The Best American Short Stories 2006 (The Best American Series)
"While a single short story may have a difficult time raising enough noise on its own to be heard over the din of civilization, short stories in bulk can have the effect of swarming bees, blocking out sound and sun and becoming the only thing you can think about," writes Ann Patchett in her introduction to The Best American Short Stories 2006.
This vibrant, varied sampler of the American literary scene revels in life's little absurdities, captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion. In "The View from Castle Rock," the short story master Alice Munro imagines a fictional account of her Scottish ancestors' emigration to Canada in 1818. Nathan Englander's cast of young characters in "How We Avenged the Blums" confronts a bully dubbed "The Anti-Semite" to both comic and tragic ends. In "Refresh, Refresh," Benjamin Percy gives a forceful, heart-wrenching look at a young man's choices when his father -- along with most of the men in his small town -- is deployed to Iraq. Yiyun Li's "After a Life" reveals secrets, hidden shame, and cultural change in modern China. And in "Tatooizm," Kevin Moffett weaves a story full of humor and humanity about a young couple's relationship that has run its course.
Ann Patchett "brought unprecedented enthusiasm and judiciousness [to The Best American Short Stories 2006]," writes Katrina Kenison in her foreword, "and she is, surely, every story writer's ideal reader, eager to love, slow to fault, exquisitely attentive to the text and all that lies beneath it."
The Best American Short Stories 2006 (The Best American Series) Accessories
 The Best American Short Stories 2007 (Edition 001)
The Best American Short Stories 2005 (The Best American Series)
The Best American Essays 2006 (The Best American Series (TM))
The Best American Short Stories 2004 (The Best American Series)
The Best American Short Stories 2008
The Best American Mystery Stories 2006 (The Best American Series)
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2006: The Best Stories of the Year
The Best American Short Stories of the Century (The Best American Series (TM))
The Best American Poetry 2006 (Best American Poetry)
The Best American Short Stories 2003 (The Best American Series (TM))
The Best American Short Stories 2006 (The Best American Series) Reviews
Had great stories in it. Needed this for a literature course. Great book. Great condition.
Great for those 30 minutes that you want to read something but not a long novel. I've already purchased the 2007 compilation and am enjoying it. Once I started into it, I found it very entertaining and diverse. At first, I did not know what to expect with this compilation.
Patchett. But of the 20 stories collected here, 15 of them are really bad. Bad job Ms. I can't even remember how many years I've been reading this series. In fact, I'd say only five are worth the paper they are printed on (but I would never even think of including them here): Tartt, Percy, Munroe, Moffett, and the best story of the collection (if you could call it that) by Englander. And Patchett, while I've not read much of her work, she is well respected, so I figure it'll be a good collection.
These short story authors may know some of the mechanics of writing, but, with very few exceptions, don't have a compelling story to tell. There you will find stories that amuse you and will be fondly remembered for many years to come. Henry or "Incident at Owl Creek Bridge" among them - no plot twists, no surprises, nothing to make a story memorable. I enjoyed reading the rest of her assigned books: "Pride & Predjudice," "Travels w/Charlie" and "Frankenstein," but have to say that BASS of 2006 was PAINFUL to get through. There is nothing like an O.
Kenison for giving up. I don't blame Ms. How this book got lumped in with actual literature I will never understand. My daughter was assigned this book over the summer for her IB English class so I read it along with her. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of "Welcome to the Monkey House" by Kurt Vonnegut.
If these bloodless exercises are what high school and college students are introduced to as the "best," it is no surprise so many conclude that reading as a chore and not a pleasure. Those I did read lacked dramatic tension, interesting characters and a distinctive author's voice. I confess to giving up on this year's collection after reading about half of the stories, because, in fact, there wasn't a gripping tale in the bunch.
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