What makes a story stand out as “the best”? Does the definition of “best stories” change over time?
This fall we will consider that question as we sample some 20th century American stories that were judged “best” in the year they were published. The stories chosen will come from the 100-year-old annual “Best American Short Stories” series so we can trace what editor Lorrie Moore calls the 20th century journey of the short story. Starting early in the century with Sherwood Anderson, the class will work our way to Z.Z. Packer in 2000.
The course will focus on women’s voices, as usual, but it will include male authors as well. We will read stories, for example, by Edna Ferber, William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, James Baldwin, Flannery O'Connor, Jhumpa Lahiri and Junot Diaz. The six-week, two-hour Zoom class revolves around PowerPoint lectures and shared discussion, questions and conversation during class.
Recommended Reading: 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories, Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor, eds., 2015.