Studio 360

The reading and production of "Birthmark" by Miranda July was beyond riveting. i was enthralled, and that doesn't happen much. I had a driveway moment last night listening to her beautiful prose. She totally rocks. Thank you for bringing such moving art to the airwaves.

What a wonderful story. I have never listened to the show because I never had a radio that really worked in the City. Now I have a new radio, and what a wonderful and unexpected gift to hear this story. Not only is it beautifully written, the performance was sweet and sad and ultimately joyous. The story fit perfectly within it's formal borders - It contains a whole universe, and at the same time, is immediately intimate - something that novels often take a couple of chapters to build. Thank you to Ms. July for giving this story to the world and for such a tender performance.

Stunningly insightful. Completely delicious.

Wonderful writing with a surreal feeling. But she is so clever she makes these odd events seem logical and inevitable. Do more, please.

Thanks for introducing me to this author. Wonderful story, and performance.

What an incredible story by Ms. July! And such a beautiful voice, too.

This is a great story that was perfectly read. Hearing the first sentence I stopped what it was doing (I couldn't have done otherwise). I was totally absorbed - there was nothing but the story. Thank you and congratulations for airing this.

I loved "Birthmark". It was especially engaging read by the author.

I stopped what I was doing to listen to Miranda July read "Birthmark." I'd read NO ONE BELONGS HERE MORE THAN YOU ( a generous title) this summer & was familiar with "Birthmark." Hearing the story in Miranda's voice was like receiving a hand written letter from a friend. Thank you for this unexpected pleasure.

Sometimes there are songs that touch our mood so intimately we want to cry. Sometimes there are poems so deep and insightful we feel shock that somebody else can so beautifully say our own thoughts.

I'm what I like to think of as a hardened man, and Miranda July's story, her poetical telling of that piece of self doubt we all have over things that don't matter, moved me so much I turned off the radio while driving so I could repeat her name and the show name and remember it long enough to come home and find the link and share it.

Miranda's story is magic.

I stopped my morning completely to listen to this story. I am a mid-aged woman with a large port-wine stain on half my face, and I have undergone surgery to lighten it (necessary for medical reasons as you age). My birthmark defines me for nearly everyone, but yet it doesn't. Just like in the story. I am always shocked when people mistake me for someone else, since I feel I look like no one else. Othertimes, people can only see the port wine stain. I have seen almost no one who looks like me, certainly not my relatives. This story captures so much, and I am so grateful to have heard it. Does any one know where the author got the idea for the story? Are there other listeners like myself out there? This was really a life-defining experience for me. Thank you for airing it.

What a beautiful, moving experience. Miranda July's story was so rich and full; her reading remarkable and transporting. Wow.

Wonderful story! Such insight into humanity and what really matters in life. So masterfully written. I love the way she uses words and way she read the story. Would like to by a book of her other short stories.

Thanks for the blessing!

Tim

I've been searching for this piece for two months... Well, actually started looking just today - but in my mind - I have been longing to find this reading of Birthmark to play over again and delve deeper into the authors prose as I sat there in my car - outside the video store on that cold December night.

Yes, one of those rare occasions where people see you just sitting, alone, pensive, waiting in your car and wondering what's you're doing or running through your mind. Are you deciding what bad movie to rent - or did you forget if the milk in the fridge is bad and perhaps pick some up while your out... Oh the harsh decisions - its easier to distract yourself with these dilemmas that actually dwell on whether the family vacation this upcoming summer to Ireland will actually happen because of your mothers failing health and if she'll be alive or why you are so unhappy with your current life - even though you have just about everything going for you - expect not being really understood by those closest to you... Hmmmm, yeah, better get some more milk... and maybe two movies - in case one just sucks...

Oh yeah - Birthmark - Loved this story - and the telling of it... its been years since I've been pulled into a tale so readily, to completely and more amazingly - so honestly. Bring on more of these -

Great Work Pejk...

1st the sound was so low neither my husband nor I could hear it till we turned the sound up to maximum then the story was riveting till the end which was so anti-climatic that we both wanted to scream. We both agreed we wished we turned it off when the volume problem arose.