives. However, you could also argue that this is an essay defending the benefits of privacy and examining the dangers of breaking the limits of privacy.
It’s a brilliant little story that makes you reflect about the meaning of your own life. Sadly though – and I know this isn’t a comparison – this story isn’t as good as The Swimmer, the author’s best tale in my opinion.
April 21, 2025
My first John Cheever ever. A bit depressing, but I kind of expected that. A very quick "read," just 30 minutes. Definitely enhanced by having Meryl Streep as the audiobook narrator!
March 24, 2013
A collection of Cheever's republished short stories that all originally appeared in The New Yorker from 1937 to 1953. My favorites are in bold, but every single story was good. This was my intro to the genius of Cheever; he reminds me of Dorothy Parker (but deeper and with more substance) and "Clancy in the Tower of Babel" totally reminded me of Flannery O'Connor (as did the ending of "The Hartleys").
"Goodbye, My Brother"
"The Enormous Radio"
"O City of Broken Dreams"
"The Hartleys"
"The Sutton Place Story"
"The Summer Farmer"
"Torch Song"
"The Pot of Gold"
"Clancy in the Tower of Babel"
"Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor"
"The Season of Divorce"
"The Cure"
"The Superintendent"
"The Children"
"Goodbye, My Brother"
"The Enormous Radio"
"O City of Broken Dreams"
"The Hartleys"
"The Sutton Place Story"
"The Summer Farmer"
"Torch Song"
"The Pot of Gold"
"Clancy in the Tower of Babel"
"Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor"
"The Season of Divorce"
"The Cure"
"The Superintendent"
"The Children"
February 13, 2025
Paul Ataua, you brought me to this one after reading your review! Thank you!
Here's where I read it for free online (although be aware there are a few minor spelling and grammatical errors included in this version) :-
https://tnsatlanta.org/wp-content/upl...
A clever story that builds quickly and quietly and then expertly crescendoes. A couple buy a new radio to indulge their love of music but end up hearing more than they bargained for! For such a short story the characterization is great and the story arc impressive. A well executed offering from Mr Cheever.
Here's where I read it for free online (although be aware there are a few minor spelling and grammatical errors included in this version) :-
https://tnsatlanta.org/wp-content/upl...
A clever story that builds quickly and quietly and then expertly crescendoes. A couple buy a new radio to indulge their love of music but end up hearing more than they bargained for! For such a short story the characterization is great and the story arc impressive. A well executed offering from Mr Cheever.
March 19, 2016
Fun and intiguing story which shows how seemingly perfect existance is far more complex and tragic from those that are visibly disfunctional. You cannot lead a perfect life no matter how hard you try, your past and your decisions will always be part of you, so there is no point in hiding behind the pretenses of perfection. This is a very gloomy depiction of a life towards which our current social present leads. However, I enjoyed it very much, and I recommend it to everyone above 20.
September 10, 2025
I have found that I enjoy short stories by themselves much more than read as a collection. This was originally published in 1947 in an issue of The New Yorker. The couple in the story, The Westcott's, with their illusion of superiority, considered themselves to be on a higher level than their neighbors. This slowly disintegrates as Irene continues to listen to her neighbor's private conversations by way of their new radio. As Irene becomes obsessed with the radio we see how this affects her mental state along with her marriage. In our modern age of social media fixation, this topic is even more relevant. This particular edition was wonderfully read by Meryl Streep.
August 4, 2021
This short story was published in 1953 and I listen to the audible version which was performed by Meryl Streep. It is the first short story I have experience by John Cheever. Until the late 1950s he was A short story author until his award winning novels started coming out. This is a somewhat bizarre story of a couple who purchased a new radio which turns out to receive conversations from Other units in their high-rise building. Listening to these conversations gradually dominates the life of the young mother. She hears the seamy side of life And eventually begs her husband to tell her how they are not unhappy like all these other people she has been listening to. He then begins to berate her. The end.
When you read a collection of short stories you generally expect to like some more than you like others and you are not surprised to find some that you don’t like. But when you run into something like this which is just a single 30 minute short story and you don’t find it likable, you are disappointed! Especially if it is the first short story by an author who is new to you and you had heard was a good short story writer. But 1953 was a long time ago. I was about seven years old then.
