Radios: Short Takes on Life and Culture

by Jerome Stern

Nothing was too large or too small to engage Jerome Stern's interest. Along with the mysteries of the universe, he wrote about kids versus adults, the moods of teachers, and summer camp. He wrote about chocolate, the anxieties of plane travel, and the night fantasies of husbands. And in a suite called "Patient, " broadcast for the week on "All Things Considered, " he considered his own experience of illness. All in all, these pieces, whether cautioning or celebrating or simply turning over ideas (to see wha makes them tick), add up to a freewheeling autobiography of a man who was curious about everything. Now, with this book, readers and listeners can recapture his words and the familiar musing voice.

144 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

About the author

Jerome Stern (1938 (?) - 1996) was the head of the Creative Writing program at Florida State University and taught writing workshops and classes on popular culture.

While at FSU he created the "World's Best Short Short Story Contest" and edited the book Micro Fiction: An Anthology of Fifty Really Short Stories. His other books include Making Shapely Fiction (1990), Florida Dreams (1993), and Radios: Short Takes on Life and Culture (1997). He wrote for the Tallahassee Democrat and his essays, which he called "Radios," were often heard on National Public Radio.

Reviews

[C-shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful write Jerome Stern (who died in 1996) was! I wish I'd had the opportunity to hear some of his PBS radio segments of him reading his short works. The last story in this book, "Booklove" has been a favorite in my family for years, copied and keepsaked and re-read often.
* * * * *
Read this book!!! It's only 142 pages long, with chapters only a few pages long, so you have no excuse not to read this little sparkling jewel of a book. Get to it!

[a heron ♡︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note to self—

Adored especially: “Library,” “Looking for Mr. Keats,” “Dread,” “Philosophy,” “Still Life,” “Doodlers,” “University,” and “Booklove”.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what I imagine the bookchild of David Sedaris and Shel Silverstein would be like - a collection of short stories (2-3 pages each) with whimsical little line illustrations that remind me of Where the Sidewalk Ends. The stories seemed too short and disjointed at first. But as I moved through the stories, I realized that Stern was gradually threading together his slice of life stories (about things like summer camp, his family’s all purpose butter knife, and the awkwardness of trying to return to conversation at a dinner party after having passed out in the hosts’ bathroom just a few minutes earlier) with tidbits of his experience being diagnosed with and treated for lymphoma. The stories are humorous, sweet, and at times, understatedly raw as the reader follows his apprehension towards the future as well as his appreciation for life throughout his journey with cancer.

[Alan Altmann]

Brilliant writing. Stern has mastered the art of the *very* short essay and kept me in stitches, sometimes almost crying with his health issue which eventually overcomes him. A quick read and exemplary writing.

[mtschettar · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good book. You learn semi-early that he has cancer & perhaps wrongly I looked up his bio & found he died young so it became sad to read.

But it was also funny & easy to read & witty. It was a good book.

[Kellyk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a few stories within that intrigued me - it was interesting how he mixed the stories of his experience with cancer right alongside happy memories from childhood. I was impressed by Stern's ability to craft full stories out of limited words, though I do not know that short non-fiction (or fiction) is really my favorite thing. The stories felt like Stern's own thoughts/diary entries just written down on paper without much editing or care.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that we had on the bookshelf from the Conversation Club program on journalism. It's short short stories that are wonderful.