The Pushcart Prize XXIX: Best of the Small Presses, 2005 Edition [Paperback]

Bill Henderson (Author), The Pushcart Prize Editors (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 188888939X | ISBN-13: 978-1888889390 | Publication Date: November 2004 | Edition: 29

"When the future wants to know about our arts and letters, this is the publication it will turn to."—Sherod Santos

Now approaching its third decade, The Pushcart Prize is one of the grand institutions of the American literary scene, but it never fails to surprise, delight, and provoke readers. The short stories, essays, and poems are selected from literary magazines and small presses across the country, and represent the most exciting and innovative writing in America today. Over two hundred distinguished contributing editors helped pick more than sixty selections reprinted from scores of presses in Pushcart Prize XXIX. An index to the series and lists of hundreds of outstanding presses and authors are also included.

The most honored literary series in America, The Pushcart Prize has been selected several times as a notable book of the year by the New York Times. Pushcart Press and The Pushcart Prize were named among "the most influential in the development of the American book business over the past 125 years" by Publishers Weekly.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Henderson is right on the mark when he writes in his introduction that it has been a "vintage year" for this annual celebration of small magazines and presses—institutions that are anything but diminutive in their commitment to the art of the written word. From China to Greece, from India to Italy, this year's collection offers original, pithy commentary on everything from globalization and terrorism to relationships and family values in short works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. In Deb Olin Unferth's "Juan the Cell Phone Salesman," a mother sets her daughter up with a man who turns out to be a rather unsavory character. In Jack Herlihy's "The Core," a young boy faces and embraces death along with his funeral-obsessed father. Russell Working's "The Irish Martyr" and Elizabeth Kadetsky's "The Poison that Purifies You" both grapple with issues of terrorism, the latter detailing the story of a man living in Delhi who is kidnapped by Kashmiri rebels in an eerily nonchalant manner. Chockfull of short works that make big statements and suit just about any mood, this 29th anniversary edition proves once again that size doesn't matter.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Admirers of this annual compendium of fiction, poetry, and essays published in small-press venues can rave about its high literary quality, its rich spectrum of voices and subjects, and the importance of noncorporate publishing. But one must also say that it is a whole lot of fun to immerse oneself in these big, buzzing, and roiling volumes: you never know what you are going to find. Here are humor and pathos, danger and revelation. This blockbuster edition includes Andrei Codrescu's address to a meeting of the American Geographer's Association, an arch and evocative poem titled "Geographers at Mardi Gras." An arresting essay by Patricia Monaghan titled "Physics and Grief" is also included, as are such shattering short stories as Yiyun Li's tale about eunuchs and a young man who resembles the great dictator and Tom Bissell's intense drama about an American missionary in Russia. Among 62 winners, rookies stand beside such veterans as Wendell Berry, Mary Gordon, Kay Ryan, and William T. Vollman, constituting a stirring and, by virtue of their creativity and eloquent outspokenness, hopeful gathering. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 550 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 29 edition (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188888939X
• ISBN-13: 978-1888889390
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,864,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised Again, February 19, 2005

By 

foundpoem - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pushcart Prize XXIX: Best of the Small Presses, 2005 Edition (Paperback)

I'm continually surprised by the stellar writing in this annual collection. I haven't come across a poorly-written piece in here -- poetry, memoir, or fiction. I wish these authors were getting the attention they deserve. I'm impressed, too, by the egalitarian choices of the editors. If I remember correctly, Rick Moody is a contributing editor yet also received an "honorary mention" for a submission.

I've got one complaint that bothers me like crazy, in both last year's and this year's editions: Please put the original publication of each piece either in the contents or in an appendix of its own. The contents include the author, title and genre. One appendix gives us contributing presses, which it seems are all that submitted whether or not accepted for publication; and another appendix gives us all contributing presses over the years. The book is very long and in order to learn which story, poem, etc., was originally published where, we need to go to the work itself - an unweildy task when curious to read the writing originating from "X" publication.

Otherwise, truly, surprisingly excellent writing. I buy it to see writing trends; I end up enjoying the book. I pick it up for a quick look and end up reading, then reading some more. Great, great collection.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best anthology every year, September 20, 2005

By 

Marian K. Shapiro (Lexington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pushcart Prize XXIX: Best of the Small Presses, 2005 Edition (Paperback)

The yearly Pushcart prize anthology truly is the best of the best. Wish it were more portable - too heavy to lug on a plane or read in bed. On the other hand, it is certainly worth its weight in writing. Just keep it handy, prop it up on a table, and enjoy all year.