Best American Short Stories (2006)

by Katrina Kenison

Book Overview

"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,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 061854352X
• ISBN13: 9780618543526
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

School Book

Needed this for a literature course. Had great stories in it. Great condition. Great book!

Short Stories are very entertaining!

At first, I did not know what to expect with this compilation. Once I started into it, I found it very entertaining and diverse. Great for those 30 minutes that you want to read something but not a long novel. I've already purchased the 2007 compilation and am enjoying it.

Perfect bedtime companion.

Love these type of anthologies. Some stories are excellent but some also, are a bit lame. Still enjoyable just for the mix.

Inspirational and all times daunting, and helpful

For any short story writer to discover what works and what doesn't, they need to read what the best of the best are doing and discover for themselves. They need to discover how tone affects dialog affects scene affects the reader, and make their own decisions about what they themselves will experiment with. I love every story I have read in this book, and while it is daunting to read stories at the end of their crafting with no knowledge of what it took to get them there, it is encouraging to then write a passage of your own story and see the influences of Tobias Wolfe or Paul Yoon. A good buy for any who love short stories, and those that want to learn to write their own.

Best collection in years

I have been reading the Best American Short Stories anthologies since the 1999 edition, and reviewing them here since 2003, and I do think that this year's edition is my favorite. Perhaps this indicates that the short story form is gaining momentum, which would be a welcome development in world of literature. But more likely it is due to the work of guest editor Ann Patchett who, unlike some other guest editors in the Best American series, has held her personal biases at bay and chosen deserving stories that should appeal to a wide audience, rather than just people like herself. As always, different people will have different favorite stories, but here are mine: --"Once the Shore", by Paul Yoon: a haunting story about a woman's quest to understand her imperfect marriage and husband, and the connection she forms with a stranger on the other side of the world, who has his own heartbreak to deal with. --"Refresh, Refresh", by Benjamin Percy: a somewhat exaggerated yet still realistic portrayal of a small rural community dealing with the impact of military reservist troop activations, and (more importantly) the challenges of people escaping the fate to which they have been born. --"Self-Reliance", by Edith Perlman: a dreamlike account of a life's final journey. --"Grandmother's Nose", by Robert Coover: a very creative spin on an oft-told fable, which adds new modern day understandings while also illuminating the core messages of the original version. Each of these selections demonstrates the short story at its best: powerful ideas and emotions are concentrated and conveyed in a small number of pages through carefully crafted sentences. Each story stands on its own and is by itself a work of art. Were they to be stretched to novel length, they would become diluted and lose their impact. A good short story is so much more than just one chapter of a novel. The short story form is well worth reading and enjoying, and the 2006 Best American Short Story anthology is a great way for new short story readers and old to experience the medium.