Saturday, November 15, 2008

The New Yorker: Story of the Year 2008 -- NOMINATIONS OPEN

As I did last year, I plan to name a Best New Yorker Story of the Year. Last year I came up with a list of my choices for the top ten stories and then narrowed that list down to five based on comments received here, combined with my own preferences. (No one ever said this was a democracy!) But then I let readers vote on the top five and I didn't interfere in the will of the people (even though the eventual winner wasn't my favorite). Anyway, I plan to follow more or less the same procedure this year, except that I'm accepting nominations now for stories that should be included in the top ten. I'll still have final say, but I want to hear from you!

Leave a comment below with your picks.

8 comments:

Ravi Mangla said...

I’m probably forgetting some of the stories from earlier in the year, but there aren’t too many that stand out in my mind. I liked TC Boyle’s “The Lie”, one of the Yiyun stories, the Ha Jin – happy endings are refreshing. The Rivka Galchen was almost cool, and then it bombed suddenly. I’ve preferred a lot of the stuff in Harper’s this year.

Holly Goddard Jones said...

"The Dinner Party," by Joshua Ferris. I liked it a lot, but more interestingly, I kept hearing about it from folks who don't normally talk fiction (voluntarily) with me--even students.

Anonymous said...

Face - Munro

Dinner Party - Ferris

Tits up in a Ditch - Proulx

Full Glass - Updike

Paul Epstein said...

Gorse Is Not People. I'm a bit surprised no one else mentioned it. Or are the dead not in contention?

Paul Epstein

Matt Bell said...

I was going to suggest the Wells Tower story, the first New Yorker story I've managed to get through in forever. Then I saw you hated it, so nevermind. I'll try to remember what else I liked this year.

Anonymous said...

First choice is Mary Gaitskill's "Don't Cry." It's better with each reading.
Pam

Unknown said...

Thanks all! I agree with many of these nominations . . .

Mark Richardson said...

"Wakefield" by E.L. Doctorow