The Best Short Stories 2021
The O. Henry Prize Winners
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About this listen
Twenty prizewinning stories selected from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year - continuing the O. Henry Prize's century-long tradition of literary excellence.
"Widely regarded as the nation's most prestigious awards for short fiction." - The Atlantic Monthly
Now entering its second century, the prestigious annual story anthology has a new title, a new look, and a new guest editor. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has brought her own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and young emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Adichie, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.
Featured in this collection: Daphne Palasi Andreades • David Means • Sindya Bhanoo • Crystal Wilkinson • Alice Jolly • David Rabe • Karina Sainz Borgo (translator, Elizabeth Bryer) • Jamel Brinkley • Tessa Hadley • Adachioma Ezeano • Anthony Doerr • Tiphanie Yanique • Joan Silber • Jowhor Ile • Emma Cline • Asali Solomon • Ben Hinshaw • Caroline Albertine Minor (translator, Caroline Waight) • Jianan Qian • Sally Rooney
©2021 Respective authors of all stories within (P)2021 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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It's been said that all great literature boils down to one of two stories—a man takes a journey, or a stranger comes to town. While mystery writers have been successfully using both approaches for generations, there's something undeniably alluring in the nature of a stranger: the uninvited guest, the unacquainted neighbor, the fish out of water. In the newest collection of stories by the Mystery Writers of America, each author weaves a fresh tale surrounding the eerie feeling that comes when a stranger enters our midst, featuring stories by prolific mystery writers.
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The narrators are outstanding here.
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In the Time of Our History
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Twelve months after her younger sister Anahita's death, Mitra Jahani reluctantly returns to her parents' home in suburban New Jersey to observe the Iranian custom of "The One Year." Ana is always in Mitra's heart, though they chose very different paths. While Ana, sweet and dutiful, bowed to their domineering father's demands and married, Mitra rebelled, and was banished.
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Enjoyable
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The author of Break in Case of Emergency follows up her the “extraordinary debut” (The Guardian) with a moving novel about motherhood and marriage, adolescence and bodily autonomy, family and love, religion and sexuality, and the delicate balance between the purity of faith and the messy reality of life.
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Just OK - Considered Bailing
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The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna
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For Stella Fortuna, death has always been a part of life. Stella’s childhood is full of strange, life-threatening incidents - moments where ordinary situations like cooking eggplant or feeding the pigs inexplicably take lethal turns. Even Stella’s own mother is convinced that her daughter is cursed or haunted. When the Fortunas emigrate to America on the cusp of World War II, Stella and her sister, Tina, must come of age side by side in a hostile new world with strict expectations for each of them.
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Misogyny at its worst
- By brenda on 01-15-20
By: Juliet Grames
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What listeners say about The Best Short Stories 2021
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- Audible Customer
- 06-20-22
Fair
"The Best Short Stories for 2021" edited by Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie was rather disappointing to me, especially from a collection curated by such an interesting author.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Eric Meyer
- 12-15-21
Don't Waste Your Money
How can anyone think these plotless, abruptly ending, poorly written stories are worthy of print or an audiobook. I'm requesting a refund.
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5 people found this helpful
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- karenv
- 06-27-22
No lightness in this collection
Well crafted stories and artful narration, but so depressing. I powered through until the end, but I didn’t enjoy this collection.
The selections are from diverse authors and I like that. I am always trying to find light in this challenging world, but there is little light in this collection.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Rod
- 12-12-21
Depressing! Depressing! Depressing!
I can enjoy a hard hitting theme as much as anyone but it’s like they went searching for the most miserable collection of misfortune possible. I felt like throwing myself off the edge after about the 5th story 😭😭😭
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3 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 09-28-23
Missing the point
One author did not do fair fact checking on the details of their story and was more interested in making their point And in doing so treated the boy from Kentucky unfairly The real point then is that anger and bitterness creates blindness on both sides
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