The Best Short Stories 2021, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Best Short Stories 2021, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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The Best Short Stories 2021
The O. Henry Prize Winners

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Narrator: Maris Calin, Feodor Chin, Frankie Corzo, Gary Furlong, Deepti Gupta, Hillary Huber, Sullivan Jones, John Lee, Katharine Lee McEwan, Adenrele Ojo, Fred Sanders, Bahni Turpin

Unabridged: 13 hr 6 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/14/2021


Synopsis

Twenty prizewinning stories selected from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year—continuing the O. Henry Prize's century-long tradition of literary excellence. 

"Widely regarded as the nation's most prestigious awards for short fiction." —The Atlantic Monthly.

Now entering its second century, the prestigious annual story anthology has a new title, a new look, and a new guest editor. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has brought her own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and young emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Adichie, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.

Featured in this collection: Daphne Palasi Andreades • David Means • Sindya Bhanoo • Crystal Wilkinson • Alice Jolly • David Rabe • Karina Sainz Borgo (translator, Elizabeth Bryer) • Jamel Brinkley • Tessa Hadley • Adachioma Ezeano • Anthony Doerr • Tiphanie Yanique • Joan Silber • Jowhor Ile • Emma Cline • Asali Solomon • Ben Hinshaw • Caroline Albertine Minor (translator, Caroline Waight) • Jianan Qian • Sally Rooney


About Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an acclaimed Nigerian writer whose powerful storytelling reshapes the way we see identity, feminism, and cultural heritage. Her novels - including Half of a Yellow Sun, Purple Hibiscus, and Americanah - are celebrated for their lyrical prose and uncompromising honesty. A global voice for equality and human connection, her TED Talks, such as 'We Should All Be Feminists', have inspired millions, sparking conversations that transcend borders. Adichie's work bridges continents, blending personal truth with universal themes, making her one of the most influential authors of her generation. When she’s not writing, she embraces her love of fashion, family, and the vibrant traditions of her Nigerian roots - all with the same bold authenticity that defines her work.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Cindy on January 19, 2022

Not finished, but thus far my favorite compilation of short stories in a series like this. Likely because Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the editor. I'm reading one a day v. my usual style of binging stories until I'm finished with the book (not really an ideal way to understand or take in the short sto......more

Goodreads review by Catie on July 02, 2022

Standouts: “becoming the baby girl” and “white noise” Had to stop reading “To the Dogs” bc that was awful and disturbing and I wish I had never read any of it......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on September 21, 2021

Sigh... I hate short stories. I mean, they're addicting. They're a palate cleanser for me between novels when I'm in a rut. But they're terribly depressing. They always try to distill life's deep moments into a pill of sensation, and in avoiding lengthy exposition become stark and abrupt. There are......more

Goodreads review by Janie on June 16, 2022

i feel like i can’t give this book five stars because not every short story was my cup of tea (ahem “to the dogs” !!!!) but OH MY GOD some of these pieces just changed the trajectory of my life and the chemical makeup of my brain and i will never be the same they were so good!!!! my favorites were “......more

Goodreads review by Casi ! on May 22, 2022

Hard to rate because so many different authors, and thus experiences. Overall though a collection of short stories feels a bit cumbersome for me. Though I loved a few, specially Tiphanie Yanique’s “The Living Sea” and Joan Silber’s “Freedom from Want.” Those were splendid! 5 stars to the first, 4/5......more


Quotes

"Widely regarded as the nation's most prestigious awards for short fiction." --The Atlantic Monthly