PEN America Best Debut Short Stories 2019

Praise

Praise for PEN America Best Debut Short Stories 2018

“The PEN America contest for outstanding debut fiction returns with a second annual anthology of remarkable prose. This year’s submissions were judged by an all-star trio of fiction writers: Jodi Angel, Lesley Nneka Arimah, and Alexandra Kleeman. Once again, the gathered contest winners are uniquely gifted writers whose stories represent literature’s bright tomorrow. The pieces showcase a wide breadth of human experiences, representing numerous racial, ethnic, and cultural identities . . . Sharp, engrossing, and sure to leave readers excited about the future of the craft.” —Booklist

“Prominent issues of social justice and cultural strife are woven thematically throughout 12 stories. Stories of prison reform, the immigrant experience, and the aftermath of sexual assault make the book a vivid time capsule that will guide readers back into the ethos of 2019 for generations to come . . . Each story displays a mastery of the form, sure to inspire readers to seek out further writing from these adept authors and publications.” —Booklist

“These dozen stories tend to the dark side, with rare moments of humor in a moody fictive landscape; they’re thus just right for their time . . . A pleasure for fans of short fiction and a promise of good things to come from this year’s roster of prizewinners.” —Kirkus Reviews

“I was so blown away by the pieces we chose for this collection—there was a wonderful array of different styles and approaches in the submissions we received, but each of the stories we ended up choosing had something startlingly alive and bracingly imaginative within it. You can tell that these are writers working with total dedication to gift these fictive worlds to their readers, to make these surprising, vivid scenarios real—whether it’s 1980s Ghana or a text-based RPG, these writers are adventurous and ambitious and committed to their vision. They grasp for what’s difficult to conceive, and they succeed it capturing it on the page. There’s always a lot of talk about whether the short story is tired out or dead or being killed off by MFA culture, but reading this work proves that inventive, exciting work is being created all over the country. I am so wildly enthusiastic about what these writers are going to go on to do next—and in reading this anthology, you get to say you’ve followed their entire career, from the very first short story on! You can’t beat that.” —Alexandra Kleeman, author of You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine and Intimations

“A book of gems, each one carrying its own particular clarity and cut, that teaches students of writing how limitless the short story form can be.” —Marie-Helene Bertino, author of 2 A.M. at The Cat’s Pajamas Praise for PEN America Best Debut Short Stories 2017

“Urgent fiction, from breakout talents.” —Booklist

“A welcome addition to the run of established short story annuals, promising good work to come.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A great overview of some of the year’s most interesting fiction.” —Vol. 1 Brooklyn