The Best American Short Stories 2004 ed. by Lorrie Moore.

i gotta say that this year’s Best American is somewhat of a snoozer. and really, am i the only one sick of seeing Updike, Proulx, Dybek, et. al in the best of anthology?

of course there were some stunning stories that took my breath away and made be want to hack off my fingers in pure jealousy. Charles D’Ambrosio who wrote “The Point” (Which if you haven’t ever ever read you really should probably rightnow) had a story in there called “The Screenwriter” and featured a character who was a ballerina who burned herself all the time. it was stunning.

and then there was a Sherman Alexie story that blew my mind. a story about a homeless guy trying to raise $2000 to buy back his grandmothers ceremonial outfit. it was wonderful and sad and heartbreaking and uplifting all at the same time.

Jill McCorkle’s “Intervention” was a beautiful love story about an old married couple where the husband had a drinking problem. the ending to that story was so beautiful that i had to blink back tears.

but that being said, come on,enough with the Updike. the story they included, “A Walk with Elizanne.” Was a total snoozer. I’m sick of hearing about Updike’s childhood. I mean the man is a master, nobody’s gonna deny that. but enough. enough already.

And dear, dear Annie Proulx, enough with the vietnam. i, personally, cannot wait until the boomers are all dead so they stop subjecting us to vietname stories. really, all the good ones have been written. it’s time to let the war rest in peace.

and there were two stories, one by John Edgar Wideman and one my Mary Yukari Waters that i’m pretty sure were a mistake. after i finished reading both of those stories, i close the book, scratcehd my head and thought either i’m the stupidest person on earth or those stories really made no sense at all.

so yeah, this year’s best of is kind of a disappointment.