Customer Reviews

Best American Short Stories, 1986

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have read many of the Best American Short Story collections, and this is certainly one of the better ones. Up front Carver, this year's editor, says that he likes "people in realistic detailed situations." All of these stories are very down to earth, much like Carver's own writing. No fantasy found here. The first story, "Basil From Her Garden" by Donald Barthelme threw me for a loop. It didn't seem anything that Carver described. Read pretty much like an interview on some rather off the wall things like making adultery acceptable. Very odd story that I didn't really care for, and Carver warns the reader that this one is slightly different.

The rest are really good, though.

James Lee Burke appears in this addition before he was typecast in the Mystery series. I like everything he writes. "The Convict" is no exception.

Tess Gallagher also appears, which to me, seems a little bias since the editor was married to her at the time.

Joy William is also here. Carver and her were good friends. He admits that he did not choose the selections blindly.

All in all worth the read.