Prize Stories 1996: The O. Henry Awards (Prize Stories (O Henry Awards))

For the past three decades, William Abrahams has??selected the O. Henry Award winners. Building on??a tradition that spans over three quarters of a??century, The O. Henry Awards has been "widely??regarded as the nation's most prestigious awards??for short fiction" (The Atlantic??Monthly). Every year, Abrahams has chosen a??diverse group of stories and writers to creat a??collection that includes perennial favorites as well??as an increasing number of lesser known writers,??many of whom have gone on to become seminal voices??in current American fiction. Prize??Stories 1996 is both William Abrahams's??thirtieth anniversary as Editor of this landmark??collection and his last, which gives this collection a??special resonance. The twenty or more stories??selected for this honor each yhear are culled from a??broad range of American magazines both large and??small, offering the reader the full sweep and variety??of today's fiction. As in previous years,??Prize Stories 1996 concludes with a??contributors' notes section including comments by the??writers on the inspirations behind their stories,??providing readers with a unique entr?e into the??writers' creative processes. Representing the??excellence of contemporary fiction writing, these stories??demonstrate the continuing strenghth and vitality??of the American short story.


From the Hardcover edition.

Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards for short fiction, the O'Henry Awards collects what it regards to be the finest short stories of the year. Includes stories by Alison Baker, Ralph Lombreglia, Jane Smiley and this year's first prize winner, Stephen King. I hear he's written a couple books.