R. V. Cassill (1919–2002)

This behemoth of an anthology offers an assortment of fabulous short stories from authors ranging across the globe and spanning decades. The anthology is over 1700 pages long; it arranges the stories in alphabetical order according to the author's last name, and begins with a couple of introductory essays that examine the nature of short fiction. The last hundred or so pages focus on the art of writing with small essays and interviews by authors about various aspects of their creative art. Readers will find many big names associated with short fiction, such as Hemingway and Chekhov, Carver and Munro ... and more, much more, but just listing the many authors would take far too much space.

The vast diversity of this collection makes it difficult to review. Although all the selections are joined together by their format, they demonstrate the versatility of the genre when penned by talented writers. I loved many of these stories, liked most of them, and only disliked a handful (not because they weren't elegantly crafted, but because the subject matter bothered me too much). The edition includes a marvelous example of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magical realism, "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World", and a novella by Thomas Mann, "Death in Venice". You can read a classic of irony and feminism by Kate Chopin, "The Story of an Hour" or discover the traditional short story form perfected in John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums". Maybe ponder Joyce Carlo Oates's story that plays with narrative structure, "How I Contemplated the World from the Detroit House of Correction and Began My Life Over Again". Or find some of your own favorites out of the countless works of art represented here.

Norton is a fabulous publisher of literary and critical texts, so when you see their name on a book, you know it is a safe bet. Here again they demonstrate their ability, selecting a mountain of worthy short stories, and framing them with critical essays that are brief and simply set up the anthology, letting the stories speak for themselves. For a reader who is a lover of this genre, a student who is studying reading or writing, or a newcomer looking for an introduction to short fiction, this book is absolutely my top choice out of all the collections of literary short fiction that I have read. I recommend it as a stunning collection that would grace every library.… (more)