I was introduced to this anthology in a writing course. While compulsory reading is seldom as enjoyable as elective reading, I found myself returning to this collection of short stories long after the course ended. Stuart Dybek's "Pet Milk", a warm and rich introspection on the transition from childhood to adulthood, got me hooked and I soon read every story in this collection. Anyone who enjoys good writing but struggles to find time to read, or who appreciates finely crafted short fiction will enjoy these short but interesting stories. Highly recommended.

I didn't want this book to end; the stories were so enjoyable. Some were so intense I had to reread them immediately. I would love to take a writing course to try emulating them or using them as inspiration. One complaint: like many of these anthologies the editors don't give a hint of what to expect. Stories are ordered alphabetically by author's last name, but curiously each leads to the next. This volume is much better than ones that try to pick the best story (or stories) of the year and more enlightening than single author collections.

This is a wonderful selection of contemporary short fiction featuring a variety of authors and points of view and a great diversity of subject matter. Stories deal with such varied topics as homosexuality, the Holocaust, Native American mysticism and small time crooks. Women writers are well represented. This collection features some very different choices, including a ghost story from Joyce Carol Oates.
This collection will prove an invaluable resource for budding writers and literature majors alike. This would also be a great primer for someone unfamiliar with the most contemporary short fiction.

This collection of short stories is great reading! The vivid imagery inspire the reader to read on and on until the entire book has been devoured! The stories about families and dysfunction are incredible and heartwrenching at times. I recomend this book for anyone who likes to be led on a journey into the unknown and end up in a place you knew all along.

I bought this book because I was in a local bookstore, and I happened upon a reading-in progress. It was Lex Williford reading from "Macauley's Thumb". It sounded so interesting-I bought the book, and I was not dissapointed. The characters are everyday people with everyday problems, though a little eccentric. I have reread the book at least three times since purchasing it, and I see somthing new in the stories with each read. I hope that Mr. Williford has more stories up his sleeve.