Best New American Voices 2008 [Paperback]

John Kulka (Editor), Natalie Danford (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2007 | Series: Best New American Voices

Critically acclaimed novelist and short story writer Richard Bausch continues the tradition of identifying the best young writers on the cusp of their careers in this year’s volume of Best New American Voices. Here are stories culled from hundreds of writing programs such as the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Johns Hopkins and from summer conferences such as Sewanee and Bread Loaf—as well as a complete list of contact information for these programs. This collection showcases tomorrow’s literary stars: Julie Orringer, Adam Johnson, William Gay, David Benioff, Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Maile Meloy, Amanda Davis, Jennifer Vanderbes, and John Murray are just some of the acclaimed authors whose early work has appeared in this series since its launch in 2000. The best new American voices are heard here first.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Each year the nation's most driven would-be writers seek out the structure and support of the many creative writing MFA programs and-as this volume proves-produce inspired work under their auspices. Now in its eighth year, this series showcases stories nominated by workshop directors and instructors and selected, in this case, by guest editor Bausch (Thanksgiving Night). A number of the writers featured in this edition breathe new life into familiar themes-the University of Iowa's Leslie Jamison takes on heartbreak, Stanford's Suzanne Rivecca examines sexual abuse, University of Massachusetts, Amherst's Jedediah Berry looks at death, Elizabeth Kadetsky represents the Wesleyan Writers Conference with a tale of innocence lost, and Adam Stumacher of the Wisconsin Institute takes on political strife-but just as many craft deftly original stories that defy easy categorization; one standout example is a playful story from the University of Mississippi's Christopher Stokes, "The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefellar," set in colonial Indonesia and narrated by a shrewd native. In his introduction, guest editor Bausch says that literature's ongoing quest is "to make something lasting out of the confusions of living"; these imaginative debut artists offer happy proof that the challenge is still being met.
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Review

PRAISE FOR THE BEST NEW AMERICAN VOICES SERIES

 

"These ambitious stories reflect the imaginations of a generation and are a sneak preview of coming attractions in fiction."--Chicago Tribune (Editor's Choice)

"Demonstrates the potent force of American writers emerging from such distinguished writing programs as Bread Loaf and Sewanee. These collected works draw the reader into varied worlds of experience."--Elle

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (October 8, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156031493
• ISBN-13: 978-0156031493
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,274,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent series, October 31, 2007

By 

Tyler (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best New American Voices 2008 (Paperback)

Every annual collection of this title are great. They are a must read for aspiring writers and for those who enjoy the short story form. With this collection, we are witnessing the process of new writers honing their craft to near perfection. The different styles of story telling is what makes each story unique. Some insightful readers might even see that a few stories are a work in progress of a full length novel.

5.0 out of 5 stars Up and down but always promising, December 12, 2008

By 

Christopher White "Finger" (Hyattsville, MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best New American Voices 2008 (Paperback)

The stories in these collections are always up and down, but it is always great to read the work coming from the writing programs around the country. While most are standard, workshop fare, they all show that flair for language and creativity that hopefully will push these writers on to bigger and better things. A few of the stories really shine, especially "Mouse" by Jordan McMullin. The story is melancholy and really captures some of forgotten anxieties that many young children feel when they are beginning to realize that world doesn't always come together the way they want it to. She also shows a great ear for dialogue and the writing itself is heartfelt with just the right amount of detail. Not all of the stories are going to be for everyone, but reading the work of fledgling writers can be rewarding, especially when you can find those small gems and enjoy them for the imperfection.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories, great promise, October 8, 2008

By 

Chris Custer "Chris Custer" (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Best New American Voices 2008 (Paperback)

These stories are at times amateurish and flawed, but all of them have the kind of edge needed before maturation and polish. These early endeavors reflect the growing pains of great promise.