The Best American Short Stories 1999

by Amy Tan (Editor), Katrina Kenison (Series Editor)

Rookie of the Year

The new cheat sheets are here! The new cheat sheets are here!

Want to know who the hottest fiction writers are? Yeah, yeah, commercially it's whatever middlebrow author Oprah tabbed this month. While there have been exceptions, many Oprah authors are no more writer's writers than Kenny G is a saxophonist's saxophonist.

The best way to find the hottest, most influential writers writing would be (1) to read every issue of every magazine that publishes new fiction, and (2) to read every good book that comes out. Which would work fine if you were Burgess Meredith in that episode of "The Twilight Zone" where everyone in the world disappears except this bookish guy who's left alone -- o, lovely briar patch -- inside a library. (Six words of Take good care of your glasses.) Absent that, what do you do?

I've said it before (in this very space), and I'll say it The best possible way to keep tabs on what's up with North American fiction is to buy, year in and year out, each year's volume of The Best American Short Stories and Prize The O. Henry Awards.

Both collections have been around for more than 80 years, have had their ups (mostly artistic) and downs (mostly commercial), but are both currently enjoying commercial heydays. During the 1970s, BASS's sales sank to a series-threatening 7,000 copies a year, before it hit on some bright ideas that saved it. Beginning in 1978, instead of one editor choosing everything himself (Edward O'Brien, from 1915 to 1940) or herself (Martha Foley, from 1941 to 1977), a series editor winnowed the 3,000 or so published stories each year down to a stack of 120 (a task, says current series editor Katrina Kenison that has become much harder the past couple years than it was when she began in 1991, when she had to scrape to find 120 she thought were terrific). Then a guest editor picks 20 stories to include (this year's, Amy Tan, seems to have done an especially able job and wrote a smart and delightful introduction). Beginning in 1983 (with an Anne Tyler-edited edition that was one of the series's strongest), BASS began to be published simultaneously in both hardback and paperback editions. And in 1987, it began to feature short comments by the writers, talking about their stories. BASS (better selling than O. Henry in recent years) began consistently to sell over 100,000 copies a year.

O. HENRY's nadir came more recently. Coinciding with BASS's resurgence, O. Henry, in the 1980s, became the American short story's poor, quirky stepchild. (Not in a good way.) But it received a major overhaul in 1997. A single editor (now Larry Dark) still, as has typically been the case, picks the 20 stories to include. But now, O. Henry also includes a list of 50 short-listed stories (with brief synopses) and comments by the authors of each year's anointed 20. Furthermore, three guest jurors (this year, Sherman Alexie, Stephen King, and Lorrie Moore), pick from those 20 a first, second, and third prize. Sales have zoomed.

You could read this year's editions of these two indispensable annuals and -- without breaking a sweat (with no effort more strenuous than feeling the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, though I did, as did Tan, read most of these stories on a StairMaster) -- glean this exemplary shorthand of whom you should be reading, circa 1998-1999.

Most Valuable Alice Munro.

Why (aside from the fact that she's the greatest living writer in English): Her story, "Save the Reaper," certainly the best short story I read last year, is one of only two included in both the 1999 BASS and O. Henry. In awarding it third prize in O. HENRY, Moore (whose "People Like That Are the Only People Here" was the only story included in both the 1998 BASS and O. Henry) discerns the story's parallels not only with Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" but also with the myths of Eros, Demeter, and Hermes. Moore writes that, in contrast to the O'Connor masterpiece, "[a]s always in the fictional world of Munro, a character's fate pivots not on the penitential moment but on the erotic one."

Neither annual allows any writer to be represented by more than one story (a custom that became a rule when both Munro and Richard Bausch landed two gems apiece in BASS 1990), but Munro's "Cortes Island" is short-listed for both and "Before the Change" is short-listed in O. Henry. All three stories are collected in her National Book Critics Circle Award-winning book The Love of a Good Woman.

MVP Annie Proulx, Pam Houston, Lorrie Moore.

All three are included in both volumes. Proulx's story "The Bunchgrass Edge of the World" is included in BASS and short-listed in O. Henry, "The Mud Below" in O. Henry and short-listed in...