When you read a collection of short stories you generally expect to like some more than you like others and you are not surprised to find some that you don’t like. But when you run into something like this which is just a single 30 minute short story and you don’t find it likable, you are disappointed! Especially if it is the first short story by an author who is new to you and you had heard was a good short story writer. But 1953 was a long time ago. I was about seven years old then.
November 13, 2025
This was my first tentative foray into Cheever’s short stories. It was built around an interesting idea, that a radio somehow captured the private lives of a woman’s neighbors. It smacked of Rear View Window, the Hitchcock film which seems to imply that urban living destroys all pretenses to privacy. It also seemed to imply that the new technology would destroy the borders between self and other. The story seems even more prescient now that we see the extent to which wireless technology has conquered the world. A wired consumer technology was very bad. But a wireless one? Insufferable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2013
I saw an old episode of Twilight Zone not to long ago that featured a radio that took the listener back in time. This was an old radio that did something different and as in many of Chhever's short stories there is a hook and a metaphor to be found as well as a lesson to be learned.
July 8, 2025
1947 but so relatable to our times
December 15, 2017
“The Enormous Radio” (1953) by John Cheever is one of the short stories that I believe one should definitely read. It tells the story of the Westcotts, a middle-class family with two children, whose life changes in a way after buying a new radio which enables the listeners of it to hear the near neighbor’s private talks and their problems. The story is narrated in the third person with a mysterious style and takes place mostly in the Westcott’s apartment house. Towards the end, Mrs. Westcott becomes almost addicted to listening to other people’s life and starts to judge people and changes her behaviors thus this makes Mrs. Westcott a round character. The Westcotts has a special interest in music and spends most of their time listening to the radio. The radio is the biggest symbol in the story. It symbolizes the ugliness of its appearance at first but later on the ugly truths about Westcott’s life. A big irony can also be seen in the story as Mr. Westcott buys the radio to bring happiness to his family however it brings a disaster. We can examine this from the title as well. By choosing the word enormous the author may have also given a clue that the radio will have enormous effects on the family. In my opinion, the morale of the story is that we should not compare our life to other people’s and mind only about our life. I really enjoyed reading this story and advice everyone to read it as well.
August 16, 2020
John Cheever (ganador del premio Pulitzer en el año de 1979) es un autor norteamericano de la época de la posguerra, el cual se distinguió por su claridad gramática, siendo sus relatos lo bastante asequibles para ser leídos por todo tipo de lector. Sin embargo, su indiscutible profundidad humana estimula el intelecto, y con gran tino nos conduce a la reflexión y la empatía.
Sus aclamados relatos han sido traducidos por José Luis López Muñoz (cuya presencia garantiza calidad y claridad en el trabajo) y tales obras pueden conseguirse en un grueso volumen de casi novecientas páginas llamado “La geometría del amor” publicado por editorial Emecé (y prologado por el escritor argentino Rodrigo Fresán). No obstante, esa misma casa editora ofrece una segunda opción que consiste en los libros “Relatos I” y “Relatos II”, que contienen el mismo material abundante pero dosificado en dos volúmenes.
En esta oportunidad comentaremos los catorce primeros relatos de esas colecciones, los cuales fueron originalmente publicados en 1953 con el título de “La monstruosa radio y otras historias”.
John Cheever escribió sobre la metrópolis. En específico, la vida en la ciudad de Nueva York, con sus ambientes citadinos, con sus comodidades y su supuesta modernidad. Los personajes son acomodados hombres de negocios o candorosos provincianos que intentan hacer fortuna valiéndose de los recursos que aprendieron en su pueblo de origen. Muchas veces el protagonista no es un individuo sino una pareja de cónyuges quienes al enfrentarse a la vorágine neoyorkina refrendan su unidad o bien se separan. En general, este libro habla sobre seres que se dejan arrastrar por el esnobismo y el materialismo, descuidando los valores más importantes de la existencia humana.
Los primeros cuentos hablan sobre jóvenes advenedizos que suponen que encontrarán la fortuna sin hacer demasiado esfuerzo, y tal promesa tarda demasiado en cumplirse o jamás llega. Podemos destacar cuentos como “Oh ciudad de sueños rotos” y el extraordinario “La olla repleta de oro”, un relato técnicamente muy bien escrito que nos revela una idea fundamental: lo que los seres humanos entendemos como “riqueza” se encuentra en un sitio muy diferente al que se nos ha dicho toda la vida.
