I liked it, although I wouldn't say any of the writing was avant garde, really -- more like straight-ahead well-crafted fiction, none of it that knocked my socks off, though Diana Wagman's "Three-Legged Dog" came close. Also liked the writing in the Michael Cunningham but dammit, I don't like excerpts from novels parading themselves as short stories. They're two different animals. It did stoke me up for the book whenever it shows up, but y'know. That's why I stopped subscribing to Granta, too many excerpts, too many publicists flogging writers to send chapters behind the scenes. If I'm supposed to get five short stories I want five short stories, please.

I wonder if the issues have themes, like Granta does... this one could be the Obsessive Love issue, although jeez, I guess most stories are about obsessive love in one sense or another. Anyway -- enjoyable, I still hate the cover, and I'm looking forward to the next issue. ( )