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook, Anthologies, Literature, American, Adult

410 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Amy Tan (Chinese: 譚恩美; pinyin: Tán Ēnměi; born February 19, 1952) is an American writer whose novels include The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish From Drowing, and The Valley of Amazement. She is the author of two memoirs, The Opposite of Fate and Where the Past Begins. Her two children’s books are The Chinese Siamese Cat and The Moon Lady. She is also the co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of The Joy Luck, the librettist of the opera The Bonesetter’s Daughter, and the creative consultant to the PBS animated series Sagwa the Chinese Chinese Cat.

Tan is an instructor with MasterClass on writing, memory and imagination. She is featured in the American Masters documentary Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters and recently received the National Humanities Medal. She serves on the board of American Bird Conservancy.

Her forthcoming book The Backyard Bird Chronicles began as a journal in 2016, when she turned to nature for calm. She also began taking drawing classes with John Muir Laws (The Laws Guide to Nature Journaling and Drawing, and The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds). During the pandemic shutdown, she drew birds only in her backyard, documenting behaviors she found puzzling. Over time she identified 64 species of birds that have visited her backyard in Marin County. By 2022, she had more than nine journals of sketches and notes, which her editor at Knopf suggested she publish. The book, which will be released in April 2024, has already received high praise:

“Much of great writing comes from great interest, and in The Backyard Bird Chronicles, Amy Tan shows us how the world fascinates her, especially the birds. The result is both unexpected and spectacular.”
—Ann Patchett, author of These Precious Days

“What an enchanting and illuminating book! How lucky for us that Amy Tan has turned her genius, her deep empathy and insight, her keen eye for what is telling, to birds. Every page of these chronicles radiates warm curiosity, wonder, and delight.”
—Jennifer Ackerman, The Genius of Birds

“This is one of the most infectious and convincing books about nature I’ve read. For the bird-watcher, the would-be bird-watcher, or for the bird-watching skeptic, this offers great delight and unexpected intrigue. Through Tan’s ecstatic eyes, what could be a dry treatise on ornithological happenings becomes something far more fun and much more profound. It’s really a book about seeing.”
—Dave Eggers, author of Ungrateful Mammals

“Anybody even mildly interested in birds, or thinking about getting interested in birds (which are, after all, the indicator genus for the health of the planet), will want this book perched on their shelf, if only for the gift of Amy Tan’s eye and the example she gives us of how to pay attention. What a treasure.”
—Robert Hass, Pulitzer Prize-Winning author of Summer Snow: New Poems

“Backyard Bird Chronicles is fun reading. It shows how we can become engaged emotionally, literally and artistically with the natural world—to joyfully learn about the most accessible and yet wild animals, the often rare and beautiful birds that choose to come and live near and sometimes with us.”
—Bernd Heinrich, author of Mind of the Raven

“With this book as your guide, embark into the bird world Amy Tan. This is an intimate view, a sort-of love affair with the birds and their behavior, that Amy has come to know over several years. Within the leafy universe of her own backyard, she has quietly beheld, patiently observed, and taken in-depth notations of an extensive array of bird species. In colorful detail, she describes various bird’s behavior, while capturing their beauty in exquisitely rendered illustrations. Species include fearsome predators and watchful prey, long distance migrants and hometown residents. Through her unique insight and gift as an author and

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the stories Levar Burton read on his LB Reads podcast.

I really enjoyed this one. The character and those around him were described so realistically I felt like I was there on the train with The Professor. Having commuted via train for a good portion of my career, I completely get "knowing" those on the train and platform that take the same train. I would recognize certain people and if they weren't there one day, it felt like the day was "off" somehow.

Which was captured perfectly in this story. It almost seemed like it was sliding into magical realism, but there was a rational explanation for it all, which I quite enjoyed. I prefer the reason to be logical and based in reality, rather than the author couldn't figure out how it would work out, so MAGIC!

What the heck, I'm going the full 5 stars on this one. I haven't been liking Levar's choices of late, so this was a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended!

[Giddy Girlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a lot of the reviews it said that THIS is the book to own of all the current collections, and I have to say that I agree. Not that I have read the rest, but this collection is fascinating. Several times I found myself yelling at the book to stop withholding the next part of the story! 30 pages is too short! What happens next?! Needless to say, I have some new authors to hunt down.

