by Alice Sebold
First published 2009
This anthology cannot be summarized through a single protagonist or narrative arc, as it contains twenty distinct short stories selected by Alice Sebold. The collection spans diverse fictional worlds, featuring both established writers and debut authors whose work appeared in publications ranging from prestigious literary magazines to smaller independent reviews. Each story operates as its own complete universe, with different characters facing varied conflicts and circumstances. The selections function as literary sensors, capturing contemporary American experiences across multiple social and geographic landscapes. Sebold assembled these pieces to represent the breadth of current short fiction, mixing voices from different career stages and backgrounds. The anthology continues the tradition of America's longest running and most commercially successful short story series, offering readers exposure to the year's most notable brief fiction from across the publishing spectrum.
Genres: anthologies, american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: America
Period: 21st-Century
347 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt