The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories

by WOLFF, TOBIAS

• ISBN13: 9780679745136
• ISBN10: 0679745130
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1994-09-06
• Publisher: Vintage

Summary

The thirty-three stories in this volume prove that American short fiction maybe be our most distinctive national art form. As selected and introduced by Tobias Wolff, they also make up an alternate map of the United States that represents not just geography but narrative traditions, cultural heritage, and divergent approaches. Contributors and stories include: Mary Gaitskill, "A Romantic Weekend"; Thom Jones, "A White Horse"; Andre Dubus, "The Fat Girl"; Tim O'Brien, "The Things They Carried"; Chris Offutt, "Aunt Granny Lith"; Raymond Carver, "Cathedral"; Joyce Carol Oates, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"; Robert Stone, "Helping"; Mona Simpson, "Lawns"; Ann Beattie, "A Vintage Thunderbird"; Jamaica Kincaid, "Girl"; Stuart Dybek, "Chopin in Water"; Barry Hannah, "Testimony of Pilot"; John Edgar Wideman, "Daddy Garbage"; Ron Hansen, "Wickedness"; Denis Johnson, "Emergency"; Edward P. Jones, "The First Day"; John L'Heureux, "Departures"; Ralph Lombreglia, "Men Under Water"; Leonard Michaels, "Murderers"; Robert Olmstead, "Cody's Story"; Jayne Anne Phillips, "Home"; Susan Power, "Moonwalk"; Amy Tan, "Rules of the Game"; Stephanie Vaughn, "Dog Heaven"; Joy Williams, "Train"; Dorothy Allison, "River of Names"; Richard Bausch, "All The Way in Flagstaff, Arizona"; Carol Bly, "Talk of Heroes"; Scott Bradfield, "The Darling"; Kate Braverman, "Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta"; Richard Ford, "Rock Springs"; and Allan Gurganus, "Minor Heroism."

Author Biography

Tobias Wolff lives in Northern California and teaches at Stanford University. He has received the Rea Award for excellence in the short story, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the PEN/Faulkner Award.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	xi
Dorothy Allison
RIVER OF NAMES	3	(10)
Richard Bausch
ALL THE WAY IN FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA	13	(16)
Ann Beattie
A VINTAGE THUNDERBIRD	29	(19)
Carol Bly
TALK OF HEROES	48	(21)
Scott Bradfield
THE DARLING	69	(20)
Kate Braverman
TALL TALES FROM THE MEKONG DELTA	89	(19)
Raymond Carver
CATHEDRAL	108	(17)
Andre Dubus
THE FAT GIRL	125	(16)
Stuart Dybek
CHOPIN IN WINTER	141	(21)
Richard Ford
ROCK SPRINGS	162	(23)
Mary Gaitskill
A ROMANTIC WEEKEND	185	(22)
Allan Gurganus
MINOR HEROISM	207	(22)
Barry Hannah
TESTIMONY OF PILOT	229	(27)
Ron Hansen
WICKEDNESS	256	(18)
Denis Johnson
EMERGENCY	274	(12)
Edward P. Jones
THE FIRST DAY	286	(5)
Thom Jones
A WHITE HORSE	291	(15)
Jamaica Kincaid
GIRL	306	(2)
John L'Heureux
DEPARTURES	308	(12)
Ralph Lombreglia
MEN UNDER WATER	320	(22)
Leonard Michaels
MURDERERS	342	(5)
Joyce Carol Oates
WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?	347	(19)
Tim O'Brien
THE THINGS THEY CARRIED	366	(19)
Chris Offutt
AUNT GRANNY LITH	385	(14)
Robert Olmstead
CODY'S STORY	399	(11)
Jayne Anne Phillips
HOME	410	(16)
Susan Power
MOONWALK	426	(19)
Mona Simpson
LAWNS	445	(22)
Robert Stone
HELPING	467	(30)
Amy Tan
RULES OF THE GAME	497	(12)
Stephanie Vaughn
DOG HEAVEN	509	(12)
John Edgar Wideman
DADDY GARBAGE	521	(16)
Joy Williams
TRAIN	537