El triunfo de los Estados Unidos en la segunda guerra presagiaba un auge económico sin precedentes y así lo fue. Por desgracia, las bondades de la abundancia no suelen repartirse equitativamente. Por ello es que Cheever puso el ojo en aquellos ingenuos comensales que esperaban recibir una gran rebanada de pastel y al final solo recibieron unas cuantas migajas.
Cheever, relatos 1Con frecuencia estas historias nos muestran a seres capaces de tropezar una y otra vez con la misma piedra (como en el caso del relato llamado “Los chicos“) de modo que el humor y la ironía se apoderan de algunas narraciones. Sin embargo también podemos encontrar momentos más solemnes y depresivos como “La cura” y también “La Monstruosa radio”. Este último cuento tiene la virtud de adelantarse a los tiempos, pues Cheever imagina un aparato de radio que en lugar de emitir información, escucha lo que las personas dicen y lo retransmite a los demás. Pues bien, esta idea ha dejado de ser una fantasía, pues (como bien sabemos) todos los dispositivos que usamos hoy en día están programados para observarnos, escucharnos y catalogar nuestra información personal.
Más adelante el autor se adentra en la cuestión social. Por ejemplo, “Granjero de Verano” nos ubica en el momento histórico recordándonos que estamos en la época del Macartismo (entiéndase por ello el estigma hacia todo lo que parezca ruso o comunista). Por otro lado, “Clancy en la torre de Babel” es otro excelente cuento que nos habla de las dificultades que pasa un viejo pueblerino para entender que una persona ejerza la sexualidad de manera diferente a la que él conoce. Pese a la gravedad de los temas que aborda, Cheever es capaz de ofrecernos pequeñas luces al final de sus historias, demostrando que su visión literaria puede ser trágica y pesimista, pero también empática y esperanzadora.
La sección del libro que estamos comentando cierra con dos relatos excepcionales: el primero de ellos es una ejemplar muestra de empatía que se titula “Tiempo de divorcio“, en la cual un marido por fin toma consciencia de la profunda desdicha que sufre su mujer. El segundo se lama “La historia de Sutton Place” (Sutton es una enorme avenida en Manhattan que aloja a su alrededor lujosos barrios residenciales y grandes edificios de departamentos), este cuento nos recuerda lo siguiente: cuando la gente acomodada sufre una desgracia, abre los ojos hacia lo que existe más allá de su nariz; la pobreza, la marginación, la inseguridad y la banalidad de una ciudad frenética en la que los seres humanos descuidan lo más importante.
Los catorce relatos tempranos de “La monstruosa radio y otras historias” muestran a John Cheever listo para medirse con los grandes escritores de cuentos. Sus historias de grandes potentados, edificios departamentales, elevadoristas, niños descuidados por sus padres, provincianos ofuscados por la modernidad, y jóvenes candorosos hambrientos de triunfo, se distinguen por desplegar una notable claridad técnica, además de un profundo conocimiento de su entorno llegando a la médula del grupo social en cuestión. Todos los relatos son buenos, pero si usted es una persona ocupada y con poco tiempo para leer le recomendamos que consulte al menos las siguientes cuatro obras maestras: “La olla repleta de oro”, “Tiempo de divorcio”, “Clancy en la torre de Babel” y el prodigioso “La historia de Sutton Place”. Con ello bastará para darse una idea de la brillantez de este escritor.
Sus aclamados relatos han sido traducidos por José Luis López Muñoz (cuya presencia garantiza calidad y claridad en el trabajo) y tales obras pueden conseguirse en un grueso volumen de casi novecientas páginas llamado “La geometría del amor” publicado por editorial Emecé (y prologado por el escritor argentino Rodrigo Fresán). No obstante, esa misma casa editora ofrece una segunda opción que consiste en los libros “Relatos I” y “Relatos II”, que contienen el mismo material abundante pero dosificado en dos volúmenes.
En esta oportunidad comentaremos los catorce primeros relatos de esas colecciones, los cuales fueron originalmente publicados en 1953 con el título de “La monstruosa radio y otras historias”.
