The story prize : 15 years of great short fiction

This anthology of short stories marks the fifteenth anniversary of The Story Prize and includes one story from each of the annual winning collectionschosen by the authors themselvesbeginning with Edwidge Danticats The Dew Breaker and concluding with Elizabeth Strouts Anything Is Possible. The founder of The Story Prize, Julie Lindsey, and its director, Larry Dark, created this award to address the lack of one specifically for collections of stories. Together they choose three finalists from the previous years publications, which are sent to three judgesan author, a bookseller or librarian, and a critic or editorwho, independently of one another, relay their choices. The prize is then presented at an annual celebration in New York, where the finalists read from their books and then discuss their work with Dark. Excerpts from these interviewsor, in a few cases, the judges citationsintroduce each story in the book. As for the stories themselves, as Dark writes: If youre looking for themes to mine from the fourteen stories collected here, good luck. Each is distinctive, sometimes jarringly different in tone, scope, and language from the story that proceeds and follows it. For instance, Patrick OKeeffes elegiac novella set in rural Ireland hands the baton to Mary Gordons short humorous story that takes place in a New York City podiatrists office. After Tobias Wolffs brief classic story about a literary critic who experiences a succession of memories in the nanoseconds before he dies from a gunshot wound comes Daniyal Mueenuddins detailed exploration of the life of a Pakistani servant that unfolds over many years." The other winners whose stories are collected here are Jim Shepard, Anthony Doerr, Steven Millhauser, Claire Vaye Watkins, George Saunders, Elizabeth McCracken, Adam Johnson, and Rick Bass. The authors chose each of the stories included to read at the annual Story Prize event, and each is a small miracle of inventiveness and passion. This Anthology Of Short Stories Marks The Fifteenth Anniversary Of The Story Prize And Includes One Story From Each Of The Annual Winning Collections, Beginning With Edwidge Danticat's The Dew Breaker And Concluding With Elizabeth Strout's Anything Is Possible.the Founder Of The Story Prize, Julie Lindsey, And Its Director, Larry Dark, Created This Award To Address The Lack Of One Specifically For Collections Of Stories. Together They Choose Three Finalists From The Previous Year's Publications, Which Are Sent To Three Judges--an Author, A Bookseller Or Librarian, And A Critic Or Editor--who, Independently Of One Another, Relay Their Choices. The Prize Is Then Presented At An Annual Celebration In New York, Where The Finalists Read From Their Books And Then Discuss Their Work With Dark. Excerpts From These Interviews--or, In A Few Cases, The Judges' Citations--introduce Each Story In The Book. The Authors Chose The Stories Included To Read At The Annual Story Prize Event. Introduction / Larry Dark -- The Book Of Miracles / Edwidge Danticat -- The Postman's Cottage / Patrick O'keeffe -- My Podiatrist Tells Me A Story About A Boy And A Dog / Mary Gordon -- The Zero Meter Diving Team / Jim Shepard -- Bullet In The Brain / Tobias Wolff -- Saleema / Daniyal Mueenuddin -- Memory Wall / Anthony Doerr -- Snowmen / Steven Millhauser -- Ghost, Cowboys / Claire Vaye Watkins -- Tenth Of December / George Saunders -- Something Amazing / Elizabeth Mccracken -- Nirvana / Adam Johnson -- How She Remembers It / Rick Bass -- The Sign / Elizabeth Strout. Edited By Larry Dark. "You don’t often get collections, or even anthologies where every story knocks you out, but I’ve been bewildered in the best way over each one [in The Story Prize ] so far." —Lillian Li, author of Number One Chinese Restaurant This anthology of short stories marks the fifteenth anniversary of The Story Prize and includes one story from each of the annual winning collections, beginning with Edwidge Danticat’s The Dew Breaker and concluding with Elizabeth Strout’s Anything Is Possible . The founder of The Story Prize, Julie Lindsey, and its director, Larry Dark, created this award to address the lack of one specifically for collections of stories. Together they choose three finalists from the previous year’s publications, which are sent to three judges—an author, a bookseller or librarian, and a critic or editor—who, independently of one another, relay their choices. The prize is then presented at an annual celebration in New York, where the finalists read from their books and then discuss their work with Dark. Excerpts from these interviews—or, in a few cases, the judges’ citations—introduce each story in the book. The authors chose the stories included to read at the annual Story Prize event. The Book of Miracles (from The Dew Breaker) / Edwidge Danticat -- The Postman's Cottage (from The Hill Road) / Patrick O'Keeffe -- My Podiatrist Tells Me a Story About a Boy and a Dog (from The Stories of Mary Gordon) / Mary Gordon -- The Zero Meter Diving Team (from Like You'd Understand, Anyway) / Jim Shepard -- Bullet in the Brain (from Our Story Begins) / Tobias Wolff -- Saleema (from In Other Rooms, Other Wonders) / Daniyal Mueenuddin -- Memory Wall (from Memory Wall) / Anthony Doerr -- Snowmen (from In the Penny Arcade) / Steven Millhauser -- Ghosts, Cowboys (from Battleborn) / Claire Vaye Watkins -- Tenth of December (from Tenth of December) / George Saunders -- Something Amazing (from Thunderstruck & Other Stories) / Elizabeth McCracken -- Nirvana (from Fortune Smiles) / Adam Johnson -- How She Remembers It (from For a Little While) / Rick Bass -- The Sign (from Anything Is Possible) / Elizabeth Strout.