Plus, this book was a thrift store find for me, and it has special significance because it's inscribed with beautiful notes to a college graduate and there was even a graduation card inside. I feel like it has some special blessing upon it or something... and it makes the stories inside just THAT much more magical.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely among my favorites from this series. I think Tan's choices give a more distinct flavor to this collection - I repeatedly found myself thinking, "Yep, this is something Amy Tan would choose." I liked that. I mean, what's the point of having a celebrity author as guest editor if they're not going to impose their taste?
...and the stories are good, too, natch.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only buy these collections for writing courses, and this one was assigned by the writer Jack Livings for a class on "detail" in fiction at Stanford Continuing Education. The class was fantastic. Some reviewers below said that this is "the" collection to buy... I have ended up with a lot of these since I take a lot of classes and I agree--this collection was fantastic. I actually loved the stories.

"The Hermits Story" by Rick Bass, "Mrs Dutta" by Chita Divakaruni, "The Best Girlfriend" by Sam Houston, "The Good Shopkeeper" by Samrat Upadhyay, and best of all the Interpreter of Maladies by the great Jhumpa Lahiri-- Loved all of these especially.

A Hemon's "Islands" was a unique choice for the collection.

Save the Reaper by She-who-will-not-be-named was terrifying. She does a great impression of Flannery O'Conor.

I used to not be a fan of short stories... but this collection was top notch!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story by George Harrar had a bit of a Twilight Zone vibe- Walter, a staid man who craves routine, has his train commute schedule upended to his dismay and doesn't know what to make of it. While plausible explanations are given, the reader needs to decide was the story edging into magical realism, or was it simply odd coincidences that led Walter down a different (and possibly better) path?

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The everyday of life can be habitual and ordinary. Get up. Go to work. Buy food. Go home. Sleep. At the end of the week meet with friends to blow off steam. Begin again.

When something changes within the ordinary it can both throw us off and also create an adventure.

Paraphrasing what Levar Burton asks at the beginning of this reading: What do you do when something changes/upsets within your routine?

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I individually scored the short stories in this collection and it averaged out to 2.7. I was going to rate the book as a whole based on that average, but I'm rounding down instead because my overall impression was negative.

Out of 21 stories, I gave four 5 stars (and all of these were in the first half of the book). I gave one story 4 stars, five stories 3 stars, seven stories 2 stars and four stories 1 star. I gave a brief impression of each one (along with its rating) in my reading progress notes. My favorites (the 4- and 5-star stories) in order of how they appear in the book are: The Hermit's Story by Rick Bass, The Piano Tuner by Tim Gautreaux, The 5:22 by George Harrar, The Best Girlfriend You Never Had by Pam Houston and the Robbers of Karnataka by James Spencer.

I'm not impressed with Amy Tan's selections. What does it say about what someone values that out of hundreds of entries, she chooses a majority that are depressing and run the gamut of weird sexual themes? Almost every story had some sort of weird sexual innuendo or, worse, sexual abuse (not to mention the more seemingly innocuous occurrences of culturally acceptable sexual content in so many of the stories). Affairs, homosexuality, lurid behavior of all types played heavily into her selections. This is what good writing consists of?

And, man, you would be hard-pressed to identify many of these stories as truly uplifting or enjoyable to read. Most of them are morose if not downright disturbing. For me to rate something 1 star means I wish I hadn't read it and 20% of these stories fit that category. Less than 30% of the stories were what I considered to be really good.

Some of the stories were extremely well-written and since I almost never read short stories, it was kind of a novelty to sit down and read a whole story contained in about 10-30 pages. It's a totally different genre and skill set than what I'm used to (it's weird to have 20+ storylines rolling around in my brain that I only spent 30-45 minutes with each) and I appreciated what many of these authors were able to convey/evoke in such a short amount of time. But I also felt like the authors were trying to do too much in too short amount of time/space and relied too much on shocking/disturbing the reader to make an impact than on producing an actually good piece of literature. I got the point where I was almost dreading each story because I felt like I was at the mercy of a bunch of sadists and I resented them (and the editor) for subjecting me to their crap/trauma.

As a side note: I found it interesting, and enjoyable, that so many were set in India (or had Indian characters). It seemed odd to keep running into those stories (four or five of them) in such a small selection, but it was fun for me having just visited there this year.

I guess I wouldn't write off this whole series. Every collection will be different and I feel like reading short stories stretches me as a reader. I'd be interested in reading a different editor's collection. After reading these, I don't even want to read Amy Tan's own work. I can't imagine I'll like it if these are the short of stories she chose as "The Best American Short Stories." There were maybe one or two authors who I'll probably look up to see if they have anything else I want to read, but, as a whole, this book left me feeling kind of icky.