John Cheever escribió sobre la metrópolis. En específico, la vida en la ciudad de Nueva York, con sus ambientes citadinos, con sus comodidades y su supuesta modernidad. Los personajes son acomodados hombres de negocios o candorosos provincianos que intentan hacer fortuna valiéndose de los recursos que aprendieron en su pueblo de origen. Muchas veces el protagonista no es un individuo sino una pareja de cónyuges quienes al enfrentarse a la vorágine neoyorkina refrendan su unidad o bien se separan. En general, este libro habla sobre seres que se dejan arrastrar por el esnobismo y el materialismo, descuidando los valores más importantes de la existencia humana.
Los primeros cuentos hablan sobre jóvenes advenedizos que suponen que encontrarán la fortuna sin hacer demasiado esfuerzo, y tal promesa tarda demasiado en cumplirse o jamás llega. Podemos destacar cuentos como “Oh ciudad de sueños rotos” y el extraordinario “La olla repleta de oro”, un relato técnicamente muy bien escrito que nos revela una idea fundamental: lo que los seres humanos entendemos como “riqueza” se encuentra en un sitio muy diferente al que se nos ha dicho toda la vida.
El triunfo de los Estados Unidos en la segunda guerra presagiaba un auge económico sin precedentes y así lo fue. Por desgracia, las bondades de la abundancia no suelen repartirse equitativamente. Por ello es que Cheever puso el ojo en aquellos ingenuos comensales que esperaban recibir una gran rebanada de pastel y al final solo recibieron unas cuantas migajas.
Cheever, relatos 1Con frecuencia estas historias nos muestran a seres capaces de tropezar una y otra vez con la misma piedra (como en el caso del relato llamado “Los chicos“) de modo que el humor y la ironía se apoderan de algunas narraciones. Sin embargo también podemos encontrar momentos más solemnes y depresivos como “La cura” y también “La Monstruosa radio”. Este último cuento tiene la virtud de adelantarse a los tiempos, pues Cheever imagina un aparato de radio que en lugar de emitir información, escucha lo que las personas dicen y lo retransmite a los demás. Pues bien, esta idea ha dejado de ser una fantasía, pues (como bien sabemos) todos los dispositivos que usamos hoy en día están programados para observarnos, escucharnos y catalogar nuestra información personal.
Más adelante el autor se adentra en la cuestión social. Por ejemplo, “Granjero de Verano” nos ubica en el momento histórico recordándonos que estamos en la época del Macartismo (entiéndase por ello el estigma hacia todo lo que parezca ruso o comunista). Por otro lado, “Clancy en la torre de Babel” es otro excelente cuento que nos habla de las dificultades que pasa un viejo pueblerino para entender que una persona ejerza la sexualidad de manera diferente a la que él conoce. Pese a la gravedad de los temas que aborda, Cheever es capaz de ofrecernos pequeñas luces al final de sus historias, demostrando que su visión literaria puede ser trágica y pesimista, pero también empática y esperanzadora.
La sección del libro que estamos comentando cierra con dos relatos excepcionales: el primero de ellos es una ejemplar muestra de empatía que se titula “Tiempo de divorcio“, en la cual un marido por fin toma consciencia de la profunda desdicha que sufre su mujer. El segundo se lama “La historia de Sutton Place” (Sutton es una enorme avenida en Manhattan que aloja a su alrededor lujosos barrios residenciales y grandes edificios de departamentos), este cuento nos recuerda lo siguiente: cuando la gente acomodada sufre una desgracia, abre los ojos hacia lo que existe más allá de su nariz; la pobreza, la marginación, la inseguridad y la banalidad de una ciudad frenética en la que los seres humanos descuidan lo más importante.
Los catorce relatos tempranos de “La monstruosa radio y otras historias” muestran a John Cheever listo para medirse con los grandes escritores de cuentos. Sus historias de grandes potentados, edificios departamentales, elevadoristas, niños descuidados por sus padres, provincianos ofuscados por la modernidad, y jóvenes candorosos hambrientos de triunfo, se distinguen por desplegar una notable claridad técnica, además de un profundo conocimiento de su entorno llegando a la médula del grupo social en cuestión. Todos los relatos son buenos, pero si usted es una persona ocupada y con poco tiempo para leer le recomendamos que consulte al menos las siguientes cuatro obras maestras: “La olla repleta de oro”, “Tiempo de divorcio”, “Clancy en la torre de Babel” y el prodigioso “La historia de Sutton Place”. Con ello bastará para darse una idea de la brillantez de este escritor.
