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The Best American Short Stories 1992
In the 1992 installment in the best-selling series, twenty of the year's finest short stories from magazines large and small display the talents of Joyce Carol Oates, Denis Johnson, Alice Munro, and others. Simultaneous. 75,000 first printing.
396 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 1992
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225 people want to read
About the author
Robert Stone
30 books250 followersROBERT STONE was the author of seven novels: A Hall of Mirrors, Dog Soldiers (winner of the National Book Award), A Flag for Sunrise, Children of Light, Outerbridge Reach, Damascus Gate, and Bay of Souls. His story collection, Bear and His Daughter, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and his memoir, Prime Green, was published in 2006.
His work was typically characterized by psychological complexity, political concerns, and dark humor.
A lifelong adventurer who in his 20s befriended Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, and what he called ‘‘all those crazies’’ of the counterculture, Mr. Stone had a fateful affinity for outsiders, especially those who brought hard times on themselves. Starting with the 1966 novel ‘‘A Hall of Mirrors,’’ Mr. Stone set his stories everywhere from the American South to the Far East. He was a master of making art out of his character’s follies, whether the adulterous teacher in ‘‘Death of the Black-Haired Girl,’’ the fraudulent seafarer in ‘‘Outerbridge Reach,’’ or the besieged journalist in ‘‘Dog Soldiers,’’ winner of the National Book Award in 1975.
His work was typically characterized by psychological complexity, political concerns, and dark humor.
A lifelong adventurer who in his 20s befriended Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, and what he called ‘‘all those crazies’’ of the counterculture, Mr. Stone had a fateful affinity for outsiders, especially those who brought hard times on themselves. Starting with the 1966 novel ‘‘A Hall of Mirrors,’’ Mr. Stone set his stories everywhere from the American South to the Far East. He was a master of making art out of his character’s follies, whether the adulterous teacher in ‘‘Death of the Black-Haired Girl,’’ the fraudulent seafarer in ‘‘Outerbridge Reach,’’ or the besieged journalist in ‘‘Dog Soldiers,’’ winner of the National Book Award in 1975.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 23, 2008
Reviewing an anthology can be tough, especially when its one with as diverse a history as "The American Best Short Stories" series. Each volume really has its own little personality that depends heavily on the guest editor. The 1992 volume has been built by Robert Stone, an author about whom I know absolutely nothing. I read this edition because it was chronologically next in the series as I'm reading them (I started with the 1988 edition), so I had little expectation concerning how this collection would pan out.
The verdict is: meh. I give it 4 stars, because even if this is an average entry in the "Best American" series, it still contains twenty stories that are finely crafted by very talented artists. But just because you stroll through the Louvre, doesn't mean every painting on every wall is going to burn into your memory.
There were a few standout stories, mostly in the second half of the collection.
"Under the Roof", by Kate Wheeler, was probably my favorite piece, recounting an American monk's stay with a Burmese woman in Bangkok. The unusual setting and deft pivoting between various characters' points-of-view kept me off-balance enough make this the stand-out story.
Other notables included:
* "Days of Heaven" by Rick Bass: a sad, almost wish-fulfillment tale about a man hired to maintain an estate deep in the Montana wilderness, who then decides to protect said estate from unworthy potential buyers.
* "The Pugilist At Rest" by Thom Jones: the story of a Vietnam vet who recalls his rocky basic training, tours in Nam, and the after-effects of a traumatic head-injury suffered afterwards in the states.
* "The Way People Run" by Christopher Tilghman: about an out of work investment banker who visits the bleak and broken town in the desert west where his father was born.
* "The Golden Darters" by Elizabeth Winthrop: a daughter's memory of an awkward and futile connection she tried to make with her father.
* and "Firelight" by Tobias Wolff: another memory story, this time about a boy whose poverty stricken mother passes their time by shopping for things they can't possibly afford (you don't have to actually buy anything in order to shop), such as Persian rugs and fashionable clothes. When his mother takes him to look at an expensive apartment, the little boy's illusion of contentment is broken.
The remaining stories pretty much fall into four categories:
The more middle of the road (but still enjoyable) stories
* "Silver Water" by Amy Bloom - a family's struggle with a mentally unstable daughter.
* "Same Place, Same Things" by Tim Gautreaux - a water pump repairman travels through a depression era midwest, encountering a strange and desperate woman on one of his jobs.
* "Carried Away" by Alice Munro - a strange tale about a librarian who seems to fall in love with an enigmatic soldier who writes her a letter from the front in The Great World War.
