Copyright © 2012 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Introduction copyright © 2012 by Tom Perrotta
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ISSN 0067-6233
ISBN 978-0-547-24209-5
ISBN 978-0-547-24210-1 (pbk.)
eISBN 978-0-547-37718-6
v1.1012
“The Last Speaker of the Language” by Carol Anshaw. First published in New Ohio Review, Issue 10. Copyright © 2011 by Carol Anshaw. Reprinted by permission of the Joy Harris Literary Agency.
“Pilgrim Life” by Taylor Antrim. First published in American Short Fiction, Vol. 14, No. 53. Copyright © 2011 by Taylor Antrim. Reprinted by permission of the author.
“What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank” by Nathan Englander. First published in The New Yorker, December 12, 2011. From What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank: Stories by Nathan Englander, copyright © 2012 by Nathan Englander. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
“The Other Place” by Mary Gaitskill. First published in The New Yorker, February 14 & 21, 2011. Copyright © 2010 by Mary Gaitskill. Reprinted by permission of Mary Gaitskill.
“North Country” by Roxane Gay. First published in Hobart, Issue 12. Copyright © 2012 by Roxane Gay. Reprinted by permission of Roxane Gay.
“Paramour” by Jennifer Haigh. First published in Ploughshares, Vol. 37, No. 4. Copyright © 2011 by Jennifer Haigh. Reprinted by permission of Jennifer Haigh.
“Navigators” by Mike Meginnis. First published in Hobart, Issue 12. Copyright © 2011 by Mike Meginnis. Reprinted by permission of Mike Meginnis.
“Miracle Polish” by Steven Millhauser. First published in The New Yorker, November 14, 2011. Reprinted by permission of International Creative Management, Inc. Copyright © 2011 by Steven Millhauser.
“Axis” by Alice Munro. First published in The New Yorker, January 31, 2011. Copyright © 2011 by Alice Munro. Reprinted by permission of Alice Munro.
“Volcano” by Lawrence Osborne. First published in Tin House, Vol. 12, No. 3. Copyright © 2011 by Lawrence Osborne. Reprinted by permission of The Wylie Agency, LLC.
“Diem Perdidi” by Julie Otsuka. First published in Granta, Issue 117. Copyright © 2011 by Julie Otsuka, Inc. Reprinted by permission of Julie Otsuka.
“Honeydew” by Edith Pearlman. First published in Orion, September/October 2011. Copyright © 2011 by Edith Pearlman. Reprinted by permission of Kneerim & Williams.
“Occupational Hazard” by Angela Pneuman. First published in Ploughshares, Vol. 37, No. 1. Copyright © 2011 by Angela Pneuman. Reprinted by permission of Angela Pneuman.
“Beautiful Monsters” by Eric Puchner. First published in Tin House, Vol. 13, No. 1. Copyright © 2011 by Erick Puchner. Reprinted by permission of Eric Puchner.
“Tenth of December” by George Saunders. First published in The New Yorker, October 31, 2011. Reprinted by permission of International Creative Management, Inc. Copyright © 2011 by George Saunders.
“The Sex Lives of African Girls” by Taiye Selasi. First published in Granta, Issue 115. Copyright © 2011 by Taiye Selasi. Reprinted by permission of The Wylie Agency, LLC.
“Alive” by Sharon Solwitz. First published in Fifth Wednesday Journal, Issue 8. Copyright © 2012 by Sharon Solwitz. Reprinted by permission of Sharon Solwitz.
“M & M World” by Kate Walbert. First published in The New Yorker, May 30, 2011. Copyright © 2011 by Kate Walbert. Reprinted by permission of Kate Walbert.
“Anything Helps” by Jess Walter. First published in McSweeney’s, Issue 39. Copyright © 2011 by Jess Walter. Reprinted by permission of Jess Walter.
“What’s Important Is Feeling” by Adam Wilson. First published in Paris Review, Issue 199. Copyright © 2011 by Adam Wilson. Reprinted by permission of The Paris Review.