There’s something for every taste in ‘O. Henry Prize Stories 2015’

In the pandemonium of everyday life, no one has the time to keep up with the hundreds (maybe thousands) of literary journals publishing quality short fiction. That is why every year I purchase “The O. Henry Prize Stories,” a collection of 20 of the best stories from the previous year.

“The O. Henry Prize Stories 2015,” the 96th in the collection, features many established writers such as Lydia Davis, Russell Banks and Elizabeth Strout. There are also many up-and-coming ones.

The subject matter and style vary from story to story, but as series editor Laura Furman writes in her introduction, “As readers, we are all subjective, and that is one of the pleasures of being a reader.” Furman does an excellent job selecting stories that appease different palates.

The opening story, “Finding Billy White Feather” by Percival Everett, follows protagonist Oliver Campbell.

Oliver wakes to find a note on his door from a mysterious Billy White Feather, a man he does not know. He spends the story searching for Billy and learns new and contradictory information about him. Oliver gradually develops a paranoia about the man he cannot find and fears for his and his wife’s safety. The mystery surrounding Billy White Feather makes a compelling and memorable story. I got lost waiting for him and found myself at the end before I knew it.

Manuel Muñoz puts a face on illegal immigration in his story, “The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA.”

Griselda and Natalia meet on the way to Pershing Square in Los Angeles. They plan to meet up with their husbands, who are illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The younger and more naive Natalia becomes frantic when her husband does not show up. Griselda, the more experienced woman in this situation, grudgingly takes Natalia under her wing.

I found this story relevant with current events. Muñoz gives a different side of a story than the one I am used to seeing, and I enjoyed his sympathetic and honest portrayal of Griselda and Natalia.

The only potential flaw with the collection rests in the varying tastes of the reader. With 20 stories of different subject matters ranging from relationships to travel to death, it is up to readers to find their preferences.

One thing, however, is certain: The collection represents the highest quality of fiction from 2014, so finding an interesting story is not a difficult task.

Anders Carlson, acarlson@kcstar.com

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 5:00 AM.