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The Best American Short Stories 1987
A mixture of the works of new writers and well-known talents, this anthology of outstanding short stories features fiction by Margaret Atwood, Sue Miller, and authors whose works appeared in literary magazines or large-circulation periodicals.
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
About the author
Ann Beattie
142 books412 followersAnn Beattie (born September 8, 1947) is an American short story writer and novelist. She has received an award for excellence from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and a PEN/Bernard Malamud Award for excellence in the short story form. Her work has been compared to that of Alice Adams, J.D. Salinger, John Cheever, and John Updike. She holds an undergraduate degree from American University and a masters degree from the University of Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 9, 2023
Guest Editor Ann Beattie
Series Editor Shannon Ravenel
When I finished all of the stories I thought that the overall rating for this would not be very high. When I read these anthologies I create a document where I write a short review of each story as I finish it with a rating. Then I go back to do my summary. I was surprised at the number of four star ratings. I think I may have been overly generous.
The Way We Live Now by Susan Sontag – 4 stars – the best thing about this story was the structure. Run-on sentences that took focus to follow the point. The story was good about friends rallying around a friend hospitalized suffering symptoms of AIDS. It segues into their relationships as well.
The Lover of Women by Sue Miller reads like a novel. Wonderful deep character development and terrific prose. A study of small-town social status when two brothers despite being on a lower rung of social standing become involved with three sisters from a wealthier family. That is sort of the unemotional summary. There is a lot more to unravel in the story. A solid 5 stars.
Lady of Spain by Robert Taylor Jr. A man recollects growing up probably in the 50s when he took accordion lessons. This was more about his memories of his parents’ relationship and his mother’s devotion to volunteering in a veteran’s home. His mother considers him a confidant and friend which he is puzzled by. Sad and heartwarming.
Another 5 stars.
Milk by Ron Carlson was outstanding. “We have always felt safe until the boys arrived and now I am afraid of everything.” A wonderful view of how fatherhood changes someone.
The Things They Carry by Tim O’Brien is also the title of the author’s book of short stories about the war in Vietnam and the men who were drafted to fight in a war they did not want to fight. Told from the POV of a Lieutenant who cannot get over the feeling of responsibility for his men. You get to know each man from the list of the things they carry with them. I have O’Brien’s book on my TBR list but I feel I need to be in the right state of mind to read it so that I do not come away feeling devastated. I also have had Matterhorn on my bookshelf for a while and have been putting that off as well.
These were the stories I thought were best. I am torn about the overall rating for the book because, despite these excellent selections, there were a few with one or two star ratings that brought it down.
Series Editor Shannon Ravenel
When I finished all of the stories I thought that the overall rating for this would not be very high. When I read these anthologies I create a document where I write a short review of each story as I finish it with a rating. Then I go back to do my summary. I was surprised at the number of four star ratings. I think I may have been overly generous.
The Way We Live Now by Susan Sontag – 4 stars – the best thing about this story was the structure. Run-on sentences that took focus to follow the point. The story was good about friends rallying around a friend hospitalized suffering symptoms of AIDS. It segues into their relationships as well.
The Lover of Women by Sue Miller reads like a novel. Wonderful deep character development and terrific prose. A study of small-town social status when two brothers despite being on a lower rung of social standing become involved with three sisters from a wealthier family. That is sort of the unemotional summary. There is a lot more to unravel in the story. A solid 5 stars.
Lady of Spain by Robert Taylor Jr. A man recollects growing up probably in the 50s when he took accordion lessons. This was more about his memories of his parents’ relationship and his mother’s devotion to volunteering in a veteran’s home. His mother considers him a confidant and friend which he is puzzled by. Sad and heartwarming.
Another 5 stars.
Milk by Ron Carlson was outstanding. “We have always felt safe until the boys arrived and now I am afraid of everything.” A wonderful view of how fatherhood changes someone.
The Things They Carry by Tim O’Brien is also the title of the author’s book of short stories about the war in Vietnam and the men who were drafted to fight in a war they did not want to fight. Told from the POV of a Lieutenant who cannot get over the feeling of responsibility for his men. You get to know each man from the list of the things they carry with them. I have O’Brien’s book on my TBR list but I feel I need to be in the right state of mind to read it so that I do not come away feeling devastated. I also have had Matterhorn on my bookshelf for a while and have been putting that off as well.
These were the stories I thought were best. I am torn about the overall rating for the book because, despite these excellent selections, there were a few with one or two star ratings that brought it down.
August 20, 2023
All of these stories are very good, and it is a trip back to childhood through grown up eyes to see serious thinking and narratives and sarcasm and romance and existential angst play out on an 80s stage, with zero kitsch.
April 28, 2016
A great collection. Carver's editorial turn in 1986 was so excellent that I didn't dare hope for a repeat; however, Beattie's able curation made this edition easily the equal of the previous one.
One of Beattie's innovations this time around was that she did away with the silly alphabetical ordering that plagued earlier years, instead arranging the stories with an eye towards linked themes and premises. This measure went a long way towards preserving variety and interest across the stories. I haven't looked ahead yet, but I'm hoping the subsequent editors will follow suit.
