The Moth: Stories On The Radio

When I was a little girl and my parents would put me to bed, they didn't know that I would stay awake. Sometimes I would read. Sometimes I'd listen to the radio. I had a blue transistor radio that was small enough to fit under my pillow. I remember leaning in to listen to mystery shows. I loved the sound effects and those stories would take me away to another time and place.

I'm still a night owl. Some things never change.

The washing machine in my apartment building is less than reliable, so I've been making trips to and from the laundrymat. Last night on my way back home, I was listening to WBUR, our local NPR Station, and heard a show called The Moth. I was absolutely mesmerized and could not get out of the car until the story was finished.

Unfortunately I missed the beginning, but it was a story about a guy meeting his alternate universe self. Or something like that. It was really funny, interesting, and just smart. I'm going to try and find the podcast, so I can hear the whole thing.

Below is an excerpt from the website about the beginnings of these stories.

The Moth, a not-for-profit storytelling organization, was founded in New York in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green, who wanted to recreate in New York the feeling of sultry summer evenings on his native St. Simon's Island, Georgia, where he and a small circle of friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales on his friend Wanda's porch. After moving to New York, George missed the sense of connection he had felt sharing stories with his friends back home, and he decided to invite a few friends over to his New York apartment to tell and hear stories. Thus the first "Moth" evening took place in his living room. Word of these captivating story nights quickly spread, and The Moth moved to bigger venues in New York. Today, The Moth conducts eight ongoing programs and has brought more than 3,000 live stories to over 100,000 audience members.

If you love listening to stories, then check out the Public Radio Exchange (PRX) website and listen to The Moth Radio Hour 2010 Season.

Something about listening to stories on the radio on warm summer nights reminds me of home too.


Anali's First Amendment © 2006-2010. All rights reserved.

This Post’s Link

Like what you see? Subscribe to this blog by clicking here.