The Mumpsimus

I've been reading through this year's Best American Short Stories , edited by Geraldine Brooks, little by little, almost randomly, not quickly, and mostly as a reward to myself when I get other work done. I got it as an ebook, because that's a nicely convenient way to read it. What ultimately attracted me to it was that this year's table of contents is more interesting to me than any in the last few years. (Finally, a BASS  that isn't a Best American Rich White People !) My favorite story so far is Rebecca Makkai's "Peter Torrelli, Falling Apart", originally published in Tin House . For me this story alone is easily worth what I paid for the book.

What this man needs is a good short story... Roxane Gay at HTML Giant: I recently read  Best American Short Stories 2010 , edited this year by Richard Russo who is one of my favorite writers.  Straight Man ? Amazing.  Empire Falls ? Amazing. My expectations were high. I generally enjoy reading  BASS  because it gives me a sense of what the literary establishment considers “the best” from year to year. I may not enjoy all the stories in a given year’s anthology but I am always impressed by the overall competence in each chosen story. I don’t think I’ve ever read a story in  BASS  and thought, “How did that get in there?” At the same time, I often find the BASS offerings to be shamefully predictable. The stories are often sedate and well-mannered even when they are supposedly not. I don’t see a lot of risk taking and more than anything else, I don’t see a lot of diversity in the stories being told. This year, though,  BASS  real...

Leonard Lopate did a good interview with Stephen King on WNYC last week (the day after my birthday, actually). King talked about his edition of The Best American Short Stories and about short stories in general, and he gave much praise to F&SF . It's well worth a listen.