[Karlan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and sneaky. I'm not sure I really liked to protagonist or his attitude toward the woman in the story. As always, LeVar is a great reader.

[David Blaylock · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK, but not great.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a few more stinkers than usual, and I didn't always vibe with Amy Tan's love of the uncanny or fairy-tale-like, but on the whole, plenty to enjoy here. In particular, I was pleased to be so completely won over by Jhumpa Lahiri, whom I'd been avoiding after reading a very tedious story of hers some years ago. "Interpreter of Maladies" was the arguably the best of the set.

Favorites in rough order of preference:
* Jhumpa Lahiri - "Interpreter of Maladies"
* Alice Munro - "Save the Reaper"
* Nathan Englander - "The Tumblers"
* Junot Diaz - "The Sun, the Moon, the Stars"
* Heidi Julavits - "Marry the One Who Gets There First"
* Hester Kaplan - "Live Life King-Sized"
* Lorrie Moore - "Real Estate"

And a few honorable mentions:
* James Spencer - "The Robbers of Karnataka"
* Tim Gautreaux - "The Piano Tuner"
* Rick Bass - "The Hermit's Story"
* George Harrar - "The 5:22"

[Murphy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rather randomly picked this edition of the long-running series to read, on a whim, in the fall of 2008. The stories, all published a decade before I read them (that seemed much a greater length of time to me then than it does today), had a rather outsized impact on me. I still recall particular scenes from several of the stories collected herein.

"In the whole anthology only one stinker-- Annie Proulx['s story]. It sucked," I wrote in a journal later, presumably in 2009. (If you should ever see this, I'm sorry Annie Proulx! I don't know why disliked your story so much. Perhaps I would feel different today.) I go on, "'Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter' [by Chitra Divakaruni] is probably my favorite. Some of the best stories I've ever read." I still think they are.

[Hester Rathbone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love LOVE the Best American Short Stories collections. I keep one in my car at all times. It's so much easier to keep that in the car instead of any book that I'd have to read front to back. I can just pick this up, read a story over lunch, and then put it down again.
I loved several of the stories in here - "The Piano Tuner" by Tim Gautreaux, "Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter" by Chitra Divakaruni, and "The 5:22" by George Harrar. It's always so wonderful to see how each edition varies from one guest editor to the next.

[Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amy Tan uses her opportunity as guest editor to write her autobiography, which isn't surprising considering the rest of her work centers almost entirely on her. Tan's egotism notwithstanding, this might be the worst of the series. It is so evidently an effect of Tan's own proclivities it makes 1999 look bad as a year for short stories, of which I am certain it was not. Junot Diaz's "The Sun, the Moon, the Stars" and Tim Gautreaux's "The Piano Tuner" are the only efforts from this collection I enjoyed. The rest were incredibly predictable or otherwise uninteresting.

[Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a collection of the best american short stories of an entire year, this was pretty pathetic. There were a few bright lights, several pretty decent stories, and an awful lot of terrible stories. Best stories: "The Hermit's Story", "The Sun, the Moon, the Stars", "Marry the One Who Gets There First", "Live Life King-Sized", "The Uncharted Heart".

Worst story by far: "Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter". What an incredibly unthoughtful, tepid and prosaic work of fiction.

[Dick Heimbold · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021The Best American Short Stories, 1999, Amy Tan, editor with Katrina Kenison, Series Editor. This book revived for me the joy of reading a good short story. It is published yearly with stories selected by different guest editors, in this 1999 edition by Amy Tan, herself a wonderful writer of short stories. She selected twenty-one short stories from one hundred and twenty selected from American and Canadian publications by author Katrina Kenison, who has assisted in this yearly collection from 1992 to 2006 (according to Wikipedia), and who wrote a short foreword describing the history of this collected of stories. Amy Tan wrote a fifteen-page introduction that is well worth reading, describing how she got interested in stories as a child with her father reading to her and describing the development of her criterion for judging the best short stories of nineteen ninety nine. Her prime criterion is “Voice.” Her selection of stories is excellent, comprising men and women authors, each with their distinctive voices covering a wide range of subjects. I didn’t like all the stories, but I liked most of them. I couldn’t pick a favorite, finding a lot of them so captivating and unique that I couldn’t pick a winner from that top shelf. I read each story in one sitting, as Amy Tan does, and recommend this book for any reader that relishes the joy of being surprised by unexpected reading experiences.