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March 27, 2022This is a wonderful story about an American husband and wife, who "seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability that is reached by the statistical reports in college alumni bulletins." The difference between them, and the other ordinaries, is that they share "an interest in serious music ... although they seldom mentioned this to anyone." When their radio breaks down, they buy a new one — but this new enormous radio allows them to listen in on other people in their apartment. While the husband is away at work, the wife listens to this radio, and it gives her a newfound interest — and at times empathy — in other people's lives. But as she continues to listen, she learns the darker secrets of her neighbors' lives. She listens to one neighbor beat his wife; she learns that another neighbor's mother is dying of cancer, and another is going to lose his job. Her husband returns to find her inconsolable, and he asks the pivotal question: "why do you have to listen to the stuff if it makes you miserable?"
The next day, after a classic money argument, the husband fixes the radio. The story ends with them both listening to a "suave and noncommittal" voice on the radio, who informs them that "an early-morning railroad disaster in Tokyo has killed twenty-nine people. A fire in a catholic hospital near Buffalo for the care of blind children was extinguished early this morning by nuns. The temperature is forty-seven. The humidity is eighty-nine."
What makes this story so good, is that its structure mirrors the experience of the wife. Cheever introduces them as ordinary people, "upon which nothing at all had been written." As the story unfolds, the wife discovers through her radio that her neighbors, though ostensibly ordinary, have stories. The radio functions as something like an empathy machine. Like the wife, we readers also discover an interest in these people introduced as ordinary and statistical. We learn their interests, their arguments, and their hopes. Though Cheever writes that they "seem to strike that satisfactory average," we learn that it is only a seeming. What a fundamental American truth! Americans do not reveal their stories readily, nor their interests; this comes at the expense of a shared empathy. Perhaps we need a certain numbness to our surroundings, for the truth of our neighbors' suffering is too much to burden.
There is also the problem here of how to apply this aestheticism (seeing a person as if they are character in the best art) to the vast world. The world reduces these stories to "statistical reports" and news briefs. That is why the story ends as it does. What do we hear? How, and when, do we act?
One of the best American stories that I have read.
The next day, after a classic money argument, the husband fixes the radio. The story ends with them both listening to a "suave and noncommittal" voice on the radio, who informs them that "an early-morning railroad disaster in Tokyo has killed twenty-nine people. A fire in a catholic hospital near Buffalo for the care of blind children was extinguished early this morning by nuns. The temperature is forty-seven. The humidity is eighty-nine."
What makes this story so good, is that its structure mirrors the experience of the wife. Cheever introduces them as ordinary people, "upon which nothing at all had been written." As the story unfolds, the wife discovers through her radio that her neighbors, though ostensibly ordinary, have stories. The radio functions as something like an empathy machine. Like the wife, we readers also discover an interest in these people introduced as ordinary and statistical. We learn their interests, their arguments, and their hopes. Though Cheever writes that they "seem to strike that satisfactory average," we learn that it is only a seeming. What a fundamental American truth! Americans do not reveal their stories readily, nor their interests; this comes at the expense of a shared empathy. Perhaps we need a certain numbness to our surroundings, for the truth of our neighbors' suffering is too much to burden.
There is also the problem here of how to apply this aestheticism (seeing a person as if they are character in the best art) to the vast world. The world reduces these stories to "statistical reports" and news briefs. That is why the story ends as it does. What do we hear? How, and when, do we act?
One of the best American stories that I have read.
August 21, 2023
A couple buys a new radio and find out they can hear everything their neighbors are saying and what they are doing. It is basically like being on twitter or facebook where you find out about stuff you would rather niot know.
February 12, 2019
In this collection are 14 short stories from the late 1940s to the early 1950s which had appeared separately in New Yorker magazine, which became a showcase of Cheever’s rare talent. In these stories, Cheever is seen abandoning his early realism in favor of introducing an element of fantasy into his narratives.
