Selected Shorts: Farce Double, by Harry Mathews
The first story in this podcast is my very favorite from the radio show Selected Shorts. It’s the series host Isaiah Sheffer’s reading of Country Cooking from Central France; Roast Boned Rolled Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb (Farce Double), a short story by Harry Mathews which is, in fact, nothing more than a recipe – the longest, most ridiculously complicated recipe you’ve ever heard in your life. It’s what Daranee would call a “screw that” recipe, multiplied a hundredfold. Hilarious.
Photo by Arthur Gerbault
I’m glad I found this. I read the Mathews story some time ago (he’s one of my favourite writers), but this was brilliantly read.