Best of the Web 2010

by Matt Bell (Editor), Kathy Fisher (Editor)

Guest-edited by fiction writer Kathy Fish, Best of the Web 2010 is the newest edition of Dzanc’s yearly anthology series compiling the best fiction, poetry, and non-fiction published in last year’s online literary journals. The mission of the Best of the Web series is to promote and expand the reach and prestige of online literature by offering this annual glimpse into the best writing the Internet has to offer.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Poetry

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Matt Bell’s next novel, Appleseed, was published by Custom House in July 2021. His craft book Refuse to Be Done, a guide to novel writing, rewriting, & revision, will follow in early 2022 from Soho Press. He is also the author of the novels Scrapper and In the House upon the Dirt between the Lake and the Woods, as well as the short story collection A Tree or a Person or a Wall, a non-fiction book about the classic video game Baldur's Gate II, and several other titles. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, Orion, Tin House, Conjunctions, Fairy Tale Review, American Short Fiction, and many other publications. A native of Michigan, he teaches creative writing at Arizona State University.

Reviews

[Johnarthurmiller Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is exciting to read innovative stories put out by small-press and respected publishers who are NOT afraid to take chances on experimental pieces. The stories are humorous and remind me of Best American Short Stories guest edited by Salman Rushdie (2008), which is my BASS favorite thus far.

The stories within “The Best of the Web” (2010) reflect heart as much as literary merit. That is not to say there aren’t literary masterpieces within. Seldom do I read a collection of short stories in which almost every piece conveys ambiance and powerful mood as this book does. I am not associated with this collection in any way other than having my own online magazine listed in the appendix along with hundreds of others.

If you enjoy reading experimental pieces and literary stories based on quality and merit rather than the reputation of the writer, then this book is for you. It contains enjoyable fiction produced by publishers who were NOT afraid to publish those stories simply because they fell outside the box of large-press, mainstream plot-driven reads.

I eat this stuff up!

[Kathy]

Link to Jonathan Messinger's review in Time Out Chicago: http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/b...

Michael Rudin's review at Fiction Writers Review: http://fictionwritersreview.com/revie...

And named one of the ten best "best of"s of 2010 by Los Angeles Times books: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacke...

[Elizabeth Urello]

Here are the authors of the stories I particularly liked:
Elizabeth Crane
Emily Bromfield
Anne Valente
Matthew Simmons
Michelle Reale
Nanette Rayman Rivera (nonfiction)
Sara Levine
August Tarrier
Thomas Cooper

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great stuff in here. I particularly liked the Chris Bachelder story, and the poem "Contemplations of the Saints."

[Myfanwy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So excited to dig in!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked a lot of the pieces in here, and found even the ones I didn't love interesting.