First Words

Many kids write stories, but only a few of them grow up to be successful authors. Before there was Carrie, there was “ Johnathan and the Witchs.” And before there was Rabbit Angstrom, Toyota dealer, there was Manuel Cirarro, famous detective. Could we have seen the seeds of success in Stephen King's and John Updike's juvenilia? These young writers are the same people who dominated the best seller lists and occupy the most celebrated spots on bookshelves in our stores, libraries, and homes. Here is a funny and surprisingly informative gathering of childhood creations by celebrated writers— authors who were amused by and happy to share their own early efforts. • Kevin McCarthy reads Allan Gurganus • Judith Ivey reads Margaret Atwood • Andre Braugher reads Amiri Baraka • Alfre Woodward reads Gloria Naylor • Elliott Gould reads Pat Conroy • Susan Anspach reads Joyce Carol Oates • Roger Rees reads Gore Vidal • Daphne Zuniga reads Susan Minot • Nana Visitor reads Ursula K. Le Guin • Kevin McCarthy reads John Hersey • Melissa Manchester reads Rita Dove • Elliott Gould reads Stephen King • Amy Tan reads Amy Tan • David Ackroyd reads Norman Mailer • Joel Grey reads Paul Bowles • Maxine Hong Kingston reads Maxine Hong Kingston • Arte Johnson reads Roy Blount Jr. • Andre Braugher reads Charles Johnson • Roger Rees reads William Styron • Harvey Fierstein reads Stanley Elkin • Samantha Eggar reads Madeleine L' Engle • David Ackroyd reads Louis Auchincloss • Jeff Fahey reads Fred Chappell • Harvey Fierstein reads Tobias Wolff • Tim Matheson reads W.P. Kinsella • Jean Smart reads Gail Godwin • Jeff Fahey reads Stephen Dixon • Andre Braugher reads Vance Bourjaily • Elliott Gould reads John Updike Kevin McCarthy reads Allan Gurganus Judith Ivey reads Margaret Atwood Andre Braugher reads Amiri Baraka Alfre Woodward reads Gloria Naylor Elliott Gould reads Pat Conroy Susan Anspach reads Joyce Carol Oates Roger Rees reads Gore Vidal Daphne Zuniga reads Susan Minot Nana Visitor reads Ursula K. Le Guin Kevin McCarthy reads John Hersey Melissa Manchester reads Rita Dove Elliott Gould reads Stephen King Amy Tan reads Amy Tan David Ackroyd reads Norman Mailer Joel Grey reads Paul Bowles Maxine Hong Kingston reads Maxine Hong Kingston Arte Johnson reads Roy Blount Jr. Andre Braugher reads Charles Johnson Roger Rees reads William Styron Harvey Fierstein reads Stanley Elkin Samantha Eggar reads Madeleine L' Engle David Ackroyd reads Louis Auchincloss Jeff Fahey reads Fred Chappell Harvey Fierstein reads Tobias Wolff Tim Matheson reads W.P. Kinsella Jean Smart reads Gail Godwin Jeff Fahey reads Stephen Dixon Andre Braugher reads Vance Bourjaily Elliott Gould reads John Updike