The O. Henry Prize Stories (Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards)

Mudlavia

Elizabeth Stuckey-French

The Brief History of the Dead

Kevin Brockmeier

The Golden Era of Heartbreak

Michael Parker

The Hurt Man

Wendell Berry

The Tutor

Nell Freudenberger

Fantasy for Eleven Fingers

Ben Fountain

The High Divide

Charles DAmbrosio

Desolation

Gail Jones

A Rich Man

Edward P. Jones

Dues

Dale Peck

Speckle Trout

Ron Rash

Sphinxes

Timothy Crouse

Grace

Paula Fox

Snowbound

Liza Ward

Tea

Nancy Reisman

Christie

Caitlin Macy

Refuge in London

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

The Drowned Woman

Frances De Pontes Peebles

The Card Trick

Tessa Hadley

What You Pawn I Will Redeem

Sherman Alexie

"Whether culled from literary journals or glossier publications, the stories included in this year's O. Henry collection tend toward the polished, dense and emotionally complex. The best entries also add a burst of something brighter: a strong narrative voice, inventiveness or sheer exuberance. Among the standouts is Kevin Brockmeier's 'A Short History of the Dead,' which offers a brief but compelling take on mortality as the dead remember the final events of their lives while passing through a way station 'city' before they move on to their ultimate afterlife destination. Sherman Alexie's poignant 'What You Pawn I Will Redeem' follows an alcoholic, homeless Native American who finds his grandmother's tribal regalia in a Seattle pawnshop and embarks on a quixotic quest to recover his legacy. And Ron Rash's sardonic 'Speckled Trout' describes an unfortunate incident in which a brash young thief briefly makes a killing when he stumbles into a hidden stash of marijuana plants, only to have the owner turn the tables by planting a bear trap near his prized crop. Much of the rest of the collection is noticeably monochromatic, with stories that revolve dutifully around relationships, exile and loneliness. Though points are scored for accomplished prose and thoughtful conceits, what's missing are entries driven by humor, dialogue and riskier, more unconventional storytelling." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Widely regarded as the nation's most prestigious awards for short fiction" ("Atlantic Monthly"), the O. Henry Prize honors 20 of the year's best short stories.