Short fiction is the beating pulse of contemporary literature. Across the world, thousands of small literary magazines publish short fiction that is read and adored by communities both large and small, from the wide readership of The New Yorker and The Paris Review to the smaller devoted circles of often excitingly eccentric journals like Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet, Peatsmoke, and The Fairy Tale Review. Contemporary short fiction is a rich, thrilling world of writing. But because there is so much being published in so many fine journals, entering this community as a reader can be overwhelming. Luckily, there’s The Best American Short Stories (BASS)—published every year by Mariner Books and series editor Heidi Pitlor.

In this course, we will read The Best American Short Stories 2023 (edited by Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko), discussing not only the short stories in the collection but also the writerly and readerly communities that these works come from. Each week, we’ll read four short stories, choosing two to discuss in-depth, and I’ll introduce students to different small literary magazines. So steeped in contemporary literature, this course will appeal to both readers and creative writers.

Amazon link for The Best American Short Stories 2023 edited by Min Jin Lee (provided for reference): Click here.

Five-Week Course Schedule | Wednesdays
May 29 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Jun 05 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Jun 12 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Jun 19 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Jun 26 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

This class will be held in-person at WIH and simulcast via Zoom