The KGB Bar Reader

by Ken Foster (Editor)

The KGB Bar Reading Series, originally conceived as a small literary series in a funky bar in New York City's East Village, has grown into a showcase for daring, lively writing that draws a response from listeners -- and readers -- and is quickly earning national recognition. Finally, fiction and nonfiction selections from the series are gathered together in this unique anthology.This edgy, energetic collection represents more than twenty of today's best young writers. Kathryn Harrison, Rick Moody, Jennifer Egan, Michael Cunningham, Elizabeth Gilbert, Luc Sante, and others appear here with up-and-coming new voices. While some of these pieces have been published in magazines such as The New Yorker, GQ, Harper's, and Story, many were read first at KGB, and others are in print here for the first time.

This writing is often unpredictable, taking readers by surprise with the same anything-might-happen feel of the bar itself. (After all, the tenement that houses KGB once served as U.S. headquarters to the Ukrainian Communist Party.) This wholly original collection will appeal to readers eager to discover new favorites.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies

321 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Ken Foster is the author of a memoir, The Dogs Who Found Me, which was a national bestseller. His collection of short stories, The Kind I'm Likely to Get, was a New York Times Notable Book. He is also the author of Dogs I Have Met, a collection of essays, and the editor of two anthologies, The KGB Bar Reader and Dog Culture. His work has been translated into German, Turkish and Arabic, and has appeared in The New York Times, Bark, Fence, The Village Voice, Newsday, Salon, and other publications. He lives in New Orleans.

Reviews

[Brett Myer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I didn't read ALL of it. But I generally don't think of myself as enjoying short stories, but my friend said try it it's perfect for reading on the train...and IT IS! The stories are very good and have a lot of great variety. I even enjoyed reading the editor's prologue (or whatever this version is called) at the beginning about where the stories came from at the KGB Bar. Good Reads indeed!

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some seriously great stories.
My mom gave it to me for graduation from college 15 years ago and there was a part of me that was reluctant to read it because I didn't pursue the literary life I explored as a student.
There's something like closure in finishing it.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

nice collection of short stories, though not sure i'd read again.

[Mauro Aragón · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good collection of short stories. One or two were unreadable but for the most part, yes, very good.