His characters seem unprepared and unsatisfied with life in the big city, and the emotional conflicts and spiritual emptiness that comes with it. The typical Cheever protagonist is affluent but emotionally distressed, and in conflict with his spouse.
The title story “The Enormous Radio” combines Cheever’s early realism with a touch of magical fantasy, yet the fantasy is restrained and mixes in with the realism. A married couple buy a new radio that they soon discover has the ability to broadcast private conversations taking place anywhere in their apartment building. They listen to their neighbors’ arguments and wonder if they themselves are happy. Not long afterward, their own conversations mimic those on the radio. One of Cheever's most anthologized stories, it made an impression on me as a writer and inspired my own short story "The Smartphone."
Cheever was known as a short story master, though he wrote some good novels as well, such as the Wapshot Chronicle, which won a National Book Award. In the second half of the 20th century, when anyone thought of the best American short story writers, Cheever was on the tips of most lips. He and John Updike appeared frequently in the pages of the New Yorker, probably the most influential publisher of short stories in those days.
The full list of stories:
Goodbye, my brother
The pot of gold
O city of broken dreams
The children
Torch song
The cure
The Hartleys
The summer farmer
The superintendent
The enormous radio
The season of divorce
Christmas is a sad season for the poor
The Sutton Place story
Clancy in the tower of Babel
His characters seem unprepared and unsatisfied with life in the big city, and the emotional conflicts and spiritual emptiness that comes with it. The typical Cheever protagonist is affluent but emotionally distressed, and in conflict with his spouse.
The title story “The Enormous Radio” combines Cheever’s early realism with a touch of magical fantasy, yet the fantasy is restrained and mixes in with the realism. A married couple buy a new radio that they soon discover has the ability to broadcast private conversations taking place anywhere in their apartment building. They listen to their neighbors’ arguments and wonder if they themselves are happy. Not long afterward, their own conversations mimic those on the radio. One of Cheever's most anthologized stories, it made an impression on me as a writer and inspired my own short story "The Smartphone."
Cheever was known as a short story master, though he wrote some good novels as well, such as the Wapshot Chronicle, which won a National Book Award. In the second half of the 20th century, when anyone thought of the best American short story writers, Cheever was on the tips of most lips. He and John Updike appeared frequently in the pages of the New Yorker, probably the most influential publisher of short stories in those days.
The full list of stories:
Goodbye, my brother
The pot of gold
O city of broken dreams
The children
Torch song
The cure
The Hartleys
The summer farmer
The superintendent
The enormous radio
The season of divorce
Christmas is a sad season for the poor
The Sutton Place story
Clancy in the tower of Babel
May 5, 2025
Starts out like a normal story, normal husband and wife, normal house, normal neighborhood, nothing crazy, however, this soon changes when a thing that begins as a realistic story, becomes something called Magical Realism, which is brought into the story to deviate the story from what it originally would've been.
The wife gets a radio that allows them to hear things, their neighbors arguments. Children being yelled at and drunks being drunks. These revelations shock the wife, Irene.
Jim then puts forth a barrage of sickening attacks directed at Irene and she is left with the realization that their happy life is not so happy after all. That, in fact, they are very much just like those other people that she heard through the radio.
The closing lines are perfect and the ending leaves me feeling almost sad for Irene, and angry at Jim, but also unforgiving towards her for not leaving him or wanting to wake up with all the evidence pointing to their relationship being carved out of a fakeness.
The wife gets a radio that allows them to hear things, their neighbors arguments. Children being yelled at and drunks being drunks. These revelations shock the wife, Irene.
Jim then puts forth a barrage of sickening attacks directed at Irene and she is left with the realization that their happy life is not so happy after all. That, in fact, they are very much just like those other people that she heard through the radio.
The closing lines are perfect and the ending leaves me feeling almost sad for Irene, and angry at Jim, but also unforgiving towards her for not leaving him or wanting to wake up with all the evidence pointing to their relationship being carved out of a fakeness.
May 26, 2019
Jim e Irene compran una radio para combatir el aburrimiento de ella y poco a poco la radio se convierte en el simbolo de lo que flota bajo la superficie de la aparentemente perfecta vida de la familia americana. En esto me recuerda a David Lynch y la turbadora oscuridad bajo las apariencias. Un cuento menor que no es tan menor, todo lo contrario.
