American short stories capture America’s past and present in a unique way. Now you have an opportunity to immerse yourself in the more than two hundred year history of the American short story by taking this course and reading the new eighth edition of American Short Stories. While retaining its historical thrust and chronological organization, the new eighth edition features more contemporary stories and gives increased attention to the social and cultural contexts in which the short fiction of the United States has unfolded.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN THIS EDITION

• An enriched, powerful selection of stories from classic and contemporary authors. Of the sixty selected stories making up this anthology, sixteen are new to the eighth edition and nine are new authors.
• A new selection of contemporary stories is given an historical section of their own.
• New and improved Suggestions for Discussion and Writing features encourage meaningful class discussion and stimulate writing.
• Increased representation of cultural diversity with attention to race, ethnicity, gender, region, and individual social and cultural concerns.
• Enhanced Introductions and Headnotes make use of an author’s own words to place the author in relation to his or her time, to other writers, and to American literary history.