* "It's Come To This" by Annick Smith - an Annie Proulx-type story about a widow keeping a homestead on the Montana prairie who strikes up a meaningful, yet slightly detached, relationship with trucker bum.
* "The Fare to the Moon" by Reynolds Price - a grizzled middle-aged southern man who heads to the draft office during WWII in order to escape (and perhaps allow to heal) a heap of broken lives he's had a hand in damaging.
* "Forever Overhead" by David Foster Wallace - an odd and intensly introspective account of a boy taking his first dive off of the high diving board at a Tuscon swimming pool. [almost as entertaining was the late Mr. Wallace's author's notes, included at the end of the collection, in which he proclaims that he doesn't even like the story, but is honored to have it included anyway.]
The entertaining, but somehow slight stories:
* "JunHee" by Marshall Klimasewiski - a Korean woman tries to build a relationship and family with an American man, while straining against her father's ire and her dead mother's desire that she not have a half-American child.
* "Emergency" by Denis Johnson - a quick and screechy night in the lives of two peripheral ER workers.
* "Across the Bridge" by Mavis Gallant - a spoiled young woman's social distresses as she breaks her engagement to a bore in favor a man who she mistakenly believes is in love with her.
The Stories I Barely Remember
* "The Last Lovely City" by Alice Adams - about something.
* "A Different Kind of Imperfection" by Thomas Beller - about something else.
* "A Good Scent From A Strange Mountain" by Robert Olen Butler - about something involving the ghost of Ho Chi Minh.
And Stories By Authors From Whom I Expected More
* "Community Life" by Lorrie More - about a snarky woman and her social life (but completely different from all her other stories about snarky women and their social lives).
and
* "Is Laughter Contagious?" by Joyce Carol Oates - about suburban WASP angst.
* * * * *
In the end, you could do a lot worse than reading any random "Best American" collection, but this isn't one that's necessarily going to stick out in my mind a month from now.
The verdict is: meh. I give it 4 stars, because even if this is an average entry in the "Best American" series, it still contains twenty stories that are finely crafted by very talented artists. But just because you stroll through the Louvre, doesn't mean every painting on every wall is going to burn into your memory.
There were a few standout stories, mostly in the second half of the collection.
"Under the Roof", by Kate Wheeler, was probably my favorite piece, recounting an American monk's stay with a Burmese woman in Bangkok. The unusual setting and deft pivoting between various characters' points-of-view kept me off-balance enough make this the stand-out story.
Other notables included:
* "Days of Heaven" by Rick Bass: a sad, almost wish-fulfillment tale about a man hired to maintain an estate deep in the Montana wilderness, who then decides to protect said estate from unworthy potential buyers.
* "The Pugilist At Rest" by Thom Jones: the story of a Vietnam vet who recalls his rocky basic training, tours in Nam, and the after-effects of a traumatic head-injury suffered afterwards in the states.
* "The Way People Run" by Christopher Tilghman: about an out of work investment banker who visits the bleak and broken town in the desert west where his father was born.
* "The Golden Darters" by Elizabeth Winthrop: a daughter's memory of an awkward and futile connection she tried to make with her father.
* and "Firelight" by Tobias Wolff: another memory story, this time about a boy whose poverty stricken mother passes their time by shopping for things they can't possibly afford (you don't have to actually buy anything in order to shop), such as Persian rugs and fashionable clothes. When his mother takes him to look at an expensive apartment, the little boy's illusion of contentment is broken.
The remaining stories pretty much fall into four categories:
The more middle of the road (but still enjoyable) stories
* "Silver Water" by Amy Bloom - a family's struggle with a mentally unstable daughter.
* "Same Place, Same Things" by Tim Gautreaux - a water pump repairman travels through a depression era midwest, encountering a strange and desperate woman on one of his jobs.
* "Carried Away" by Alice Munro - a strange tale about a librarian who seems to fall in love with an enigmatic soldier who writes her a letter from the front in The Great World War.
* "It's Come To This" by Annick Smith - an Annie Proulx-type story about a widow keeping a homestead on the Montana prairie who strikes up a meaningful, yet slightly detached, relationship with trucker bum.
* "The Fare to the Moon" by Reynolds Price - a grizzled middle-aged southern man who heads to the draft office during WWII in order to escape (and perhaps allow to heal) a heap of broken lives he's had a hand in damaging.
