The Best American Short Stories 1984

by John Updike (Editor), Shannon Ravenel (Editor)

Presents a collection of stories selected from magazines in the United States and Canada

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Short Story Collection

295 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

John Hoyer Updike was an American writer. Updike's most famous work is his Rabbit series (Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich; Rabbit At Rest; and Rabbit Remembered). Rabbit is Rich and Rabbit at Rest both won Pulitzer Prizes for Updike. Describing his subject as "the American small town, Protestant middle class," Updike is well known for his careful craftsmanship and prolific writing, having published 22 novels and more than a dozen short story collections as well as poetry, literary criticism and children's books. Hundreds of his stories, reviews, and poems have appeared in The New Yorker since the 1950s. His works often explore sex, faith, and death, and their inter-relationships.

He died of lung cancer at age 76.

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. Only five of the twenty stories really interested me:

Paul Bowles, "In the Red Room"
Andre Dubus, "A Father's Story"
Wright Morris, "Glimpse into Another Country"
Joyce Carol Oates, "Nairobi"
Cynthia Ozick, "Rosa"

[Dave Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good overall. Three i thought were noteworthy:
A Father's Story, Andre Dubus
Lena, Mavis Gallant
Morrison's Reaction, Stephen Kirk
though if anyone can explain the ending to Morrison's Reaction i would aprreciate it.

One of these days ill read a B.A.S.S. where i love every story and then ill have found an author to follow.

[Jeff Keehr · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the 1980s, I was on a short story kick. This was one of many collections I read during that period.

[Jakon Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m letting out a deep sigh I as write this closing for “The Best American Short Stories 1984”.


I had such high hopes for myself when I started this anthology. I felt that I would attack it and read through it with all the gusto as say…the John Gardner edited anthology.


Perhaps I didn’t want to finish this collection. Honestly, the stories collected here by Updike were outstanding. Collected, I think I have enjoyed them the most of all the BASS I have read to this date.


Of course, I did wonderful job of throwing obstacles up in front of my progress.


I read Ian Frazier’s rather large book - “Travels in Siberia” (absolutely wonderful). And reading this book pushed me into my Russian phase which caused me to start this new blog -


http://sonandrussians.blogspot.com/


I’ve spent a good amount of time reading and writing about Tolstoy’s “Resurrection” as my first selection for that journal.


So, in closing, here is the breakdown for BASS 1984


It took -


2 months 29 days

or

12 weeks six days

or

90 days

or

64 week days

Which works out to

One story every 4.5 days.


Gender profile of the anthology - 12 men and 8 women.


Stories from representing certain magazines more than once. - 5 from The New Yorker, 2 from The Georgia review, 2 from The Greensboro Review.


Goodbye John Updike and thanks for some great reads.


Now…1985 is approaching quickly!

http://yearsofbass.blogspot.com/2010/...

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A major improvement over Anne Tyler's editorial turn: almost uniformly top-notch work, and satisfyingly varied, too. My favorites, in rough order of preference:

Donald Justice - "The Artificial Moonlight" (the standout for me)
Paul Bowles - "In the Red Room"
Mavis Gallant - "Lena"
James Salter - "Foreign Shores"
Madison Smartt Bell - "The Naked Lady"
Lee K. Abbott - "The Final Proof of Fate and Circumstance"
Joyce Carol Oates - "Nairobi"

And a few honorable mentions:
Cynthia Ozick - "Rosa"
Wright Morris - "Glimpse into Another Country"

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

read in 2008