Discussion Notes: Escape from New York Find this week’s story here: Escape from New York by Zadie Smith. Next week’s story: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez. Rated: Clean Gerald is still soaking up the sun on his annual summer road trip. Lovelyn Bettison, author of Perfect Family and The Box, joins us to discuss Zadie Smith. She is an avid reader of magical realism, which influences her work. You can buy her books on her website: lovelynbettison.com. This week Maya, Rammy, Anais, and Lovelyn discuss “Escape from New York”. This story portrays a celebrity urban legend. Shortly after 9/11, rumor had it that Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando, and Elizabeth Taylor escaped NYC together by driving west. Surprisingly, all four hosts enjoyed the story! In particular, Maya appreciated the gallows humor. Meanwhile, the celebrity cast of characters tickled Rammy. Regarding plot, Anais loved the absurdity of the celebrity narcissism in the midst of a national tragedy. Lovelyn found the prose and understated humor to be reflective of Smith’s style. The New Yorker also hosts an audio recording of the story as read by Zadie Smith. What’s funnier than Zadie Smith doing as Michael Jackson impersonation? Anais impersonating the Smith impersonation! Tune in to hear it. Also, don’t forget to rate the story! For the history of our goofy system, see Anais’ post “Read Short Stories or Ray Bradbury Cries.” On a scale of 1-6 Bradberries, how do you rate this story? Tell us in the comments below or via voicemail. Also your reviews on iTunes help us grow. Please search Literary Roadhouse in iTunes and leave reviews for all of our shows.