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The Best American Short Stories 2000 (The Best American Short Stories)
by
E.L. Doctorow ,
Katrina Kenison (Goodreads Author)
Despite increasing competition, this annual collection remains the place to find the most compelling short fiction published in the U.S. and Canada” (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY). To usher in the new millennium, THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2000 brims with a rich variety of lyrical and wise stories about our country’s past, present, and future. This year’s editor, the best-sellin...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
October 19th 2000
by Mariner Books
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Oh, I remember why I don't like short stories--depressing.
A few of the stories were interesting. Most were seriously depressing and at least half left me wondering why I bothered. I like a story where we get to know the character and care about him or her because of the way he or she behaves. Very few of these stories had that to them. Most of them seemed to be "commenting" on "social problems" or something. Can you be a little more subtle.
l learned 2 things from this selection of stories:
1) p...more
A few of the stories were interesting. Most were seriously depressing and at least half left me wondering why I bothered. I like a story where we get to know the character and care about him or her because of the way he or she behaves. Very few of these stories had that to them. Most of them seemed to be "commenting" on "social problems" or something. Can you be a little more subtle.
l learned 2 things from this selection of stories:
1) p...more
I love short stories. Each of these "Best ofs" definitely reflects that year's editor. I especially liked "The Gilgul of Park Avenue" by Nathan Englander and "The Anointed" by Kathleen Hill.
Quote from The Anointed:
"We cannot see into the mysteries of another person's life, dear boys and girls. We have no way of knowing what deaths a soul has sustained before the final one. It is for this reason that we must never presume to judge or to speak in careless ways about lives of which we understand n...more
Quote from The Anointed:
"We cannot see into the mysteries of another person's life, dear boys and girls. We have no way of knowing what deaths a soul has sustained before the final one. It is for this reason that we must never presume to judge or to speak in careless ways about lives of which we understand n...more
More short stories; a very different rhythm is required than for novels. It's better to try and finish a story in one sitting, because it's very hard to pick up the thread if you put the book down.
I think that how much I like these collections depends very much on how much I like the editor.
A few of my favorites this time;
"The Ordinary Son" Ron Carlson
"He's At The Office" Allan Gurganus
"People In Hell Just Want A Drink Of Water" Annie Proulx
I think that how much I like these collections depends very much on how much I like the editor.
A few of my favorites this time;
"The Ordinary Son" Ron Carlson
"He's At The Office" Allan Gurganus
"People In Hell Just Want A Drink Of Water" Annie Proulx
Noteworthy/memorable:
The Beautiful Days is one of my favorite stories and I don't exactly know why. It's fairly long and there's a lot of development that may or may not be necessary, but by the end I am always just fascinated and staring into space wondering, how did we get here?
The Fix is a story with a simple premise, but the quick and riveting extrapolation of that premise gives poignant meaning to the phrase "a gift and a curse."
The Third and Final Continent is another good example of Lahir...more
The Beautiful Days is one of my favorite stories and I don't exactly know why. It's fairly long and there's a lot of development that may or may not be necessary, but by the end I am always just fascinated and staring into space wondering, how did we get here?
The Fix is a story with a simple premise, but the quick and riveting extrapolation of that premise gives poignant meaning to the phrase "a gift and a curse."
The Third and Final Continent is another good example of Lahir...more
Another fine collection. I like meandering through the collection willy-nilly. Discovered some new authors I will now have to try to find either collections by them or novel length works. But really, I do enjoy a tasty little tid bit of a story. Anyone who thinks the short story collections are over, hasn't picked up one of these volumes yet. So many different genres in one book! Divine.....
Read and recommended to other teachers here:
"The Bridegroom" by Ha Jin - very unexpected (though the groundwork is definitely laid down by very delicate and telling details), understated story about gay conversion in a dark corner of the world.
"Nilda" by Junot Diaz - it's obligatory for me to read him anytime I see him. He's a New Yorker darling, and the stories keep surrounding around a certain family - Puma? (Rafa!) and his wiser-younger brother-narrator - a family I feel like I grew up around...more
"The Bridegroom" by Ha Jin - very unexpected (though the groundwork is definitely laid down by very delicate and telling details), understated story about gay conversion in a dark corner of the world.
"Nilda" by Junot Diaz - it's obligatory for me to read him anytime I see him. He's a New Yorker darling, and the stories keep surrounding around a certain family - Puma? (Rafa!) and his wiser-younger brother-narrator - a family I feel like I grew up around...more
Interesting that so many authors who appeared in the 1999 collection are also in the 2000 volume. And stories in both collections by Annie Proulx eventually became part of Wyoming Stories.
Mar 07, 2010
Tracy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Trish
Recommended to Tracy by:
Jeff, Steph, Todd
I am in a short story phase right now. I am going to read as many of these "Best American Short Stories" as I can get my hands on. This one was great. Short stories are such a different way to tell a story. My favorites in this collection was 'The Anointed' by Kathleen Hill, and 'The Fix' by Percival Everett.
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My favorite stories from this collection:
"The Ordinary Son" Ron Carlson
"Bones of the Inner Ear" Kiana Davenport
"Allog" Edith Pearlman
"The Ordinary Son" Ron Carlson
"Bones of the Inner Ear" Kiana Davenport
"Allog" Edith Pearlman
Thus far, my favorite group of selections (of the Best American Short Stories series). You really surprised me, Mr. Doctorow. Congrats!
Favorites:
"The Story" (The last sentence really tore my heart to shreds)
"The Ordinary Son" (hilarious)
"The Fix"
"Good for the Soul" (ending = worth it)
"The Beautiful Days"
"People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water" (again, the ending... ahhhhh "hu hu hu")
Favorites:
"The Story" (The last sentence really tore my heart to shreds)
"The Ordinary Son" (hilarious)
"The Fix"
"Good for the Soul" (ending = worth it)
"The Beautiful Days"
"People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water" (again, the ending... ahhhhh "hu hu hu")
There are some good stories here, but I've read better editions of this collection. My five favorites (no particular order) are "The Fix," "He's at the Office," "Brownies," "People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water," and "The Third and Final Continent."
Fantastic collection from this year
There is a story in here by Michael Byers called "The Beautiful Days." Apparently it is loosely based on his senior year at Oberlin (I say loosely because I have no idea if these things actually happened to him, only that the descriptions of the college and town are dead on). I find myself coming back to this story a lot not just because he evokes the place so well, but also because it's an example of a story that is not flashy yet memorable.
Stand-out after stand-out in this one. Starts out with Amy Bloom's "The Story," which is just shockingly good.
Read it at the beach. It was falling apart there, its cracking spine filling with sand. I remember holding it together against the gusting breeze, which wanted to take its pages away.
Read it at the beach. It was falling apart there, its cracking spine filling with sand. I remember holding it together against the gusting breeze, which wanted to take its pages away.
Nov 10, 2008
Kendall
added it
Some uplifting stuff (He's at the Office). Plenty of disturbing stuff (People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water and Basil the Dog).
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Famous American Jewish writer, Edgar Laurence Doctorow is the author of several critically acclaimed novels that blend history and social criticism. Although he had written books for years, it was not until the publication of The Book of Daniel in 1971 that he obtained acclaim. His next book, Ragtime, was a commercial and critical success. As of 2006, he held the Glucksman Chair in American Letter...more
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