Customer Reviews

Short Fiction by 33 Writers: 3 x 33

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

 

 

Once I read the forward and first bio, I knew this was going to be the new short story textbook for the literature and writing classes I teach. Not only are the stories carefully and thoughtfully selected, but the order and importance of each is highlighted and informed by the introduction from other accomplished writers. I have used many short story collections in my classes, and this is by far the best and most thorough anthology I have seen. Beyond that, my students love it (no small thing)!

I had this book as a textbook for a literature course and absolutely loved it. The stories are so entertaining and deep leaving you want to read them again. The authors include:

Sherman Alexie
Margaret Atwood
James Baldwin
Toni Cade Bambara
Andrea Barrett
Donald Barthelme
Richard Bausch
Charles Baxter
Anne Beattie
Robert Olen Butler
Raymond Carver
John Cheever
Junot Diaz
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Louise Erdich
Richard Ford
Barry Hannah
Gish Jen
Jamaica Kincaid
Bernard Malamud
Rick Moody
Lorrie Moore
Alice Munro
Antonya Nelson
Joyce Carol Oates
Tim O'Brien
Flannery O'Connor
Grace Paley
George Saunders
John Updike
Eudora Welty
Tobias Wolff
Richard Yates

This book is a great idea. Not only does it offer more than one story for each writer, but it also asks current writers to introduce the work of their favorite authors. Hence, Charles Baxter introduces Antonya Nelson, who introduces Flannery O'Connor. With its focus on the contemporary short story, this book will be of use to many readers--especially to young writers trying to teach themselves the fiction craft.

While it's hard to quibble with these 33 choices, there are probably just as many deserving writers who were left out. Perhaps there will one day be a sequel -- 6 X 66 -- though the numbers on the cover might scare the religious right.

Actually, that's another reason to root for a sequel.

What a smorgasbord board of voice and style! You get a full course meal from each author, not just a nibble. This text is a clinic in story construction. Every writing student in America ought to be feasting on this book!

This book is filled with stories on how life sucks, how relationships fail, and how no one should be trusted. Then you die.

Thankfully, I bought it used and hopefully able to sell it back once my class is over.