First published 1989
Robert Shapard curates an international anthology that travels through sixty compact narratives from writers spanning continents and cultures. This collection builds upon its predecessor by casting a wider net across global literature, gathering brief fiction that packs complete worlds into condensed forms. Each story functions as a literary destination, offering readers encounters with diverse voices and unexpected perspectives. The anthology serves multiple purposes as both classroom resource and personal discovery tool. Writers from different traditions demonstrate how much storytelling power can fit into short formats. The collection surprises readers with variety while maintaining consistent quality across its selections. Each piece delivers what Shapard calls "sudden fiction" - complete narrative experiences that unfold quickly but resonate deeply. The book offers readers a passport to literary traditions they might not otherwise encounter.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, anthologies, contemporary, international
Vibes: diverse, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: diverse-voices, unexpected-perspectives
Period: 21st-Century
352 pages · Paperback · W. W. Norton & Company