100 Years of the Best American Short Stories

 Book 15 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

100 Years of the Best American Short Stories

4 stars

100 Years of the Best American Short Stories is a collection of 40 stories celebrating 100 years of publishing "The Best American Short Stories" series.  These stories were chosen to represent both the time period they were originally published and because they stand the test of time.  It was noted that there is no overlap in stories from the ones chosen by John Updike for his Best of the Century book.

I'm a big fan of short stories, especially when published in anthologies with multiple authors.  They give variety in short, digestible chunks.  The book is 723 pages but it's not daunting.  If I don't like a story, I know it will be over soon.  If I like a story, it serves as a launchpad to seek out more of that author's work.  This isn't a 'sit down and read cover to cover' book.  I read a story or two at a time over the course of 2 months.

I like that the stories are presented chronologically so the reader can also see patterns or shifts over time.  It also begins each decade with a little background info of the times and culture.  I also appreciate the author bio introducing each story instead of having one long list at the end.

I recognized most of the authors in the 1960-70 decade.  Other than the most recent decade I've apparently read this timeframe often.

I made a few notes on each story as I read them and include them below.

The Gay Old Dog

That was an excellent story.  I'm glad he finally had a chance to stand up for himself against his meddling sisters.

Other than some of the terminology (using "gay" for "happy", mostly), it did not appear outdated at all.

Brothers

That was a quiet story.  I didn't know where it was going and now that it's over I would still struggle to say what it was about.  But the pages turned quickly and it was a good read.

My Old Man

Meh. I feel like I should've liked this more since it's written by Hemingway but I didn't find the topic interesting and my mind wandered while reading it.  He also used an slur for Italians a lot which may have been okay at the time but even if he had substituted something innocuous like 'Italian' or 'man' every time he said the slur, it would've been repetitive and unnecessary (saying someone's nationality every other sentence isn't a typical descriptor).

Haircut

That was an interesting story.  The author did a good job of using a 'folksy' tone for the narrator without it going overboard into mockery.  I have my theory on what actually happened on the boat but it would be a good one to discuss with a group because it was left open-ended.

Babylon Revisited

That read very quickly.  I felt really bad for the main character but then the ending left ambiguity about his actual intentions.  I'll be thinking about it for a little bit before moving on.

The Cracked Looking-Glass

I didn't like this story.  It felt especially long because there were a lot of words but nothing really happening, and the ending didn't give any explanation at all so it felt pointless to have read it.

That Will Be Fine

This was a quick read.  Having a short story from a child's point of view helped condense the plot since he's only reporting what he sees and the adult reader is filling in the blanks of what actually happened.

Those Are As Brothers

The story itself was good but the ending was abrupt and jarring.  I wanted more.

The Whole World Knows

I can see why it was popular in its time but it was very outdated to me, both with language and with situations.  Because of the unfamiliarity, I had trouble keeping track of what was real and what was imagined.

The Enormous Radio

Wow, that one packed a punch!  It's amazing that even though the mode has changed (radio vs. Internet), this story written in 1948 still rings true about the nature of human comparison and curiosity.

I Stand Here Ironing

Before reading, there is not a title that sums up the '50s more accurately.

WOW.  My heart ached, both for the mother reminiscing and the daughter she was reminiscing about.  To add in the ironing gives a realness - who doesn't let their mind wander to the past when doing menial chores (and who doesn't have those wanderings skew to failings when you're a mother)?

Sonny's Blues

James Baldwin is an excellent writer and I loved this story.  There was so much packed into this short story but it didn't feel overdone.  This story was one I felt but can't necessarily describe.

The Conversion of the Jews

I understand why the author has won many awards.  Even in this earlier start of his writing, it was impossible to look away from the deceivingly simple story.

Everything That Rises Must Converge

That was an unexpected ending.  I wish I could say people like the mother only existed in the past but the story would still apply today.

Pigeon Feathers

John Updike requires concentration so it took more than one sitting to get through this story because I was distracted.  It's interesting that this is the second story from this decade about the disillusionment of religion; it may be a sign of the times.

Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?

The situation felt realistic.  Things spiral out so quickly once a threshold is crossed.  I'm glad it didn't end in violence like I thought it would.

By the River

That was unexpected.  I could feel the tension building and I'm glad the ending wasn't drawn out.

The School

That was short but so creepy.

The Conventional Wisdom

That was a really good and unique story.  I'll be thinking about it for awhile.

Friends

That was interesting.  There wasn't a specific story arc so I wasn't sure what was going to happen or what details were important.  It was like listening in to a public conversation so you don't know the backstory and you don't know how it continued after they walked away.

Harmony of the World

I wavered in and out of interest reading this story.  The personalities of the characters were interesting to read about but the information about the music was too technical and having it interspersed throughout the story was jarring and took me out of the relationship the characters were building.  I understand the point the author was making relating the similarities between the two but I would've been happier with just the present-day story.

Lawns

I had a visceral reaction as I was reading.  I can't say I liked it because it turned my stomach but it was well-written and generated an honest reaction.

Communist

That was a winding story but the main thread was there the whole time and it ended before it turned from winding to rambling.

Helping

That was an engrossing story.  It captured the haziness of the narrator and how quickly one bad decision leads to another until everything is out of control.

Displacement

This story kept me on edge the whole time because I was waiting for something big to happen, the other shoe to drop.

Friend of My Youth

I've always liked her writing and this story was no exception.  It was nice to read fully fleshed-out female characters that had nothing to do with relationships or men.

The Girl on the Plane

It was a compelling story but it made me uncomfortable because the characters were written so realistically I felt horrible for Patty.

Xuela

I loved this author's writing.  I would've read a million more pages of the story.

If You Sing Like That For Me

I felt all the emotions of that one.  It was a little gut punch at the end.

Fiesta, 1980

The author was able to set an enveloping scene with just a few descriptive words.  My head hurt from the tension of the unsaid.

The Third and Final Continent

That was a wonderful story.  I'm glad I'm finding new authors to look into.

Brownies

It's getting repetitive to say I liked this story.  Using kids to tell the stories kept observations surface-level but the reader knew what was going on even if they didn't.

What You Pawn I Will Redeem

This one hurt my heart.  I'm glad it ended well because Jackson could not get out of his own way and I wanted better for him.

Old Boys, Old Girls

This story was absorbing.  It ended abruptly and I wanted more.

Refresh, Refresh

That was well-written but tough to read.  So much unnecessary violence.

Awaiting Orders

That was brief.  It was interesting to have Billy, the character everyone was focused on, never be seen or heard.  Someone can continue to interfere with people's lives even when they're not around.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank

The conversation would teeter on the edge of going too far but then someone would bring it back just in time.  The ending brought an abrupt stop to the jolliness and it felt realistic; you don't know the line until you cross it and then it's too late.

Diem Perdidi

This one used short sentences with memories that changed each time they were shared to help convey the uncertainty of her mom's cognitive decline.

The Semplica-Girl Diaries

I understood the overall moral arc of the story but the actual details were confusing.  It took longer than it should have to figure out SGs are human because there was no explanation.

At the Round Earth's Imagined Corners

It was sad but not despairing.  He made the best life he could even though he was resigned to something less than true happiness.