[Chrysten Lofton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0⭐ “Often he listened to his short wave, and the crackling sound of far-off voices seemed to him as if coming from a large immigrant family living on the other side of the thin walls.”
**Spoilers**

I’m on the 22nd episode of LeVar Burton Reads, and gifted with “The 5:22” by George Harrar.

Stephen King said, “I think reality is thin, you know, thin as lake ice after a thaw, and we fill our lives with noise and light and motion to hide that thinness from ourselves.” I love when writers take on that thinness of reality and I think that this was Harrar’s take on that.

It was sort of Murakami in it’s subtle surrealism, but, to be honest, I could have done with a stronger dose of the unreality aspect. It was too subtle in my opinion, and I think it left this story a little forgettable. But I enjoyed it. My favorite aspect by far was hearing about Walter’s book, it lifted him off the page. Besides that little aspect, he seemed underdeveloped to me. It was hard to care about him or love him. His infatuation with the woman on his train seemed contrived.

I’m dogging on it a little, but it really was a pleasant read. Always like velvet from LaVar. Until next time.

Casual reminder to sip your hot tea or coffee before it goes cold on you.
- 📚☕♥

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps I'm a bit too dense to understand what the author was trying to convey. Maybe it was about how anything in your life can change, and nothing is for certain? So, if that were the case, then sure this does the job, but honestly it doesn't make for a great story. Hearing about a guys train commute is just plain dull..LeVar does a great job as always, but this is another strikeout for me on the LeVar Burton Reads Podcast.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rick Bass' The Hermit's Story" felt psychedelic.

Annie Proulx's "Bunchgrass" made me thankful that my life isn't boring.

Houston's "Best Girlfriend" rocked me; made me feel unstable for the whole day. So glad I'm not single and in my 20's.

For me, "The Piano Tuner" by Tim Gautreaux tells the story of a man using his work to tangentially help others.

"Islands" by A. Hemon has a cool structure, and examines family and history with it.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

10. The Bunchgrass Edge of the World (Annie Proulx)
9. The Best Girlfriend You Never Had (Pam Houston)
8. The Robbers of Karnataka (James Spencer)
7. The Good Shopkeeper (Samrat Upadhyay)
6. Real Estate (Lorrie Moore)
5. The Piano Tuner (Tim Gatreaux)
4. Live Life King-Sized (Hester Kaplan)
3. The 5:22 (George Harrar)
2. Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)
1. Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter (Chitra B. Divakaruni)

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection. Diverse, interesting stories. My favorites were: The Sun, The Moon, The Stars by Junot Diaz, Live Life King-Sized by Hester Kaplan, Save the Reaper by Alice Munro, The Rest of Her Life by Steve Yarbrough.

This collection also features Melissa Hardy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lorrie Moore, and Annie Proulx, to name a few.

I look forward to reading more in this series.

[AsimovsZeroth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short from the Levar Burton Reads podcast and of course, Levar's narration was wonderful, as always. It was surreal and entertaining, but as other reviewers have mentioned, it's almost too understated. I felt like the author could have made it a little more impactful, but while I did enjoy reading it, I'd forgotten just about everything about it only a week later.

[Gray Moxley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was made to read this book for school, but you know what? I really liked it. Amy Tan does a great job editing, and she wrote a heartfelt memoir-style opening that’s as interesting to read as any of the short stories. The amount of authors and different varieties of stories are extensive and very enjoyable. If you’re in the market for a short story collection, this is the one for you.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have purchased and given away at least 5 copies of this 1999 Amy Tan Collection containing “Mrs Ditka Writes a Letter” and 2 or 3 other TOP stories. I have tried all subsequent years, but this collection has not been surpassed “in my book.”

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really uneven collection. Quite enjoyed a few; many left me with nothing.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This great little story was read on one of LeVar Burton‘s podcasts. It had an Alfred Hitchcock vibe.

[Rune · Rating 2 out of 5]

It kind of feels like an episode of the twilight zone. It reminds us that life is changeable and that we need to not take it for granted.

[Kerynne Tejada · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a semi simplistic yet eye opening tale about seeing things you may miss if you never bother to take the time to look up.

[Eva Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the LeVar Burton Reads podcast.
The middle bit, in which everything starts to disappear works very well, but I got to say that the ending felt too neat for my taste.

[ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I relisten to this book, I learn something else about myself, my life, the people around me.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful.