The Best American Short Stories (Best American Short Stories) 2000

Despite increasing competition, this annual collection remains the place to find the most compelling short fiction published in the U.S. and Canada” (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY). To usher in the new millennium, THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2000 brims with a rich variety of lyrical and wise stories about our countrys past, present, and future. This years editor, the best-selling author E. L. Doctorow, has chosen new works by Raymond Carver, Amy Bloom, Ha Jin, Walter Mosley, and Jhumpa Lahiri, among others.

The most popular compendium of its kind, THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES is the only volume that offers the finest short fiction each year, chosen by a distinguished author.

Contents Foreword ix Introduction by E. L. Doctorow xiii Geoffrey Becker. Black Elvis 1 from Ploughshares Amy Bloom. The Story 12 from Story Michael Byers. The Beautiful Days 23 from Ploughshares Ron Carlson. The Ordinary Son 49 from Oxford American Raymond Carver. Call If You Need Me 67 from Granta Kiana Davenport. Bones of the Inner Ear 78 from Story Junot Díaz. Nilda 89 from The New Yorker Nathan Englander. The Gilgul of Park Avenue 98 from The Atlantic Monthly Percival Everett. The Fix 121 from New York Stories Tim Gautreaux. Good for the Soul 135 from Story Allan Gurganus. He's at the Office 151 from The New Yorker Aleksandar Hemon. Blind Jozef Pronek 166 from The New Yorker Kathleen Hill. The Anointed 182 from DoubleTake Ha Jin. The Bridegroom 208 from Harper's Magazine Marilyn Krysl. The Thing Around Them 228 from Notre Dame Review Jhumpa Lahiri. The Third and Final Continent 248 from The New Yorker Walter Mosley. Pet Fly 266 from The New Yorker ZZ Packer. Brownies 280 from Harper's Magazine Edith Pearlman. Allog 301 from Ascent Aannie Proulx. People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water 316 from GQ Frances Sherwood. Basil the Dog 332 from The Atlantic Monthly Contributors' Notes 349 100 Other Distinguished Stories of 1999 361 Editorial Addresses of American and Canadian Magazines Publishing Short Stories 365