Status Updates From The Best American Short Sto...

Read “Escape from Spiderhead,” a magnificent story by George Saunders. It’s the second story of his that I’ve read, and both were fantastic.

Read Jess Row’s “The Call of Blood.” The story of a nurse and his relationship with his Alzheimer’s patient and her daughter, it’s quite moving. Very intimately told, complex, featuring keen, clear-eyed depictions of wonderfully human characters.

Read “To the Measures Fall” by Richard Powers. This was my first encounter with Powers’ work, and it won’t be my last. His story here is inventive, urgent, crisply and wittily crafted, and packed with ideas. I understand why he’s so acclaimed.

Read Joyce Carol Oates’ “ID,” a harrowing, sad portrait of a neglected, emotionally scarred and stunted 13-year-old girl.

Read Ricardo Nuila’s “Dog Bites,” a fascinating portrait of an eccentric doctor and his eccentric son.