The Best American Short Stories 1997: Selected from U.s. and Canadian Magazines

The preeminent short FIction series since 1915, The Best American Short Stories is the only volume that annually offers the finest works chosen by a distinguished best-selling guest editor. This year, E. Annie Proulx's selection includes dazzling stories by Tobias Wolff, Donald Hall, Cynthia Ozick, Robert Stone, Junot D'az, and T. Coraghessan Boyle, as well as an array of stunning new talent. In her fascinating introduction, Proulx establishes categories for the stories by subject matter, such as "Identifying the Stranger" and "Perceived Social Values." She writes that beyond their strength and vigor, these stories achieve "a certain intangible feel for the depth of human experience, not uncommonly expressed through a kind of dry humor." As ever, this year's volume surprises and rewards.