Synopses & Reviews
A collection of accessible and excellent short fiction hand-picked by the country's most popular writing school.
Each of the stories in Fiction Gallery will hold you spellbound from first to last page, while also exemplifying the very best in literary fiction. Grouped in sections that follow the cycle of life, these stories explore the varied aspects of human existence and, cumulatively, form the satisfying dramatic arc of a novel.
The authors range from the acknowledged masters of short fiction- Anton Chekhov, Dorothy Parker, John Cheever, Raymond Carver, T.C. Boyle, Jhumpa Lahiri- to the very best of today's emerging writers. As a bonus, the anthology includes interviews with T.C. Boyle and Jhumpa Lahiri, in which they illuminate the process of creating a short story.
Aspiring writers who enjoyed Gotham Writers' Workshop previous book, Writing Fiction, will also find this anthology an invaluable source of inspiration and instruction.
Gotham Writers' Workshop is America's leading private creative writing school, offering classes in New York City and on the web at WritingClasses.com. The school's interactive online classes, selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes, have attracted thousands of aspiring writers from across the United States and more than sixty countries.
Gotham Writers' Workshop is America's leading private creative writing school, offering classes in New York City and on the web at WritingClasses.com. The school's interactive online classes, selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes, have attracted thousands of aspiring writers from across the United States and more than sixty countries.
Alexander Steele serves as Dean of Faculty of Gotham Writers' Workshop. He has written numerous plays, screenplays, nonfiction pieces, and books for children. He also edited Gotham Writers' Writing Fiction.
Thom Didato has published numerous short stories in literary magazines. He teaches at Gotham Writers' Workshop, and is editor and founder of the literary magazine failbetter. Following the success of Writing Fiction, Gotham Writers' Workshop is pleased to introduce Fiction Gallery, an anthology of exceptional short stories. The works were chosen to appeal to all readers, not just the fiction connoisseur. Every story will hold the reader spellbound from first to last page, while also exemplifying the very best in literary fiction.
The twenty-five authors include such acknowledged masters of short fiction as Anton Chekhov, Dorothy Parker, John Cheever, and Raymond Carver, and such acclaimed contemporary writers as Edwidge Danticat, Pam Houston, Ethan Canin, T. C. Boyle, Jhumpa Lahiri, and ZZ Packer.
Aspiring writers who enjoyed Gotham Writers' Workshop's Writing Fiction will find this anthology an invaluable source of inspiration and insight. This gallery of stories presents diverse examples of all the elements of fiction craft and demonstrates how writers seamlessly sew these elements into unforgettable tales.
As a bonus, the anthology includes original interviews with T. C. Boyle, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Hannah Tinti, in which they illuminate the process of creating a short story.
Fiction Gallery is an excellent and accessible book of short fiction by the masters of the craft. Writers and students alike will surely treasure this wonderful anthology.
"[These] stories offer wonderful, attention-grabbing plots, characters, themes, landscapes, and voicesall elements of great literary fiction. Those who haven't been able to get through a Best American series will undoubtedly cruise through Fiction Gallery, and certainly anyone who enjoys a good story will love [those] that Gotham has assembled here."The Bloomsbury Review
"[These] stories offer wonderful, attention-grabbing plots, characters, themes, landscapes, and voicesall elements of great literary fiction. Those who haven't been able to get through a Best American series will undoubtedly cruise through Fiction Gallery, and certainly anyone who enjoys a good story will love [those] that Gotham has assembled here."The Bloomsbury Review
"If you find yourself on a long journey, Fiction Gallery is the perfect companion. And even if you're not traveling anywhere, these stories will transport you."Tamara Straus, Editor in Chief, Zoetrope: All-Story
"Fiction Gallery is a wonderful selection for the general reader and writing student alike. The editors have chosen stories with great range of period, style, form, and subject."Thomas C. Foster, author of How to Read Literature Like a Professor
"Reading Fiction Gallery is like taking a seminar from the masters of short-story writing."Elfrieda Abbe, Editor, The Writer
"A stellar collection of 25 stories . . . Fiction Gallery offers both avid readers and those looking for a smorgasbord a hearty repast. Highly recommended for all libraries."Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, New York, Library Journal
"Arranged by themes, the stories in this terrific collection can be read both for enjoyment and for literary merit. They were written by established as well as recently published authors and include works by Anton Chekhov and Myla Goldberg. Topics range from crimes of passion to the humdrum of everyday life, and the tales' brevity and cutting-edge themes will appeal to busy students. Many of the pieces deal with contemporary issues like one-night stands (Pam Houston's 'Sometimes You Talk about Idaho'), cheating (Ethan Canin's 'The Palace Thief'), world destruction (T.C. Boyle's 'After the Plague'), intolerance (ZZ Packer's 'Brownies'), and the impersonal workplace (Daniel Orozco's 'Orientation'). Each story is captivating; some are shocking. The selections are great examples of how writers use words to craft great literature. Interviews with Jhumpa Lahiri, Boyle, and Hannah Tinti provide additional insight into the writing process."Pat Bender, The Shipley School, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, School Library Journal
Synopsis
A collection of accessible and excellent short fiction hand-picked by the country's most popular writing school.
