James Thurber's Fables and Selected Stories: Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat

During the time when my father was at the hospital, I made a habit of reading James Thurber's stories to him during my nightly visits. One evening, my father suggested that I share these readings on my television newscast. I initially hesitated, explaining that a television newscast seemed like an unlikely venue for such a thing. However, my father pointed out that he had never before made a suggestion for my shows, and urged me to give it a try. With concerns about copyrights and bills in mind, I decided to take a chance and began reading Thurber's stories once a week on television. This small act of sharing his work has grown into something much larger, sparking a renewed interest in Thurber's writing that I hope will continue to grow.

I am thrilled to see that this has inspired a newfound love for a man whose writing is truly exceptional. While Thurber never intended his stories to be read aloud, they are perfectly suited for the task - they are clean, economical, vivid, full of action - and just as importantly, they are punctuated by moments of silence. Additionally, they have the power to evoke memories, including memories of my father and Rosemary Thurber.

The stories in The James Thurber Audio Collection are a testament to his remarkable talent. They include "There’s No Place Like Home", "The Bear Who Let It Alone", "The Greatest Man in the World", "The Night the Ghost Got In", "I Went to Sullivant", "The Unicorn in the Garden", "How to Relax While Broadcasting", "The Tortoise and the Hare", "A Box to Hide In", "The Owl Who Was God", "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", "If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox", "The Moth and the Star", "The Dog That Bit People", "The Topaz Cufflinks Mystery", "The Little Girl and the Wolf", "The Macbeth Murder Mystery", "The Rabbits Who Caused All the Trouble", "The Night the Bed Fell", "Sex Ex Machina", "The Scotty Who Knew Too Much", "The Car We Had to Push", and "The Peacelike Mongoose".

I am honored to continue sharing Thurber's work whenever and wherever I can, as a tribute to his genius and the memories it evokes for me. It is my hope that others will also come to appreciate the timeless brilliance of Thurber's writing through this simple act of sharing.

product information: