>As I did last year, I plan to name a Best New Yorker Story of the Year. Last year I came up with a list of my choices for the top ten stories and then narrowed that list down to five based on comments received here, combined with my own preferences. (No one ever said this was a democracy!) But then I let readers vote on the top five and I didn’t interfere in the will of the people (even though the eventual winner wasn’t my favorite). Anyway, I plan to follow more or less the same procedure this year, except that I’m accepting nominations now for stories that should be included in the top ten. I’ll still have final say, but I want to hear from you!
Leave a comment below with your picks.
>I’m probably forgetting some of the stories from earlier in the year, but there aren’t too many that stand out in my mind. I liked TC Boyle’s “The Lie”, one of the Yiyun stories, the Ha Jin – happy endings are refreshing. The Rivka Galchen was almost cool, and then it bombed suddenly. I’ve preferred a lot of the stuff in Harper’s this year.
>”The Dinner Party,” by Joshua Ferris. I liked it a lot, but more interestingly, I kept hearing about it from folks who don’t normally talk fiction (voluntarily) with me–even students.
>Face – Munro
Dinner Party – Ferris
Tits up in a Ditch – Proulx
Full Glass – Updike
>Gorse Is Not People. I’m a bit surprised no one else mentioned it. Or are the dead not in contention?
Paul Epstein
>I was going to suggest the Wells Tower story, the first New Yorker story I’ve managed to get through in forever. Then I saw you hated it, so nevermind. I’ll try to remember what else I liked this year.
>First choice is Mary Gaitskill’s “Don’t Cry.” It’s better with each reading.
Pam
>Thanks all! I agree with many of these nominations . . .
>”Wakefield” by E.L. Doctorow