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The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners
Run Time = 13 hours and 57 minutes
The prestigious annual story anthology, now in its fourth year with a guest editor format and with a new bestselling track record
Continuing a century-long tradition of cutting-edge literary excellence, this year's edition contains twenty prizewinning stories chosen from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year. Guest editor Amor Towles has brought his own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Towles, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.
THE WINNING STORIES
▪ “Roy,” Emma Binder
▪ “The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz,” Michele Mari (translated from the Italian by Brian Robert Moore)
▪ “Orphans,” Brad Felver
▪ “The Home Visit,” Morris Collins
▪ “The Import,” Jai Chakrabarti
▪ “Didi,” Amber Caron
▪ “Serranos,” Francisco González
▪ “Hiding Spot,” Caroline Kim
▪ “Junior,” Katherine D. Stutzman
▪ “My Good Friend,” Juliana Leite (translated from the Portuguese by Zoë Perry)
▪ “The Castle of Rose Tellin,” Kate DiCamillo
▪ “Rain,” Colin Barrett
▪ “Marital Problems,” Robin Romm
▪ “The Last Grownup,” Allegra Goodman
▪ “The Honor of Your Presence,” Dave Eggers
▪ “The Paper Artist,” E.K. Ota
▪ “The Room-Service Waiter,” Tom Crewe
▪ “Seeing Through Maps,” Madeline ffitch
▪ “The Dark,” Jess Walter
▪ “Mobilization,” Allegra Hyde
Featuring a mix of new and trusted voices in fiction, this collection contains prize-winning short stories from Newbery Medal winners, National Book Award nominees, Pulitzer Prize finalists, and more. “A gift of imagination, wit, and wonder” that is “filled with miniature masterpieces… This must-have anthology is a treasure trove not to be missed” (Library Journal starred review).
The prestigious annual story anthology, now in its fourth year with a guest editor format and with a new bestselling track record
Continuing a century-long tradition of cutting-edge literary excellence, this year's edition contains twenty prizewinning stories chosen from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year. Guest editor Amor Towles has brought his own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Towles, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.
THE WINNING STORIES
▪ “Roy,” Emma Binder
▪ “The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz,” Michele Mari (translated from the Italian by Brian Robert Moore)
▪ “Orphans,” Brad Felver
▪ “The Home Visit,” Morris Collins
▪ “The Import,” Jai Chakrabarti
▪ “Didi,” Amber Caron
▪ “Serranos,” Francisco González
▪ “Hiding Spot,” Caroline Kim
▪ “Junior,” Katherine D. Stutzman
▪ “My Good Friend,” Juliana Leite (translated from the Portuguese by Zoë Perry)
▪ “The Castle of Rose Tellin,” Kate DiCamillo
▪ “Rain,” Colin Barrett
▪ “Marital Problems,” Robin Romm
▪ “The Last Grownup,” Allegra Goodman
▪ “The Honor of Your Presence,” Dave Eggers
▪ “The Paper Artist,” E.K. Ota
▪ “The Room-Service Waiter,” Tom Crewe
▪ “Seeing Through Maps,” Madeline ffitch
▪ “The Dark,” Jess Walter
▪ “Mobilization,” Allegra Hyde
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2024
625 people are currently reading
7322 people want to read
About the author
Amor Towles
34 books28.6k followersBorn and raised in the Boston area, Amor Towles graduated from Yale College and received an MA in English from Stanford University. Having worked as an investment professional in Manhattan for over twenty years, he now devotes himself fulltime to writing. His first novel, Rules of Civility, published in 2011, was a New York Times bestseller in both hardcover and paperback and was ranked by the Wall Street Journal as one of the best books of 2011. The book was optioned by Lionsgate to be made into a feature film and its French translation received the 2012 Prix Fitzgerald. His second novel, A Gentleman in Moscow, published in 2016, was also a New York Times bestseller and was ranked as one of the best books of 2016 by the Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the St. Louis Dispatch, and NPR. Both novels have been translated into over fifteen languages.
