A collection of the year’s best short stories selected by National Book Award finalist Min Jin
Lee and series editor Heidi Pitlor. “Without stories we cannot live well ” shares guest editor
Min Jin Lee describing how storytelling affects and nurtures readers. The Best American Short
Stories 2023 features twenty pieces of short fiction that reflect a world full of fractured
relationships but also wondrous hope. A lifelong friendship may become a casualty of the
Russia-Ukraine war. Rejected by his lover a man seeks to reconcile with his family. Twitter
users miraculously muster enough empathy to help a lost cat find a forever home. Enlightening
poignant and undeniably human the stories in this anthology bravely confront societal
darkness and offer in Lee’s words “our emotional truths restoring our sanity and providing
comfort for the days ahead.” The Best American Short Stories 2023 includes Cherline Bazile •
Maya Binyam • Tom Bissell • Taryn Bowe • Da-Lin • Benjamin Ehrlich• Sara Freeman • Lauren Groff
• Nathan Harris • Jared Jackson • Sana Krasikov • Danica Li • Ling Ma • Manuel Muñoz • Joanna
Pearson • Souvankham Thammavongsa • Kosiso Ugwueze • Corinna Vallianatos • Azareen Van Der
Vliet Oloomi • Esther Yi
