PEN America Best Debut Short Stories 2018

Praise

“A greatest hits list for contemporary fiction, a way to quickly get up to speed on what’s being published.” —Mental Floss

“These are stories that hide behind corners, stories that make grand statements about identity, and stories that offer a full life and times in a small format . . . A strong addition to the annual anthologies.” —Christopher John Stephens, PopMatters

“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

“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