Synopses & Reviews
While a single short story may have a difficult time raising enough noise on its own to be heard over the din of civilization, short stories in bulk can have the effect of swarming bees, blocking out sound and sun and becoming the only thing you can think about,” writes Ann Patchett in her introduction to The Best American Short Stories 2006.
This vibrant, varied sampler of the American literary scene revels in lifes little absurdities, captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion. In The View from Castle Rock,” the short story master Alice Munro imagines a fictional account of her Scottish ancestors emigration to Canada in 1818. Nathan Englanders cast of young characters in How We Avenged the Blums” confronts a bully dubbed The Anti-Semite” to both comic and tragic ends. In Refresh, Refresh,” Benjamin Percy gives a forceful, heart-wrenching look at a young mans choices when his father -- along with most of the men in his small town -- is deployed to Iraq. Yiyun Lis After a Life” reveals secrets, hidden shame, and cultural change in modern China. And in Tatooizm,” Kevin Moffett weaves a story full of humor and humanity about a young couples relationship that has run its course.
Ann Patchett brought unprecedented enthusiasm and judiciousness [to The Best American Short Stories 2006],” writes Katrina Kenison in her foreword, and she is, surely, every story writers ideal reader, eager to love, slow to fault, exquisitely attentive to the text and all that lies beneath it.”
Synopsis
Presents a collection of stories selected from magazines in the United States and Canada
Synopsis
In this lively latest volume, the award-winning novelist Ann Patchett
joins the venerable ranks of the collection's guest editors. Her
selections range from perennial favorites like Alice Munro and Tobias
Wolff to fresh new voices.
Contributors include Tobias Wolff, Donna Tartt, Thomas
McGuane, Mary Gaitskill, Nathan Englander, and others.
Synopsis
The acclaimed annual short fiction series--this year featuring guest editor Ann Patchett, the author of Bel Canto and The Magician's Assistant--showcases the work of such notable authors as Thomas McGuane, Tobias Wolff, Donna Tartt, Mary Gaitskill, Nathan Englander, and other notables, from a variety of acclaimed sources. Simultaneous.
Synopsis
"While a single short story may have a difficult time raising enough noise on its own to be heard over the din of civilization, short stories in bulk can have the effect of swarming bees, blocking out sound and sun and becoming the only thing you can think about," writes Ann Patchett in her introduction to The Best American Short Stories 2006.
This vibrant, varied sampler of the American literary scene revels in life's little absurdities, captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion. In "The View from Castle Rock," the short story master Alice Munro imagines a fictional account of her Scottish ancestors' emigration to Canada in 1818. Nathan Englander's cast of young characters in "How We Avenged the Blums" confronts a bully dubbed "The Anti-Semite" to both comic and tragic ends. In "Refresh, Refresh," Benjamin Percy gives a forceful, heart-wrenching look at a young man's choices when his father -- along with most of the men in his small town -- is deployed to Iraq. Yiyun Li's "After a Life" reveals secrets, hidden shame, and cultural change in modern China. And in "Tatooizm," Kevin Moffett weaves a story full of humor and humanity about a young couple's relationship that has run its course.
Ann Patchett "brought unprecedented enthusiasm and judiciousness [to The Best American Short Stories 2006]," writes Katrina Kenison in her foreword, "and she is, surely, every story writer's ideal reader, eager to love, slow to fault, exquisitely attentive to the text and all that lies beneath it."
Synopsis
'The set, boxed in a rich gold metallic, includes The Best American
Mystery Stories 2006, edited by Scott Turow; The Best American Sports
Writing 2006, edited by Michael Lewis; and The Best American Short Stories
2006, edited by Ann Patchett.'
Synopsis
'The set, boxed in a lavish silver metallic, features The Best
American Travel Writing 2006, edited by Tim Cahill; The Best American
Spiritual Writing 2006, introduced by Peter J. Gomes; and, like the first
set, The Best American Short Stories 2006, edited by Ann Patchett.'
About the Author
'Ann Patchett is the author of the novels Taft, The Magician\'s Assistant,The Patron Saint of Liars, and Bel Canto, as well as the memoir Truth andBeauty: A Friendship. Bel Canto is a 2002 PEN/Faulkner Award winner and aNational Book Critics Circle Award finalist.Katrina Kenison has been the series editor of The Best American Short Stories since 1990. She currently resides in Massachusetts.'
Table of Contents
Foreword ix Introduction by Ann Patchett xv
Paul Yoon. Once the Shore 1 from One Story Tobias Wolff. Awaiting Orders 20 from The New Yorker Donna Tartt. The Ambush 30 from Tin House Maxine Swann. Secret 43 from Ploughshares Mark Slouka. Dominion 60 from TriQuarterly Patrick Ryan. So Much for Artemis 70 from One Story Benjamin Percy. Refresh, Refresh 91 from The Paris Review Edith Pearlman. Self-Reliance 105 from Lake Effect Alice Munro. The View from Castle Rock 112 from The New Yorker Kevin Moffett. Tattooizm 143 from Tin House Thomas McGuane. Cowboy 163 from The New Yorker Jack Livings. The Dog 173 from The Paris Review Yiyun Li. After a Life 191 from Zoetrope Aleksandar Hemon. The Conductor 204 from The New Yorker Mary Gaitskill. Today Im Yours 221 from Zoetrope Nathan Englander. How We Avenged the Blums 237 from The Atlantic Monthly Robert Coover. Grandmothers Nose 252 from Daedalus David Bezmozgis. A New Gravestone for an Old Grave 259 from Zoetrope Katherine Bell. The Casual Car Pool 291 from Ploughshares Ann Beattie with Harry Mathews. Mr. Nobody at All 310 from McSweeneys
Contributors Notes 359 100 Other Distinguished Stories of 2005 370 Editorial Addresses of American and Canadian Magazines Publishing Short Stories 374