Each of the stories in Fiction Gallery will hold you spellbound from first to last page, while also exemplifying the very best in literary fiction. Grouped in sections that follow the cycle of life, these stories explore the varied aspects of human existence and, cumulatively, form the satisfying dramatic arc of a novel.
The authors range from the acknowledged masters of short fiction- Anton Chekhov, Dorothy Parker, John Cheever, Raymond Carver, T.C. Boyle, Jhumpa Lahiri- to the very best of today's emerging writers. As a bonus, the anthology includes interviews with T.C. Boyle and Jhumpa Lahiri, in which they illuminate the process of creating a short story.
Aspiring writers who enjoyed Gotham Writers' Workshop previous book, Writing Fiction, will also find this anthology an invaluable source of inspiration and instruction.
Gotham Writers' Workshop is America's leading private creative writing school, offering classes in New York City and on the web at WritingClasses.com. The school's interactive online classes, selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes, have attracted thousands of aspiring writers from across the United States and more than sixty countries.
Synopsis
A PSLA Young Adult Top 40 fiction title 2004
Each of the stories in "Fiction Gallery "will hold you spellbound from first to last page, while also exemplifying the very best in literary fiction. Grouped in sections that follow the cycle of life, these stories explore the varied aspects of human existence and, cumulatively, form the satisfying dramatic arc of a novel.
The authors range from the acknowledged masters of short fiction - Anton Chekhov, Dorothy Parker, John Cheever, Raymond Carver, T.C. Boyle, Jhumpa Lahiri - to the very best of today's emerging writers. As a bonus, the anthology includes interviews with T.C. Boyle and Jhumpa Lahiri, in which they illuminate the process of creating a short story.
Aspiring writers who enjoyed Gotham Writers' Workshop previous book, "Writing Fiction," will also find this anthology an invaluable source of inspiration and instruction.
Praise for "Writing Fiction"
"The writing is fresh and full of concrete advice."-"Publishers' Weekly"
" It's an incredible book, not just for the aspiring writer but for the ardent reader as well." - Michael Ray, Senior Editor, "Zoetrope: All-Story "
"This book has a vividness that somehow captures the excitement and fellowship in good writers' workshops. I've clearly found a new book to use in my own writing classes. A fine guide."-Chuck Kinder, Writing Program Director, University of Pittsburgh
"The strength of this book is its accessibility: It explains all the basics of writing fiction in a simple, easy-to-understand manner that doesn't intimidate."-"The Writer Magazine"
Gotham Writers' Workshop is America's leading private creative writing school, offering classes in New York City and on the web at www.WritingClasses.com. The school's interactive online classes, selected "Best of the Web" by Forbes, have attracted thousands of aspiring writers from across the United States and more than sixty countries.
Also available: "
Table of Contents
Introduction by Alexander Steele
Starting Out
Anton Chekhov, A Trifle from Life
Frank O'Connor, First Confession
ZZ Packer, Brownies
Peter Markus, What the River Told Us to Do
Myla Goldberg, Going for the Orange Julius
Longings
Claire Davis, Labors of the Heart
Lou Matthews, Crazy Life
Pam Houston, Sometimes You Talk About Idaho
T. C. Boyle, After the Plague
Those We Know
Dorothy Parker, Here We Are
Raymond Carver, Whoever Was Using This Bed
Anthony Doerr, For a Long Time This Was Griselda's Story
Hannah Tinti, Home Sweet Home
The Job
Daniel Orozco, Orientation
John O'Farrell, Walking into the Wind
Edwidge Danticat, Night Women
Ethan Canin, The Palace Thief
Strangeness
Jorge Luis Borges, The Book of Sand
Charles Baxter, The Next Building I Plan to Bomb
Jess Row, The Secrets of Bats
0Jhumpa Lahiri, The Third and Final Continent
Sunset
John Cheever, The Sunset
Kate Chopin, The Story of an Hour
Thom Jones, I Want to Live!
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dr. Heidegger's Experiment
Interviews
Interview with T. C. Boyle
Interview with Jhumpa Lahiri
Interview with Hannah Tinti
Credits
Acknowledgments