Ploughshares, Fall 2010

by Jim Shepard (editor)

Fiction by Charles Baxter, Aimee Bender, Robert Cohen, Sandra Leong, Meghan Mayhew Bergman, Jay Neugeboren, Ethan Rutherford, Greg Shutz, and Ian Stansel.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Poetry

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Jim Shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently The Book of Aron, which won the Sophie Brody Medal for Achievement in Jewish Literature from the American Library Association and the PEN/New England Award for fiction, and five story collections, including his new collection, The World To Come. Five of his short stories have been chosen for the Best American Short Stories, two for the PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, and one for a Pushcart Prize. He teaches at Williams College.

Reviews

[Larry Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a most enjoyable collection of short stories. Having Jim Shepard as the editor certainly contributed to the quality but the authors were all very good. There was not one story that I did not like.

This is a great coffee table book for a smallish coffee table! This particular Ploughshares has no poetry, only short stories, nine in this small softcover book. While you won't find this used unless you have a friend with back issues, there is a way to catch up with a new or electronic copy.

It's complete Table of Contents can be found at:
http://www.pshares.org/read/issue-det...

And the URL to actually order a past issue is
https://www.pshares.org//subscription...

And you can actually buy recent issues, including this one, in the Kindle and Nook formats for $3.99.

[Thing Two · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any collection of stories, there were some I just loved, and some I found only okay. I would say the stories started off slowly for me, and if I hadn't already read a reviewer rave about Ethan Rutherford's short "John, for Christmas", I might have given up on the whole collection; I haven't been a big fan of Jim Shepard's writing, either. But, boy oh boy am I glad I kept reading. Have you ever read a story, finished it, and turned back immediately to read it, again? That's what "John, for Christmas" did for me. It is truly an amazing piece of writing.

I also enjoyed "Dukes and Duchesses of Park Ridge" by Ian Stansel, and "Make-A-Wish" by Jay Neugeboren.

My only real complaint about this Ploughshares collection is the really tiny font; I must be getting old.

[Julia Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Shepard never disappoints.

There are some wonderful stories in this volume. I was most wowed by Sandra Leong's We Don't Deserve This - Ms. Leong is unhesitatingly brutal on the page. John, for Christmas was surprisingly good.

Jim's interview is also fun.

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Charles Baxter short story is worth the price alone. I saw Jim Shepard, the editor, speak last week. Nice guy, and he picked some good stories to boot!