Synopses & Reviews
Critically acclaimed novelist and short-story writer Mary Gaitskill continues the tradition of identifying the best young writers on the cusp of their careers in this years volume of Best New American Voices. Here are stories culled from hundreds of nominations submitted by writing programs such as the Iowa Writers Workshop and Johns Hopkins and from summer conferences such as Sewanee and Bread Loaf. Joshua Ferris, Julie Orringer, Adam Johnson, William Gay, Lauren Groff, Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Maile Meloy, Amanda Davis, and John Murray are just some of the acclaimed authors whose early work has appeared in this series since its launch in 2000. Discover for yourself the dazzling variety of great fiction being produced in the top writers' workships--with a complete list of contact information included--and hear the best new American voices here first.
Review
PRAISE FOR THE
BEST NEW AMERICAN VOICES SERIES "These ambitious stories reflect the imaginations of a generation and are a sneak preview of coming attractions in fiction."
Chicago Tribune (Editor's Choice)
"Demonstrates the potent force of American writers emerging from such distinguished writing programs as Bread Loaf and Sewanee. These collected works draw the reader into varied worlds of experience."Elle
Synopsis
This year's volume, featuring 17 new stories selected by award-winning novelist John Casey, continues the tradition of identifying the best young writers on the cusp of their careers.
About the Author
MARY GAITSKILL is most recently the author of the novel
Veronica, which was nominated for the National Book Award in 2005. Her story collection
Because They Wanted To was nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1998, and her stories and essays have appeared in the
New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, Esquire, the Best American Short Stories series, and the O. Henry Prize Stories series. Her story "Secretary" was the basis for the film of the same name. The recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, she also served as guest editor of
Da Capo Best Music Writing 2006. She lives in New York.
John Kulka is executive editor-at-large at Harvard University Press and lives in Connecticut.
Natalie Danford is a freelance writer and book critic whose work has appeared in People, Salon, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, and many other publications. She is the author of a novel, Inheritance, and lives in New York City.
Table of Contents
contents
Preface vii
Introduction by Mary Gaitskill xi
Yellowstone by Baird Harper 1
Weather Enough by Will Boast 20
Wintering by Anastasia Kolendo 43
The Monkey King by Sharon May 65
Little Stones, Little Pistols, Little Clash
by Jacob Rubin 81
Salvation Army by Mehdi Tavana Okasi 110
Love for Miss Dottie by Larry N. Mayer 140
Mules by Erin Brown 159
Look Ma, Im Breathing by Suzanne Rivecca 179
Statehood by Kevin A. González 214
Welcome Home by Theodore Wheeler 229
Love and Honor and Pity and Pride and Compassion and Sacrifice by Nam Le 254
The Fantôme of Fatma by Otis Haschemeyer 280
The Still Point by Lydia Peelle 307
Contributors 331
Participants 335