First published 2025
This annual collection brings together twenty stories that won recognition from magazines across the previous year. Edward P. Jones serves as guest editor, choosing from thousands of published pieces to create this year's anthology. The selected authors range from established writers to new voices making their mark in literary fiction. Jones provides an introduction explaining his selection process and vision for the collection. Each story includes commentary from its author about the inspiration behind the work. The volume concludes with a comprehensive list of magazines that actively publish short fiction, serving as a resource for readers seeking more contemporary stories. This edition continues the anthology's hundred-year history of showcasing the year's most accomplished short fiction.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, anthologies, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: established-writers, new-voices
Period: 2025
416 pages · Paperback · Vintage