October 25, 2020
I found this short story from 1947 to be interesting, intriguing, and an inquisitive look into the human condition: Jim and Irene own a radio, and they enjoy listening to music on it. The radio goes on the fritz, Jim replaces it, and Irene starts hearing voices . . .
November 12, 2014
The metaphysics of all narratives; more alarming than an asteroid hitting the earth.
May 14, 2025
In The Enormous Radio, John Cheever delves into themes of privacy versus intrusion and the hidden troubles of everyday suburban life. The story follows Jim and Irene Westcott, whose lives are disrupted after buying a new radio that unbeknownst to them begins playing their neighbors’ private conversations. As Irene begins eavesdropping on her neighbors, she uncovers arguments, financial instability, and indefinites prompting her to question her own marriage and family. The intrusion into others’ lives compels her to face her own self-deception. Although she sees herself as morally upright, the radio forces her to acknowledge issues within her own marriage.
Initially, Irene is portrayed as sensitive. However as the story goes on, her initial curiosity about the radio evolves into obsession. Irene starts to spiral as she judges her neighbors for their underlying problems in their marriages. This moment highlights her judgmental attitude as she fixates on her neighbors’ arguments instead of fostering empathy. This leads Irene to project her own fears onto her own life where she confronts her husband where she expresses deep concern about the stability of their marriage. Throughout the story, Jim appears more grounded and level-headed, but he eventually breaks down over their financial issues at the very end. A particularly striking line is when Irene pleads: “Please, Jim… They’ll hear us… The radio.” This moment highlights Irene’s deep concern over hiding their marital issues from their neighbors, suggesting that she prioritizes the appearance of a perfect marriage over addressing the actual issues within their marriage. This may point to deeper problems in their marriage, such as feeling of being misunderstood or ignored. By fixating on how their relationship appears to others rather than engaging meaningfully in their conversation, Irene might be contributing to the very problems she hopes to avoid.
I found this short story to be compelling because it explores the theme of privacy intrusions. I could personally relate to it, especially in the context of the internet’s influence and how difficult it can be to maintain privacy online. There have been moments where I’ve caught myself judging others based on their social media presence, even though I know it’s often carefully curated.
Cheever’s writing style is straightforward and easy to follow along. He blends ordinary details of daily life with a subtle sense of psychological tension, particularly evident in Irene’s obsession in eavesdropping on her neighbors. The story begins with a sense of normalcy but gradually builds as the mysterious radio is revealed. The story then ends in a climactic confrontation with no real solution. The climax comes when Jim lashes out at Irene, “Why are you so Christly all of a sudden? What’s turned you overnight into a convent girl? You stole your mother’s jewelry before they probated her will. You never gave your sister a sent of that money that was intended for her- not even when she needed it. You made Grace Howland’s life miserable, and where was all your all your piety and your virtue when you went to that abortionist? I’ll never forget how coll you were. You packed your bag and went off to have that child murdered as if you were going to Nassau . If you’d had any reasons, if you had any good reasons-”. In response, Irene turns the radio back on, using it once again as a distraction/ escape, which brings the story full circle.
Initially, Irene is portrayed as sensitive. However as the story goes on, her initial curiosity about the radio evolves into obsession. Irene starts to spiral as she judges her neighbors for their underlying problems in their marriages. This moment highlights her judgmental attitude as she fixates on her neighbors’ arguments instead of fostering empathy. This leads Irene to project her own fears onto her own life where she confronts her husband where she expresses deep concern about the stability of their marriage. Throughout the story, Jim appears more grounded and level-headed, but he eventually breaks down over their financial issues at the very end. A particularly striking line is when Irene pleads: “Please, Jim… They’ll hear us… The radio.” This moment highlights Irene’s deep concern over hiding their marital issues from their neighbors, suggesting that she prioritizes the appearance of a perfect marriage over addressing the actual issues within their marriage. This may point to deeper problems in their marriage, such as feeling of being misunderstood or ignored. By fixating on how their relationship appears to others rather than engaging meaningfully in their conversation, Irene might be contributing to the very problems she hopes to avoid.
I found this short story to be compelling because it explores the theme of privacy intrusions. I could personally relate to it, especially in the context of the internet’s influence and how difficult it can be to maintain privacy online. There have been moments where I’ve caught myself judging others based on their social media presence, even though I know it’s often carefully curated.
Cheever’s writing style is straightforward and easy to follow along. He blends ordinary details of daily life with a subtle sense of psychological tension, particularly evident in Irene’s obsession in eavesdropping on her neighbors. The story begins with a sense of normalcy but gradually builds as the mysterious radio is revealed. The story then ends in a climactic confrontation with no real solution. The climax comes when Jim lashes out at Irene, “Why are you so Christly all of a sudden? What’s turned you overnight into a convent girl? You stole your mother’s jewelry before they probated her will. You never gave your sister a sent of that money that was intended for her- not even when she needed it. You made Grace Howland’s life miserable, and where was all your all your piety and your virtue when you went to that abortionist? I’ll never forget how coll you were. You packed your bag and went off to have that child murdered as if you were going to Nassau . If you’d had any reasons, if you had any good reasons-”. In response, Irene turns the radio back on, using it once again as a distraction/ escape, which brings the story full circle.
September 30, 2025
The Enormous Radio by John Cheever
Falconer is an amazing book, by John Cheever. I was so enthusiastic about it that I determined to try and read it again and now that I came across short stories by John Cheever I will read them.
I have started with The Enormous Radio.
“Jim and Irene are average. They have average income and…respectability; they have two children and live on the 12th floor of an apartment house.
They went to the theater an average of…10.3 times a year.” Humor is in your face from the start.
The two heroes of the short story differ from the rest in their interest for serious music, which they listen to on an old radio. When the old radio stopped in the middle of a quartet, Jim bought a new one. In the first place, it seemed the new instrument is better, but odd noises affected her listening of a Mozart quintet.
The radio was ugly; the title reveals an enormous size. All kinds of noises interfere with the pleasure of listening to music: elevator, phones and other. Another time there are bells in the background.
In the middle of a recording, Irene hears a man and then a woman’s voice. When told about it, Jim says it must have been a play.
Changing the channels, we get some more humor from a woman who speaks with a pretentious, English accent.
The amount of money paid for the radio seems “enormous” like the purchase itself, I was wondering if in today’s money that wouldn’t be about $ 4,000. It goes to prove the importance of the radio in those days.
There is an argument between the spouses, because Irene thinks at one point that the “radio can listen to them”. Jim is “sick and tired…and says who cares if anybody hears…””
After the dispute, a voice on the radio says: “a disaster in Tokyo killed 29 people…”
Even if in this short story we do not have the tension, the atmosphere of The Falconer, included on the TIME best 100 books list, The Enormous Radio, in its simplicity and sensitive approach made me enjoy it nearly as much as the superb Falconer.
I look forward to reading other short stories of Cheever, who I think had a complicated life story himself.
December 13, 2019
"The Enormous Radio" (1947) by John Cheever is a good story that should be read by everyone because it has a modern day significant. The story is about a happily married couple Jim and Irene Wescott with children, who live in an apartment near Sutton Place in New York. They decide to replace their old radio with a new one, the new radio has a magical quality of broadcasting what happens in their neighbors' home which Irene will soon find herself addicted to listening to and comparing her "perfect" life with theirs. Through the radio it is shown what lots of people deal with on a daily basis and the reader sees how the couple choose to ignore all that without acknowledging their own problems. Cheever does a great job by making us question how we are obsessed with our own lives and how we cannot stop comparing our lives to others. The story's modern day significant is very obvious to see. Due to living in a technological era, we spent most of our time looking at our phones. Through applications like Instagram and Facebook we open a window to other people's lives just like the radio. We check other people's lives. Are they living a better life than ours? If not, we stop thinking about our own problems and stick our noses to theirs. Furthermore, we do this with television shows like "Big Brother". We spent hours in front of the TV to see what is going to happen to the people in the show. Moreover, we gain enjoyment from seeing other peoples' sufferings just like Irene, and this shows how Cheever uses voyeurism in this story successfully. Another thing that Cheever does successfully is how he makes the plot leading to the shocking end so smoothly that the sudden realization hit us in the face. Lastly, whoever uses technology to check other peoples' life should read this story to see her/ himself from another perspective.
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