Mr. Towles, who lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children, is an ardent fan of early 20th century painting, 1950’s jazz, 1970’s cop shows, rock & roll on vinyl, obsolete accessories, manifestoes, breakfast pastries, pasta, liquor, snow-days, Tuscany, Provence, Disneyland, Hollywood, the cast of Casablanca, 007, Captain Kirk, Bob Dylan (early, mid, and late phases), the wee hours, card games, cafés, and the cookies made by both of his grandmothers.
Mr. Towles, who lives in Manhattan with his wife and two children, is an ardent fan of early 20th century painting, 1950’s jazz, 1970’s cop shows, rock & roll on vinyl, obsolete accessories, manifestoes, breakfast pastries, pasta, liquor, snow-days, Tuscany, Provence, Disneyland, Hollywood, the cast of Casablanca, 007, Captain Kirk, Bob Dylan (early, mid, and late phases), the wee hours, card games, cafés, and the cookies made by both of his grandmothers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
July 16, 2024
ARC for review. To be published September 10, 2024.
The 2024 edition is edited by Amor Towles, quite a short story writer in his own right. This was a nice mixture of works. My favorite was the sentimental, but gorgeously written “Orphans” by Brad Felver. The author had me with all three main characters and in the place described as well. Stunning.
I also enjoyed “The Honor of Your Presence” by Dave Eggers. Overall a good batch of stories. Well chosen and I liked the progression.
The 2024 edition is edited by Amor Towles, quite a short story writer in his own right. This was a nice mixture of works. My favorite was the sentimental, but gorgeously written “Orphans” by Brad Felver. The author had me with all three main characters and in the place described as well. Stunning.
I also enjoyed “The Honor of Your Presence” by Dave Eggers. Overall a good batch of stories. Well chosen and I liked the progression.
August 9, 2024
It’s pretty par for the course that short story collections tend to be very hit or miss. This book is no exception. There are some beautiful stories in here. However, some of the stories had me absolutely scratching my head, especially at the conclusions. The story “Orphans” was a gorgeous tale about heartache and loneliness. I also loved Kate DiCamillo’s brutal story on childhood memories. I’m not going to give any more details, so you can discover what you like without any bias.
Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 28, 2025
1- Roy by Emma Binder: A family drama and a true coming of age story about a girl finding herself in her "ugly duckling" uncle. I certainly don't approve of anything of the things he taught her at such a young age and I see how they could have lasting bad influence, but I guess they did show her that there's a way to be herself
*2- The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz by Michele Mari: if they guy can make me emotional and invested in a story about boys and their attachments to their soccer balls, he's a great writer!
*3- Orphans by Brad Felver: I was tearing up by the end of this story. a wonderful example of found family and people who truly love each other.
4- The Home Visit by Morris Collins: I don't know how I feel about this one. in some ways, it's quite revealing about millennials, but I also don't like stories that include mercy killing of animals. It's about loneliness and raising cats as your own kids, and trying to find an identity, and the effort it takes to keep a relationship going without losing that love.
5- The Import by Jai Chakrabarti: This really illustrates the mistrust westerners view people from eastern countries with, whether that mistrust is well-placed or not is besides the point. They're already assuming the worst in anyone who's not white and speaking fluent english. And it's really realistic.
6- Didi by Amber Caron: A family story about a teenager who seems to evoke different images and feelings in the lives of her father and her aunt. We see how each person views her according to their assumptions about her, and we don't really know her, as we only know what they think they know about her, since they're the adults with all the knowledge. I liked this look.
7- Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez: I like how the parents in this tight-knit community seem all-knowing and childish all at the same time. It sheds a light on a type of community I don't read about a lot, I'll give it that.
*8- Hiding Spot by Caroline Kim: I loved this one a lot. A look at motherhood and being an immigrant and dealing with all kinds of expectations from everyone around t hat you don't seem to know what you want for yourself anymore.
9- Junior by Katherine D. Stutzman: immense sadness. can't explain how sad this made me feel
10- My Good Friend by Juliana Leite: I felt for these two who loved each other untill old age and yet, for unexplainable reason, couldn't truly be together. that kind of love is truly rare, and I felt it in my heart
*11- The Castle of Rose Tellin by Kate Dicamillo: The iinocence of children mixed with sinister things happening in the family are always a good mix for an entertaining story
12- Rain by Colin Barrett: I'm puzzled by this story. It feels like a first chapter of a novel. It's called Rain and I didn't know why we shpuld focus on the charcater called Rain, while the charcater of the two sisters were more interesting. I liked the first half of the story where the sisters ponder the message they saw before going backc home and getting introduced to a lot of other characters
13- Marital Problems by Robin Romm: like it says in the title: marital problems. but I won't deny that they were witten in such an engaging way that I was hooked on knowing more about these messy people
14- The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman: really forgettable, I already forgot what it's about after a week.
15- The Honor of your Presence by Dave Eggers: sadly, reading this one felt like a chore. the characters got on my nerves and I felt like we weren't going anywhere
16- The Paper Artist by E. K. Ota: A gorgeous gorgeous story about family and regrets. I'm quite familiar with stiff family relations in Japan, so this was yet another look at that family dynamic, but it was written in such a way that left me really affected
17- The Room Service Waiter by Tom Crewe: I was a bit confused at first by who's who, but then I got the hang of the characters and it turned out to be such a bittersweet story about memory and youth and the legacy we leave behind
18- Seeing Through Maps by Madeline Ffitch: The way each character here is referred to is very interesting, and sheds a new light on the concept of relationships and things we mean to each other
19- The Dark by Jess Walter: a bit of a sad story about a man dealing with life after his wife passing away.
20- Mobilization by Allegra Hyde: Started as a love letter to mobile living, then ended as a bit of dystopia? loved the writing but didn't love the short story as much
*2- The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz by Michele Mari: if they guy can make me emotional and invested in a story about boys and their attachments to their soccer balls, he's a great writer!
*3- Orphans by Brad Felver: I was tearing up by the end of this story. a wonderful example of found family and people who truly love each other.
4- The Home Visit by Morris Collins: I don't know how I feel about this one. in some ways, it's quite revealing about millennials, but I also don't like stories that include mercy killing of animals. It's about loneliness and raising cats as your own kids, and trying to find an identity, and the effort it takes to keep a relationship going without losing that love.
5- The Import by Jai Chakrabarti: This really illustrates the mistrust westerners view people from eastern countries with, whether that mistrust is well-placed or not is besides the point. They're already assuming the worst in anyone who's not white and speaking fluent english. And it's really realistic.
6- Didi by Amber Caron: A family story about a teenager who seems to evoke different images and feelings in the lives of her father and her aunt. We see how each person views her according to their assumptions about her, and we don't really know her, as we only know what they think they know about her, since they're the adults with all the knowledge. I liked this look.
7- Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez: I like how the parents in this tight-knit community seem all-knowing and childish all at the same time. It sheds a light on a type of community I don't read about a lot, I'll give it that.
*8- Hiding Spot by Caroline Kim: I loved this one a lot. A look at motherhood and being an immigrant and dealing with all kinds of expectations from everyone around t hat you don't seem to know what you want for yourself anymore.
9- Junior by Katherine D. Stutzman: immense sadness. can't explain how sad this made me feel
10- My Good Friend by Juliana Leite: I felt for these two who loved each other untill old age and yet, for unexplainable reason, couldn't truly be together. that kind of love is truly rare, and I felt it in my heart
*11- The Castle of Rose Tellin by Kate Dicamillo: The iinocence of children mixed with sinister things happening in the family are always a good mix for an entertaining story
12- Rain by Colin Barrett: I'm puzzled by this story. It feels like a first chapter of a novel. It's called Rain and I didn't know why we shpuld focus on the charcater called Rain, while the charcater of the two sisters were more interesting. I liked the first half of the story where the sisters ponder the message they saw before going backc home and getting introduced to a lot of other characters
13- Marital Problems by Robin Romm: like it says in the title: marital problems. but I won't deny that they were witten in such an engaging way that I was hooked on knowing more about these messy people
14- The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman: really forgettable, I already forgot what it's about after a week.
15- The Honor of your Presence by Dave Eggers: sadly, reading this one felt like a chore. the characters got on my nerves and I felt like we weren't going anywhere
16- The Paper Artist by E. K. Ota: A gorgeous gorgeous story about family and regrets. I'm quite familiar with stiff family relations in Japan, so this was yet another look at that family dynamic, but it was written in such a way that left me really affected
17- The Room Service Waiter by Tom Crewe: I was a bit confused at first by who's who, but then I got the hang of the characters and it turned out to be such a bittersweet story about memory and youth and the legacy we leave behind
18- Seeing Through Maps by Madeline Ffitch: The way each character here is referred to is very interesting, and sheds a new light on the concept of relationships and things we mean to each other
19- The Dark by Jess Walter: a bit of a sad story about a man dealing with life after his wife passing away.
20- Mobilization by Allegra Hyde: Started as a love letter to mobile living, then ended as a bit of dystopia? loved the writing but didn't love the short story as much
November 24, 2024
Spellbinding. As in a mixed collection, there were some I found less captivating but on the flipside, there's some that swim through my veins and live behind my eyes every day. The stand out stories were: Roy, Orphans, The Import, The Castle of Rose Tellin, My Good Friend and The Honour of Your Presence. Lots of them seemed to centre around marriage and grief and loss and the nuanced and complicated nature of relationships and how trauma plays into this. I'll still be thinking about Roy months from now.
October 11, 2025
My favorites:
Michele Mari, translated by Brian Robert Moore, “The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz” (perhaps one of my favorites of all time)
Robin Romm, “Marital Problems”
Allegra Hyde, “Mobilization”
I wished for more variation in the stories, but I liked most of the stories that were similar, so I suppose I can’t complain. (Not to mention I admire Amor Towles too much.)
Michele Mari, translated by Brian Robert Moore, “The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz” (perhaps one of my favorites of all time)
Robin Romm, “Marital Problems”
Allegra Hyde, “Mobilization”
I wished for more variation in the stories, but I liked most of the stories that were similar, so I suppose I can’t complain. (Not to mention I admire Amor Towles too much.)
October 2, 2024
Roy by Emma Binder - a colorful uncle is tasked with watching his two young nieces
The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz by Michele Mari- the boys of an Italian boarding school plot to retrieve soccer balls that have been lost to the backyard of a neighboring property. Reminded me of the Sandlot
Orphans by Brad Felver - an orphaned, teenage boy moves in with a reclusive woodworker. The boy will find purpose and family and the woodworker will find happiness in a life that has seen tragedy. This was beautiful. Deeply moved me. The characters were richly drawn and the story will stick with me for some time to come.
The Home Visit by Morris Collins - A married couple's attempt to adopt a new cat is complicated by an overly dedicated shelter worker who visits their home for a placement visit. Mildly amusing, but slight. Also was done no favors being placed immediately after Orphans.
The Import by Jai Chakrabarti - An American couple welcomes an Indian woman into their house to serve as a live-in nanny for their young son. Well written. The ending was unsettling.
Didi by Amber Caron - a troubled teenage girl goes to stay with her aunt and her husband in Oregon. Her behavior and a troubling decision she makes will impact them greatly. Riveted by this story. Would have liked this to be expanded into a novel.
Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez - A group of illegal immigrants living in an abandoned trailer park in California has their war of life threatened by the sudden appearance of an older woman and her seven sons.
Hiding Spot by Caroline Kim - A retired Korean couple living in the Atlanta area receive an unexpected visit from their ex-addict son and his new girlfriend. The story is told from the mother's perspective. Enjoyed this.
Junior by Katherine Stutzman - set in a rural area of America in 1919. A young man must leave the farm he has lived on his whole life because a dam is to be built that will flood the valley the property sits in. He is reluctant to leave as his elderly father doesn't have much time left to live. Poignant, well-written story.
My Good Friend by Juliana Leite - Two elderly friends who have both lost their spouses deal with aging while maintaining their lifelong bond.
The Castle of Rose Tellin by Kate DiCamillo - a family of four take a seaside vacation that exacerbates the strain between the father and his young son.
Rain by Colin Barrett - two Irish sisters return from a trip to the supermarket and interact with their aunt's boyfriend. Felt unfinished.
Marital Problems by Robin Romm - a married couple looks for a lost binoculars case while talking about their unfinished kitchen remodel and the contractor who isn't getting the work done. Another unmemorable story. Raunchy.
The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman - a woman contends with the finalization of her divorce and her ex-husband's pending marriage. Five in a row that were only OK.
The Honor of Your Presence by David Eggers - A graphic designer is forced out of her shell by her uncle in the waning days of the pandemic. This was an entertaining story.
The Paper Artist by E.K. Ota - a famous Japanese artist is forced through circumstance to care for his granddaughter. Excellent story that is beautifully written.
The Room-Service Waiter by Tom Crewe - an older man visits an art exhibit where a portrait of himself as a younger man is on display, painted by a famous artist. Simple and well written.
Seeing Through Maps by Madeline Ffitch - A divorced couple deals with a medical emergency while chopping wood. Did not like this. The writing was obtuse and tortured.
The Dark by Jess Walter - An older man whose longtime spouse has passed away reenters the dating world. Humorous, little story.
Mobilization by Allegra Hyde - A caravan of RVs travel across America.
A mixed bag, but The Orphans, Didi, Junior and the Paper Artist were very good. Those four made this worth reading.
The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz by Michele Mari- the boys of an Italian boarding school plot to retrieve soccer balls that have been lost to the backyard of a neighboring property. Reminded me of the Sandlot
Orphans by Brad Felver - an orphaned, teenage boy moves in with a reclusive woodworker. The boy will find purpose and family and the woodworker will find happiness in a life that has seen tragedy. This was beautiful. Deeply moved me. The characters were richly drawn and the story will stick with me for some time to come.
The Home Visit by Morris Collins - A married couple's attempt to adopt a new cat is complicated by an overly dedicated shelter worker who visits their home for a placement visit. Mildly amusing, but slight. Also was done no favors being placed immediately after Orphans.
The Import by Jai Chakrabarti - An American couple welcomes an Indian woman into their house to serve as a live-in nanny for their young son. Well written. The ending was unsettling.
Didi by Amber Caron - a troubled teenage girl goes to stay with her aunt and her husband in Oregon. Her behavior and a troubling decision she makes will impact them greatly. Riveted by this story. Would have liked this to be expanded into a novel.
Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez - A group of illegal immigrants living in an abandoned trailer park in California has their war of life threatened by the sudden appearance of an older woman and her seven sons.
Hiding Spot by Caroline Kim - A retired Korean couple living in the Atlanta area receive an unexpected visit from their ex-addict son and his new girlfriend. The story is told from the mother's perspective. Enjoyed this.
Junior by Katherine Stutzman - set in a rural area of America in 1919. A young man must leave the farm he has lived on his whole life because a dam is to be built that will flood the valley the property sits in. He is reluctant to leave as his elderly father doesn't have much time left to live. Poignant, well-written story.
My Good Friend by Juliana Leite - Two elderly friends who have both lost their spouses deal with aging while maintaining their lifelong bond.
The Castle of Rose Tellin by Kate DiCamillo - a family of four take a seaside vacation that exacerbates the strain between the father and his young son.
Rain by Colin Barrett - two Irish sisters return from a trip to the supermarket and interact with their aunt's boyfriend. Felt unfinished.
Marital Problems by Robin Romm - a married couple looks for a lost binoculars case while talking about their unfinished kitchen remodel and the contractor who isn't getting the work done. Another unmemorable story. Raunchy.
The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman - a woman contends with the finalization of her divorce and her ex-husband's pending marriage. Five in a row that were only OK.
The Honor of Your Presence by David Eggers - A graphic designer is forced out of her shell by her uncle in the waning days of the pandemic. This was an entertaining story.
The Paper Artist by E.K. Ota - a famous Japanese artist is forced through circumstance to care for his granddaughter. Excellent story that is beautifully written.
The Room-Service Waiter by Tom Crewe - an older man visits an art exhibit where a portrait of himself as a younger man is on display, painted by a famous artist. Simple and well written.
Seeing Through Maps by Madeline Ffitch - A divorced couple deals with a medical emergency while chopping wood. Did not like this. The writing was obtuse and tortured.
The Dark by Jess Walter - An older man whose longtime spouse has passed away reenters the dating world. Humorous, little story.
Mobilization by Allegra Hyde - A caravan of RVs travel across America.
A mixed bag, but The Orphans, Didi, Junior and the Paper Artist were very good. Those four made this worth reading.
March 31, 2025
These American short stories, the O.Henry Prize Winners, are almost all spectacularly good. Poignant, funny, sad, beautiful. Makes you wonder how a country with such talent can get itself into such a mess.
March 4, 2025
For two years in a row, Sarah and I have visited the world’s largest bookstore, Powell’s in Portland, with a mission: find a book the other would enjoy. She got me this one and another about a cafe run by cats. The latter turned out to be all about astrology, which I find so insufferable that even quirky cats couldn’t save it. But this book — this one was fantastic. The stories lean sad, but there are plenty of redemptive moments to keep you going. If you’re looking to dip into literary short fiction, this is wonderful.
December 15, 2024
Some good stuff but mostly underwhelming
April 7, 2025
A collection of well-written American contemporary short stories
August 5, 2025
This is an amazing collection of short stories, each one a universe I was able to enter briefly and then left thinking about for days. Beauty and wonder and joy and sadness. I want everyone I know to read this book!
June 19, 2024
The Best Short Stories Of 2024 by amor Towles in multiple authors. I love anthologies with short stories by different authors and with this book you get the years best from my favorite by Brad Felver called Orphans, about second chances and chosen families and one by Emma Binder called Roy, about a little girl and the bond she felt with her uncle Roy who was the black sheep of the family, and a strange story by Imelda Hide I think it was called mobilization I believe what makes the stories oh Henry winners in the best of 2024 is because they stick with you long after closing the book. The three stories are named or the ones I thought most about but they have some very good stories by other authors that are also pretty good and although my favorites may not be your favorites I’m almost positive anyone can find a favorite in this great book of short stories. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
February 1, 2025
The best is story number 2, about the boarding school and soccer balls. Imperdible.
May 5, 2025
if short stories have 10 fans, i'm one of them. if short stories have one fan, it's me. if short stories have no fans, i'm dead.
May 12, 2025
Lots of great ones but I especially loved “The Dark” and “Seeing through maps.” Memorable!
January 11, 2026
I'm surprised by how much I did not like this collection. I didn't care for most of the stories and several narrators were actively bad and made it such a horrible listening experience that I almost skipped their stories altogether.
Kate DiCamillo's The Castle of Rose Tellin was the standout. Just fantastic. She deserves a better collection. I also enjoyed The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman. Both of these stories did make it worth listening to the rest.
Side note: Tom Crewe can shove his fatphobia up his ass. It was completely uncalled for and just gross. Skip his The Room-Service Waiter. Anyone willing to be so shitty to a character because he's fat doesn't deserve your attention.
Kate DiCamillo's The Castle of Rose Tellin was the standout. Just fantastic. She deserves a better collection. I also enjoyed The Last Grownup by Allegra Goodman. Both of these stories did make it worth listening to the rest.
Side note: Tom Crewe can shove his fatphobia up his ass. It was completely uncalled for and just gross. Skip his The Room-Service Waiter. Anyone willing to be so shitty to a character because he's fat doesn't deserve your attention.
September 9, 2024
The Best Short Stories 2024, Edited by Amor Towles -- out tomorrow, 9/10/24!
Thank you Penguin Random House and Vintage & Anchor for the advance access in exchange for my review.
Every year, twenty short stories are selected from a pool to be awarded the O. Henry Prize (named after the short story writer) and be featured in this annual collection. The award serves to “strengthen and add visibility to the art of the short story”. I love reading these every year because I genuinely invest a lot of trust and respect in the editors and their vision. I really hope to see my friends and their remarkable talent in one of these someday.
This year’s collection was guest-edited by Amor Towles, whose work I admittedly haven’t read yet but comes highly recommended. A lot of these stories were centered around themes such as family, relationships, and identity. The contributors range from established authors with published books to writers who have had many successful publications in magazines.
One of my favorite parts is at the end, because it includes a unique, personal interview question for each writer about either what inspired them, their writing process, or a personal opinion. I almost wish the mini-interviews came before each story because they add so much great context that makes me want to revisit them. Often, I find out that much of the literary fiction I read turns out to be semi-autobiographical, which totally shifts my perspective and deepens my appreciation for the work regardless of my actual opinion on it.
Anyway, definitely add this one to your list if you’re interested in short, snacky reads from the best writers of 2024! My recommendations are: Roy by Emma Binder, Didi by Amber Caron, The Import by Jai Chakrabarti, Serranos by Francisco González, and Orphans by Brad Felver.
Thank you Penguin Random House and Vintage & Anchor for the advance access in exchange for my review.
Every year, twenty short stories are selected from a pool to be awarded the O. Henry Prize (named after the short story writer) and be featured in this annual collection. The award serves to “strengthen and add visibility to the art of the short story”. I love reading these every year because I genuinely invest a lot of trust and respect in the editors and their vision. I really hope to see my friends and their remarkable talent in one of these someday.
This year’s collection was guest-edited by Amor Towles, whose work I admittedly haven’t read yet but comes highly recommended. A lot of these stories were centered around themes such as family, relationships, and identity. The contributors range from established authors with published books to writers who have had many successful publications in magazines.
One of my favorite parts is at the end, because it includes a unique, personal interview question for each writer about either what inspired them, their writing process, or a personal opinion. I almost wish the mini-interviews came before each story because they add so much great context that makes me want to revisit them. Often, I find out that much of the literary fiction I read turns out to be semi-autobiographical, which totally shifts my perspective and deepens my appreciation for the work regardless of my actual opinion on it.
Anyway, definitely add this one to your list if you’re interested in short, snacky reads from the best writers of 2024! My recommendations are: Roy by Emma Binder, Didi by Amber Caron, The Import by Jai Chakrabarti, Serranos by Francisco González, and Orphans by Brad Felver.
October 4, 2024
Thanks very much to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of The Best Short Stories 2024 (O. Henry Prize winners). I love digging into a short story anthology, because I always end up discovering wonderful new-to-me writers. Some of my favorite stories in this collection include the opener, Emma Binder's "Roy" (and what a richly drawn character Roy is!), Caroline Kim's "Hiding Spot" (nothing but surprises in this quiet family drama), and the bittersweet "Orphans" by Brad Felver. However, my very favorite thing about this book is the fantastic introduction/craft essay by editor Amor Towles, parsing the differences between short stories and novels and exploring why surprise is *so* important to a good short story. It's worth purchasing this book for the introduction alone (though obviously the brilliant stories are the main attraction); I've already pre-ordered my hard copy.
August 26, 2025
The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners is a really engaging collection that reminded me why I love short fiction so much. Edited by Amor Towles, it pulls together twenty different stories that feel fresh, surprising, and full of heart. What stood out most to me was how dynamic the collection is—some stories hit with an emotional punch right away, while others sneak up on you more slowly, but either way they stay with you.
I also found the book to be really thoughtful. These aren’t just quick reads; they make you pause and think about the characters and situations long after you’ve put the book down. Some pieces are funny, some heartbreaking, and some a little strange in the best possible way. The introduction does a nice job setting the stage too, reflecting on why short stories matter and how they can capture a whole world in just a few pages.
What I loved most, though, is how worldly the collection feels. The stories come from a variety of voices and perspectives, so it’s not just one type of experience on repeat. You get slices of life from different cultures, different communities, and different emotional landscapes, which makes the whole book feel broader and more inclusive.
Of course, not every single story will hit home for every reader, and I definitely had my favorites. A couple of the more experimental ones didn’t grab me as much, but that’s kind of the beauty of an anthology—you’re bound to find a mix, and the highs easily outweigh the lows.
**Rating: 4/5.** Overall, this is a vibrant, thoughtful, and wide-reaching collection. If you enjoy short stories, you’ll almost definitely find some new favorites.
I also found the book to be really thoughtful. These aren’t just quick reads; they make you pause and think about the characters and situations long after you’ve put the book down. Some pieces are funny, some heartbreaking, and some a little strange in the best possible way. The introduction does a nice job setting the stage too, reflecting on why short stories matter and how they can capture a whole world in just a few pages.
What I loved most, though, is how worldly the collection feels. The stories come from a variety of voices and perspectives, so it’s not just one type of experience on repeat. You get slices of life from different cultures, different communities, and different emotional landscapes, which makes the whole book feel broader and more inclusive.
Of course, not every single story will hit home for every reader, and I definitely had my favorites. A couple of the more experimental ones didn’t grab me as much, but that’s kind of the beauty of an anthology—you’re bound to find a mix, and the highs easily outweigh the lows.
**Rating: 4/5.** Overall, this is a vibrant, thoughtful, and wide-reaching collection. If you enjoy short stories, you’ll almost definitely find some new favorites.
July 6, 2025
My first time picking up one of these annual collections, and it was fantastic! 20 stories in total, I would say I really loved at least 16-17 of them. I'll have to pick up more collections of "best of the year" writing going forward. It was perfect to bring on vacation-- read a story, put it down , and no need to remember characters or plots.
December 30, 2025
The Introduction written by Amor Towles was very enjoyable. Loved his perspective!
“The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurtz” by Michele Mari was an exceptional story. Not only the most interesting story in this collection, but one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. I’m still thinking about it 9 months later! Original, quirky, nuanced. I’ve read it a few times now and every time I recommend it to someone, they also find interesting aspects to the story. I can’t get enough conversation about this story.
Also thoroughly enjoyed, “The Honor of Your Presence”, “Marital Problems”, and “The Room Service Waiter”.
“The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurtz” by Michele Mari was an exceptional story. Not only the most interesting story in this collection, but one of the best short stories I’ve ever read. I’m still thinking about it 9 months later! Original, quirky, nuanced. I’ve read it a few times now and every time I recommend it to someone, they also find interesting aspects to the story. I can’t get enough conversation about this story.
Also thoroughly enjoyed, “The Honor of Your Presence”, “Marital Problems”, and “The Room Service Waiter”.
October 28, 2024
These stories were so wonderful. I felt moved and inspired by several of them. I am a fan of Amber Caron and really enjoyed her piece.
December 13, 2024
My favourites in this collection:
The Import by Jai Chakrabarti
Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez
Junior by Katherine Stuzman
Marital Problems by Robin Romm (which is also hilarious)
The Import by Jai Chakrabarti
Serranos by Francisco Gonzalez
Junior by Katherine Stuzman
Marital Problems by Robin Romm (which is also hilarious)
December 27, 2024
Glad to have finished this before 2025! Favs were Orphans, Roy, The Last Grownup, The Honor of Your Presence, Hiding Spot, and Seeing Through Maps. Can’t wait for ‘25s edition.
January 2, 2025
A bit of housekeeping, finishing off books started in 2024: a very mixed bag of a collection, but the good ones are fantastic.
January 14, 2025
some of these were spectacularly good
Read
January 23, 2025I liked the 2023 collection more but happy to make this an annual tradition for myself. I liked The Orphans, Didi, the paper artist, and the Dark the best but too many in a row that just did not resonate for me. Just found it way more unmemorable than 2023 but maybe that’s because I read it slower
February 4, 2025
(4.5) Wow these were mostly amazing.
February 11, 2025
The home visit.
Stars a cat.
A couple gets kicked out of their book club while discussing Portnoy's Complaint.
Awesome.
Stars a cat.
A couple gets kicked out of their book club while discussing Portnoy's Complaint.
Awesome.
July 29, 2025
Lovely collection of short stories that kept me company commuting to and from the office. My favorites were “Orphans,” “The Room Service Waiter,” and “My Good Friend”
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