* "Forever Overhead" by David Foster Wallace - an odd and intensly introspective account of a boy taking his first dive off of the high diving board at a Tuscon swimming pool. [almost as entertaining was the late Mr. Wallace's author's notes, included at the end of the collection, in which he proclaims that he doesn't even like the story, but is honored to have it included anyway.]
The entertaining, but somehow slight stories:
* "JunHee" by Marshall Klimasewiski - a Korean woman tries to build a relationship and family with an American man, while straining against her father's ire and her dead mother's desire that she not have a half-American child.
* "Emergency" by Denis Johnson - a quick and screechy night in the lives of two peripheral ER workers.
* "Across the Bridge" by Mavis Gallant - a spoiled young woman's social distresses as she breaks her engagement to a bore in favor a man who she mistakenly believes is in love with her.
The Stories I Barely Remember
* "The Last Lovely City" by Alice Adams - about something.
* "A Different Kind of Imperfection" by Thomas Beller - about something else.
* "A Good Scent From A Strange Mountain" by Robert Olen Butler - about something involving the ghost of Ho Chi Minh.
And Stories By Authors From Whom I Expected More
* "Community Life" by Lorrie More - about a snarky woman and her social life (but completely different from all her other stories about snarky women and their social lives).
and
* "Is Laughter Contagious?" by Joyce Carol Oates - about suburban WASP angst.
* * * * *
In the end, you could do a lot worse than reading any random "Best American" collection, but this isn't one that's necessarily going to stick out in my mind a month from now.
Read
February 13, 2024This was a pretty fun collection of short stories. 20 stories, I'd pick up and read one when I was in the mood for something quick.
It took me a bit to get used to this style of writing. I'm used to the novel/movie style of story-telling that builds up to a climax and has resolution. Most short stories don't have that. They usually have one feeling they are trying to convey before concluding. Like peeking into someone's life experience for a few hours and then leaving. Once I stopped expecting some big payoff, I started enjoying these stories more. I mostly only remember a moment or two from each story. But I think that's okay.
The ones that stuck with me most were: Days of Heaven, The Pugilist at Rest, A Good Scent from A Strange Mountain and Forever Overhead.
I feel like there was a good variety of stories/settings/people. I had read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, so I was excited to read Forever Overhead since he wrote that. It has his style, perhaps a little less developed, but I enjoyed it anyway.
It took me a bit to get used to this style of writing. I'm used to the novel/movie style of story-telling that builds up to a climax and has resolution. Most short stories don't have that. They usually have one feeling they are trying to convey before concluding. Like peeking into someone's life experience for a few hours and then leaving. Once I stopped expecting some big payoff, I started enjoying these stories more. I mostly only remember a moment or two from each story. But I think that's okay.
The ones that stuck with me most were: Days of Heaven, The Pugilist at Rest, A Good Scent from A Strange Mountain and Forever Overhead.
I feel like there was a good variety of stories/settings/people. I had read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, so I was excited to read Forever Overhead since he wrote that. It has his style, perhaps a little less developed, but I enjoyed it anyway.
December 11, 2021
Woof
Or, How I Became Concerned About The Goodreads Reviewers of TBASS, Especially of this Volume
When I was younger my parents found me a wonderful book of young authors writing about writing and it is very inspirational. The Very Telling, Conversations with American Writers. It's incredible, check it out. This book was like the opposite of that.
I'm being a little too negative here, since the book ends on such a downer note. I didn't read the last two stories, and the one before I hated for all the reasons. But there are stories here that are readable. Not a bad way to pass some time. Not good, not great, passable. It goes without saying that to me these cannot possibly be the best stories of 1992 or any year. And that I have officially lost patience for short story collections in this vein.
There are some good ones, plenty of skips and I'll get to that. But for now know the other reviewers are wrong.
Or, How I Became Concerned About The Goodreads Reviewers of TBASS, Especially of this Volume
When I was younger my parents found me a wonderful book of young authors writing about writing and it is very inspirational. The Very Telling, Conversations with American Writers. It's incredible, check it out. This book was like the opposite of that.
I'm being a little too negative here, since the book ends on such a downer note. I didn't read the last two stories, and the one before I hated for all the reasons. But there are stories here that are readable. Not a bad way to pass some time. Not good, not great, passable. It goes without saying that to me these cannot possibly be the best stories of 1992 or any year. And that I have officially lost patience for short story collections in this vein.
There are some good ones, plenty of skips and I'll get to that. But for now know the other reviewers are wrong.
December 10, 2022
Most times I read these collections, I am disappointed. It seems like they try to collect the most depressive and unresolved stories possible. This has been one of the more enjoyable collections I've read; the stories were interesting and didn't always have a horrible ending (not that a good ending is a necessity for me).
March 23, 2023
A very good volume.
January 1, 2023
All in all, these were quiet stories that passed by like little snapshots of life. After finishing I realized they're listed in alphabetical order by author so similarities between a few at the end were coincidental.
The Last Lovely City
I was nervous while reading it because I thought it was going in a different direction. After reflecting on it I realize how much of the scenarios playing out were in his own head and not what was actually happening around him.
Days of Heaven
That story made me uneasy. Even though the people weren't being cruel to animals all the talk of hunting and natural death of animals around them in the woods made me sad.
A Different Kind of Imperfection
I really liked the characters and would've read more of their story.
Silver Water
I could feel all the emotions just below the surface in this story. Mental illness is hard for the loved ones as well and it's frustrating to try and find care and help.
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
There were a lot of words for a short story and I had to re-read passages to remain grounded in what was happening.
Across the Bridge
The story was fine but felt long for a short story because of the actual number of pages but also because my mind kept wandering. I wasn't super interested.
Same Place, Same Things
That story pulled me right in. There was an underlying sense of how one poor choice could have catastrophic decisions but as I read I didn't know which choice (regarding the woman) would be the poor one.
Emergency
That was quick and readable even though I had no idea what was real and what was in the narrator's (drugged) imagination.
The Pugilist at Rest
This story was graphic and tough for me to read because my dad was injured in Vietnam and it affected him for the rest of his life.
JunHee
BEST SO FAR. That had the perfect waves of emotions threading through the story and ended at a perfect time.
Community Life
That was good but in an uncomfortable way. The characters were well-written but cringey and unlikeable, the kind you want to yell at to make better choices.
Carried Away
It started really strongly but by the time it reached Arthur's perspective it was getting a little long and then the ending at the depot went off the rails entirely.
Is Laughter Contagious?
The story was difficult to read because everyone was awful.
The Fare to the Moon
AMONG BEST. Everyone was on the same page and even though there was pain, they were honest and there wasn't unnecessary pain due to miscommunication. It was a good length and even though there were no resolutions now that I think about it, I felt satisfied somehow.
It's Come to This
Meh. When I take breaks during a short story that's a sign it has not held my interest at all.
The Way People Run
That was unsettling. It was fine for a short story but I would've tired of the main character if it had gone on much longer.
Forever Overhead
I'm familiar with this author and he always paints such a visceral picture with the details. My palms were as sweaty as I imagine the main character's were as he was reaching the end of the diving board and deciding whether or not to jump.
Under the Roof
The ending was abrupt and confusing. I feel like it was supposed to be an "Aha!" moment but I must have missed something because it didn't answer any questions for me.
The Golden Darters
Maybe it's me because this is another story I just couldn't get into.
Firelight
That was a good story.
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
The Last Lovely City
I was nervous while reading it because I thought it was going in a different direction. After reflecting on it I realize how much of the scenarios playing out were in his own head and not what was actually happening around him.
Days of Heaven
That story made me uneasy. Even though the people weren't being cruel to animals all the talk of hunting and natural death of animals around them in the woods made me sad.
A Different Kind of Imperfection
I really liked the characters and would've read more of their story.
Silver Water
I could feel all the emotions just below the surface in this story. Mental illness is hard for the loved ones as well and it's frustrating to try and find care and help.
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
There were a lot of words for a short story and I had to re-read passages to remain grounded in what was happening.
Across the Bridge
The story was fine but felt long for a short story because of the actual number of pages but also because my mind kept wandering. I wasn't super interested.
Same Place, Same Things
That story pulled me right in. There was an underlying sense of how one poor choice could have catastrophic decisions but as I read I didn't know which choice (regarding the woman) would be the poor one.
Emergency
That was quick and readable even though I had no idea what was real and what was in the narrator's (drugged) imagination.
The Pugilist at Rest
This story was graphic and tough for me to read because my dad was injured in Vietnam and it affected him for the rest of his life.
JunHee
BEST SO FAR. That had the perfect waves of emotions threading through the story and ended at a perfect time.
Community Life
That was good but in an uncomfortable way. The characters were well-written but cringey and unlikeable, the kind you want to yell at to make better choices.
Carried Away
It started really strongly but by the time it reached Arthur's perspective it was getting a little long and then the ending at the depot went off the rails entirely.
Is Laughter Contagious?
The story was difficult to read because everyone was awful.
