The Best American Short Stories 2026: A Collection of Twenty Short Stories Selected by Viet Thanh Nguyen

by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Nicole A. Lamy

A collection of the year’s best short stories, selected by Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestseller Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of The Sympathizer.The Best American series, launched in 1915, is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction, and it is the most respected—and most popular—of its kind.

Viet Thanh Nguyen—Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author of The Sympathizer—selects twenty stories out of thousands that represent the best examples of the form published this year.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Viet Thanh Nguyen was born in Vietnam and raised in America. He is the author of “The Sympathizer,” awarded the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. His most recent book, “To Save and to Destroy,” explores the idea of being an outsider. He is also the author of the short story collection “The Refugees;” the nonfiction book “Nothing Ever Dies,” a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award; the children's book “Simone” along with illustrator Minnie Phan; the sequel to “The Sympathizer,” “The Committed;” the nonfiction book “A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial,” longlisted for the National Book Award; and is the editor of an anthology of refugee writing, “The Displaced,” as well as a co-editor of “The Cleaving: Vietnamese Writers in the Diaspora.” He is a University Professor and the Aerol Arnold Professor of English and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California and a recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur foundations. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Juli Stadler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Best American Short Stories series started in 1915. The editors have changed over the years, but starting in 1978, the publisher decided to take the series in a new direction by selecting a different writer each year to work under the guidance of a series editor to select the contents and introduce the volume each year. The guest editor chooses the best 20 stories from 120 stories recommended by the series editor aka The Roving Editor Format. For the 2026 volume, Viet Thanh Nguyen selected 20 stories from the 120 recommended by series editor Nicole A. Lamy. Viet Thanh Nguyen is a South Vietnamese-born American professor and novelist who won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel, "The Sympathizer."

I became aware of The Best American Short Story series in 1987 and have purchased every volume since then. In addition to the pleasure that comes from reading a highly curated anthology that is certain to include stories from some of my favorite authors, I can always count on this series to introduce me to some exciting new voices. This volume was no exception. While I enjoyed almost all of the 20 stories, there were 13 that stood out to me. Eight of those 13 short stories were written by authors who are new to me. If you read just one short story anthology this year, it should be “The Best American Short Stories 2026.”

I appreciate that this anthology includes a section at the end of the book for "Contributor's Notes," which includes a short biography for each featured author, as well as a statement by each author providing some additional context for their short story. This anthology also includes a list of "Other Distinguished Stories of 2025" and a list of "American and Canadian Magazines Publishing Short Stories."

My favorite short stories from this anthology were:
"Here Now" by Nathan Blum
"The Writer Writes from Prison" by Ayse Papatya Bucak
"What Are We Doing, What Have We Done" by Nathan Englander
"Love of My Days" by Louise Erdrich
"High School" by Calvin Gimpelevich
"Hangman" by Samantha Hunt
"The Frenzy" by Joyce Carol Oates
"The Moron Factory" by George Saunders
"Ritu" by Akhil Sharma
"The Devil's Broom" by Jim Shepard
"Fucking Illinois People" by Josie Tolin
"Like Evening" by Vu Tran
"The New Coast" by Paul Yoon

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the complimentary DRC. All opinions are my own.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for the egalley of this collection.

The Best American Short Stories series is one of the staples of American literature, consistently providing access to wonderful writing. This collection for 2026 is no exception.

As a reader, the wide assortment of stories is simply amazing. Every year, I am impressed with the variety of voices, of narrative structure, of settings and characters, that this collection makes available. Especially stories that come from the quarterly journals that publish less well-known authors. Some of the stories may have more emotional impact than others depending on the reader, but there is no denying that all the stories are well-constructed and impactful in their own way.

One of the best things about this series is the Contributors' Notes at the end of the book. For writers and those curious about the creative process, this section gives a behind-the-scenes look at writing that is rarely seen. The many ways in which stories come to be are as varied as the stories themselves, and the authors' revelations of the background sources of the stories at times give them a richer context and depth.

The Best American Short Stories series is perfect for planes, trains, and automobiles as they say, but also for keeping on your nightstand or desk whenever you have a brief amount of time to read something that despite its length can deliver an emotional or intellectual (or both) readerly satisfaction.

[Jifu · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)

Admittedly, what I have to say here could be applied to many short story anthologies, but that does not diminish the sincerity behind these words. The 2026 edition of the Best American Short Stories is a strong recommendation from me for anyone looking for some great contemporary fiction, especially if they currently don’t have the time or energy to devote to a full-time novel. The array of writers selected and showcased here means that no matter one’s own personal literary preferences, there’s bound to be at least a few stories that connect. On top of that, the sizable variety here could mean some unexpectedly delightful new reading experiences from writers both new and familiar.

Standouts for this reader include Louis Erdrich’s “Love of My Days,” and George Saunders’ “The Moron Factory.”

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that feature short stories. These "best of the best" collections are among my most often recommended books. Most of them have a theme.....this one is the best American short stories written during 2025. The selections are written by authors of all skill levels and experience, with each author flexing their skills to catch readers' attention and provide a reading experience that you'll feel obliged to share with your reading circle. These books make excellent gifts to yourself or others. I rotate these when I feel stuck or just need a break from the usual. 5 easy stars.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only story in this collection that I liked Nathan Englander’s What Are We Doing, What Have We Done. Englander is a very talented Jewish writer, and his story really stands out in this book.