My favorites of the bunch, in no particular order:
Susan Sontag - "The Way We Live Now"
John Updike - "The Afterlife"
Mavis Gallant - "Kingdom Come"
Sue Miller - "The Lover of Women"
Ralph Lombreglia - "Men under Water"
Raymond Carver - "Boxes"
Tim O'Brien - "The Things They Carried"
One of Beattie's innovations this time around was that she did away with the silly alphabetical ordering that plagued earlier years, instead arranging the stories with an eye towards linked themes and premises. This measure went a long way towards preserving variety and interest across the stories. I haven't looked ahead yet, but I'm hoping the subsequent editors will follow suit.
My favorites of the bunch, in no particular order:
Susan Sontag - "The Way We Live Now"
John Updike - "The Afterlife"
Mavis Gallant - "Kingdom Come"
Sue Miller - "The Lover of Women"
Ralph Lombreglia - "Men under Water"
Raymond Carver - "Boxes"
Tim O'Brien - "The Things They Carried"
February 9, 2019
The story I liked the most in The Best American Short Stories 1987 is Ralph Lombreglia's "Men Under Water." It's about a guy who works for a slumlord who wants to be a screenwriter, and he's tried to quit this slumlord many times but his boss keeps giving him raises and he stays, even though he really wants to go and even though his wife wants to go. It's just a very fun, compassionate story, and it makes me want to read more from Ralph Lombreglia.
Of course, the best story in the collection is probably Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" about the burden of the young American soldiers during the Vietnam War. I must have read this story a thousand times, and every time I do, I get something new out of it. Heard people recount unpleasant stories about meeting O'Brien. However he is in person, he's a terrific story writer. The story in this volume and all the stories in his book called The Things They Carried are well worth reading.
Other tried-and-true writers who appear here are Raymond Carver, Bharati Mukherejee, Madison Smart Bell, and Tobias Wolff. Carver's "Boxes" is about a guy and his girlfriend going to help the guy's mother move, and it hits all the right notes of ordinary unhappiness. Mukherjee's "The Tenant" is about the Indian immigrant experience in America broadly but more importantly it's a dang fine story about a woman navigating two cultural worlds. Bell's story "The Lie Detector" follows a dude down on his luck in New York. Wolff's "The Other Miller" is about a soldier who gets called back home because his mother is reported to have died.
In this book, I was surprised to find Kent Haruf, whose "Private Debts/Public Holdings" was terrific. I'll call my eyes peeled for his work. His story is about a man who robs an elevator company in a small town and it's the robber's wife who has to do the penance for her husband's sins. The story is a little wild and yet it's heartbreaking and there is a kind of gimmick to it, which I won't spoil, but in Haruf's hands, the story doesn't feel at all gimmicky.
By the way, in this Best American volume, it's the first year they added author commentaries on the stories at the back of the book. It's really nice to read this volume and feel there for this occasion, albeit not in real chronological time.
Of course, the best story in the collection is probably Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" about the burden of the young American soldiers during the Vietnam War. I must have read this story a thousand times, and every time I do, I get something new out of it. Heard people recount unpleasant stories about meeting O'Brien. However he is in person, he's a terrific story writer. The story in this volume and all the stories in his book called The Things They Carried are well worth reading.
Other tried-and-true writers who appear here are Raymond Carver, Bharati Mukherejee, Madison Smart Bell, and Tobias Wolff. Carver's "Boxes" is about a guy and his girlfriend going to help the guy's mother move, and it hits all the right notes of ordinary unhappiness. Mukherjee's "The Tenant" is about the Indian immigrant experience in America broadly but more importantly it's a dang fine story about a woman navigating two cultural worlds. Bell's story "The Lie Detector" follows a dude down on his luck in New York. Wolff's "The Other Miller" is about a soldier who gets called back home because his mother is reported to have died.
In this book, I was surprised to find Kent Haruf, whose "Private Debts/Public Holdings" was terrific. I'll call my eyes peeled for his work. His story is about a man who robs an elevator company in a small town and it's the robber's wife who has to do the penance for her husband's sins. The story is a little wild and yet it's heartbreaking and there is a kind of gimmick to it, which I won't spoil, but in Haruf's hands, the story doesn't feel at all gimmicky.
By the way, in this Best American volume, it's the first year they added author commentaries on the stories at the back of the book. It's really nice to read this volume and feel there for this occasion, albeit not in real chronological time.
July 1, 2020
Highly recommend Favor, The Other Miller, Men Under Water, & The Things They Carried. The rest were so-so.
November 5, 2025
Favorites:
- The Afterlife, Updike
- The Prince, Nova
- Favor, Tallent
- Circle of Prayer, Munro
- The Tenant, Mukherjee
- The Blue Men, Williams
- The Afterlife, Updike
- The Prince, Nova
- Favor, Tallent
- Circle of Prayer, Munro
- The Tenant, Mukherjee
- The Blue Men, Williams
July 30, 2013
God, these collections are my FAVORITE. Once a year is not enough.
January 13, 2015
This was not one of my favorite volumes in the series. I did not enjoy as many of the stories as I usually do.
March 10, 2012
Soon...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews