{"product_id":"best-american-short-stories-2006-1","title":"Best American Short Stories (2006)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"While a single short story may have a difficult time raising enough noise on its own to be heard over the din of civilization, short stories in bulk can have the effect of swarming bees, blocking out sound and sun and becoming the only thing you can think about,\" writes Ann Patchett in her introduction to The Best American Short Stories 2006. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis vibrant, varied sampler of the American literary scene revels in life's little absurdities, captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion. In \"The View from Castle Rock,\" the short story master Alice Munro imagines a fictional account of her Scottish ancestors' emigration to Canada in 1818. Nathan Englander's cast of young characters in \"How We Avenged the Blums\" confronts a bully dubbed \"The Anti-Semite\" to both comic and tragic ends. In \"Refresh, Refresh,\" Benjamin Percy gives a forceful, heart-wrenching look at a young man's choices when his father -- along with most of the men in his small town -- is deployed to Iraq. Yiyun Li's \"After a Life\" reveals secrets, hidden shame, and cultural change in modern China. And in \"Tatooizm,\" Kevin Moffett weaves a story full of humor and humanity about a young couple's relationship that has run its course. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAnn Patchett \"brought unprecedented enthusiasm and judiciousness [to The Best American Short Stories 2006],\" writes Katrina Kenison in her foreword, \"and she is, surely, every story writer's ideal reader, eager to love, slow to fault, exquisitely attentive to the text and all that lies beneath it.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePatchett, Ann:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - ANN PATCHETT is the author of eight novels: \u003ci\u003eThe Patron Saint of Liars\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTaft\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Magician's Assistant\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBel Canto\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRun\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eState of Wonder\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCommonwealth, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Dutch House\u003c\/i\u003e as well as three books of nonfiction: \u003ci\u003eTruth \u0026amp; Beauty\u003c\/i\u003e, about her friendship with the writer Lucy Grealy, \u003ci\u003e What Now? \u003c\/i\u003ean expansion of her graduation address at Sarah Lawrence College, and \u003ci\u003eThis is the Story of a Happy Marriag\u003c\/i\u003ee, a collection of essays examining the theme of commitment.","brand":"Houghton Mifflin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50692789010706,"sku":"9780618543526","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_b34c1143-a035-48a2-a23d-74902de814b0.jpg?v=1734133912","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/best-american-short-stories-2006-1","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}