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A review by melias6
The Best American Short Stories 2020 by Heidi Pitlor, Curtis Sittenfeld
4.0
Curtis Sittenfeld’s stories have been featured frequently in BASS, and they’re always a bright spot among the stories selected each year. I was excited to dive into her curated picks for the 2020 edition, and the result is one of the stronger collections in recent years. Given her own sense of humor as a writer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 2020 boasts more comedic entries than years past. These include:
“The Apartment,” T.C. Boyle — A man signs a contract with his elderly neighbor, paying monthly installments to secure ownership of her apartment upon her death. A straightforward premise until you discover who the elderly neighbor has been modeled after. (Hint: this takes place in France.)
“In the Event,” Meng Jin — Anxieties about climate change, politics, and romantic relationships collide in a story that grapples with how to respond “in the event” of said crises. Won me over with the early descriptor “She was a local local, born and raised and stayed.”
“Howl Palace,” Leigh Newman — A farce centered on an oft-divorced woman in her sixties, an unruly dog, and a rich cast of characters that succeeds in being both funny and deeply moving.
“The Special World,” Tiphanie Yanique — A college freshman navigates a first semester teeming with nosy RAs, church cults, and cultural (mis)appropriation.
Other standouts include Mary Gaitskill’s thorny, #metoo-inspired “This Is Pleasure”; William Pei Shih’s “Enlightenment” about an aging professor’s unrequited, misguided love for a student; and two horrific, relatable tales of bullying from the perspectives of an aggressor (Sarah Thankam Mathews’ “Rubberdust”) and a victim (Kevin Wilson’s “Kennedy”). There’s something for everyone, and Sittenfeld’s detailed, insightful reasoning behind her curating process makes it difficult to argue with her choices.
“The Apartment,” T.C. Boyle — A man signs a contract with his elderly neighbor, paying monthly installments to secure ownership of her apartment upon her death. A straightforward premise until you discover who the elderly neighbor has been modeled after. (Hint: this takes place in France.)
“In the Event,” Meng Jin — Anxieties about climate change, politics, and romantic relationships collide in a story that grapples with how to respond “in the event” of said crises. Won me over with the early descriptor “She was a local local, born and raised and stayed.”
“Howl Palace,” Leigh Newman — A farce centered on an oft-divorced woman in her sixties, an unruly dog, and a rich cast of characters that succeeds in being both funny and deeply moving.
“The Special World,” Tiphanie Yanique — A college freshman navigates a first semester teeming with nosy RAs, church cults, and cultural (mis)appropriation.
Other standouts include Mary Gaitskill’s thorny, #metoo-inspired “This Is Pleasure”; William Pei Shih’s “Enlightenment” about an aging professor’s unrequited, misguided love for a student; and two horrific, relatable tales of bullying from the perspectives of an aggressor (Sarah Thankam Mathews’ “Rubberdust”) and a victim (Kevin Wilson’s “Kennedy”). There’s something for everyone, and Sittenfeld’s detailed, insightful reasoning behind her curating process makes it difficult to argue with her choices.