The Fare to the Moon
AMONG BEST. Everyone was on the same page and even though there was pain, they were honest and there wasn't unnecessary pain due to miscommunication. It was a good length and even though there were no resolutions now that I think about it, I felt satisfied somehow.
It's Come to This
Meh. When I take breaks during a short story that's a sign it has not held my interest at all.
The Way People Run
That was unsettling. It was fine for a short story but I would've tired of the main character if it had gone on much longer.
Forever Overhead
I'm familiar with this author and he always paints such a visceral picture with the details. My palms were as sweaty as I imagine the main character's were as he was reaching the end of the diving board and deciding whether or not to jump.
Under the Roof
The ending was abrupt and confusing. I feel like it was supposed to be an "Aha!" moment but I must have missed something because it didn't answer any questions for me.
The Golden Darters
Maybe it's me because this is another story I just couldn't get into.
Firelight
That was a good story.
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
November 2, 2023
Many years back, while in grad school to get an M.A. in History, I took a fiction writing class. This was one of the texts we used, and I was so blown-away by the stories inside that I started writing fiction soon after. Nearly every great story writer of the last 40 years has a story inside. As a matter of fact, if you browse the books I've reviewed on this sight, you'll find that many of the authors I've collected over the years have a story in this 1992 collection. Robert Olen Butler, Thom Jones, Tim Gatreaux, among others are all here.
Oddly enough, the editor of this collection, Robert Stone, is unfamiliar to me. Considering that he and I apparently think so much alike regarding our story preferences, I am just now realizing it's bizarre that I haven't sought out any of HIS writings. As matter of fact, I'm going to do that right now. Have a great day and happy reading!
Oddly enough, the editor of this collection, Robert Stone, is unfamiliar to me. Considering that he and I apparently think so much alike regarding our story preferences, I am just now realizing it's bizarre that I haven't sought out any of HIS writings. As matter of fact, I'm going to do that right now. Have a great day and happy reading!
October 19, 2010
While this volume of the Best American Short Stories includes some clunkers, it also includes some of my all-time favorite stories, including “Emergency” by Denis Johnson and “Silver Water” by Amy Bloom. Many also love Robert Olen Butler’s “A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain,” the title story from his Pulitzer Prize winning book, but it is not among my favorites.
Other stand outs include “Community” by Lorrie Moore and “The Pugilist at Rest” by Thom Jones. 1991 must have been a good year for fiction.
Other stand outs include “Community” by Lorrie Moore and “The Pugilist at Rest” by Thom Jones. 1991 must have been a good year for fiction.
May 29, 2017
This one took me more than twice as long as any previous edition to finish. I'm not sure why -- it's actually among the best BASS collections I've read.
The best of this edition:
Denis Johnson - "Emergency"
Mavis Gallant - "Across the Bridge"
David Foster Wallace - "Forever Overhead"
Tobias Wolff - "Firelight"
Kate Wheeler - "Under the Roof"
Joyce Carol Oates - "Is Laughter Contagious?"
Honorable mentions:
Rick Bass - "Days of Heaven"
Robert Olen Butler - "A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain"
Thom Jones - "The Pugilist at Rest"
The best of this edition:
Denis Johnson - "Emergency"
Mavis Gallant - "Across the Bridge"
David Foster Wallace - "Forever Overhead"
Tobias Wolff - "Firelight"
Kate Wheeler - "Under the Roof"
Joyce Carol Oates - "Is Laughter Contagious?"
Honorable mentions:
Rick Bass - "Days of Heaven"
Robert Olen Butler - "A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain"
Thom Jones - "The Pugilist at Rest"
June 18, 2016
1993 notebook: the usual - Munro, Wolf etc. includes writers' comments on the stories, a list of 100 other great stories, and editorial addresses of a good 100 American and Canadian magazines. A gold mine.
Read
May 17, 2008Days of heaven Rick Bass.
A Good scent from a strange mountain Robert Olen Butler.
The Pugilist at rest Thom Jones.
Community life Lorrie Moore
A Good scent from a strange mountain Robert Olen Butler.
The Pugilist at rest Thom Jones.
Community life Lorrie Moore
June 17, 2016
A strong collection of stories, the stand outs to me were Emergency by Denis Johnson, Community Life by Lorrie Moore, Fare to the Moon by Reynolds Price and Days of Heaven by Rick Bass
July 30, 2013
Still my favorite series of short stories every year. Adored "Community Life" by Lorrie Moore which I read this morning.
March 17, 2015
Some good. Some fine. Some mediocre.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews