Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Never had a chance to read as the license expired before I could read it. ………………………………——————————————///////———//////////////////////———————————————————————————///////////////—————////////////—————-///:://///////—————————————————————//////////////////////—————————————————-////////////////—————————————————————

I was happy to get this ARC, even though anthologies like these are always a crapshoot. I was really excited to see Jesmyn Ward as the editor/compiler. However, I wasn't really impressed with this collection. I hadn't heard of most of the authors, which isn't THAT unusual, but I didn't connect with many of them, either.

The Best American Short Stories 2021
Edited by Jesmyn Ward
Pub date: 10.12.21

Thank you Mariner books and NetGalley for the e-arc of this short story collection!

I love a good collection of short stories, but they always leave me wanting more! The foreward is written by editor, Heidi Pitlor and the introduction by guest editor, Jesmyn Ward. Jesmyn Ward is the talented author of Sing, Unburied, Sing and Salvage the Bones, both of which I read and loved.

The stories Ward chose are from a few authors you may have heard of such as George Saunders, C Pam Zhang, and Bryan Washington and some you may not have yet heard of such as Vanessa Cuti, Jenzo Duque, and David Means. However, each short story shares a little bit of inspiration and a whole lot of strength. In a time where the world is struggling to unify, each author shares some wisdom and opens your eyes to the challenges of the profound human experience.

This collection of twenty intimately chosen short stories allows its readers to immerse themselves in another's perspective and sympathetically spans gender, identity, love, and loss. I look forward to the 2022 collection and will absolutely read collections from the past!

Another wonderful collection of short stories that I look forward to every year.a book I can sit down and read story after story or just pick it up. WhenI have time for one or two.Well edited great selections a real treat to read.#netgalley #marinerbooks

This was a great collection of American short stories collated this year by Jesmyn Ward.

These are diverse and inclusive stories that seem to sum up how the whole world is feeling, depressed but yet filled with expectation, love and hope, as the book progresses however, the stories seem to get darker, cumulating in an ultimate family betrayal.

Personal highlights were Biology, Haguillory, You are my dear friend, Palaver, Portrait of two young ladies in white and green robes, The miracle girl, and Switzerland.

This is a very good, diverse, interesting, timely and somewhat dark collection of short stories. My favorite without question is Paradise, a story about a small family attempting to escape from what we now know as the Paradise fire disaster. This was a sensitive and lovely tale of fortitude and vulnerability that makes the whole book worthwhile just by itself. There were quite a few other stories I liked, and, as is usual with collections like these, a few that did not resonate with me at all. But I liked the duration enough to seek out the 2022 collection when it arrives. Great stories — especially Paradise.

I look forward to the release of this edition every year. The list of guest editors alone is a distinguished gathering, and Jesmyn Ward, this year’s editor, certainly belongs at the table. In the introduction, she gives a glimpse into her selection process and also celebrates the excellence in the stories. A reader will find incredible diversity of voice and perspective and style, revisiting some favorite authors and discovering new ones.

Thank you to Guest Editor, Jesmyn Ward, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Now available.

Whew, Jesmyn Ward has assembled a fantastic lineup of contemporary authors for this anthology. From new & emerging authors like C Pam Zhang to eminent literary giants like George Saunders, the collection explores the mythical, mystical and realistic. There are fairy tales, hood tales, Gothic tales and even an odd email or two. I absolutely could not stop reading it! Highly recommend this collection to anyone in the mood for a change.

Every year I love to reflect on the stories of the past year with this collection. I love short stories and this collection makes an excellent gift for anyone that enjoys reading.

As usual with an anthology some of these stories are very interesting, some not so much but the variety of stories itself is commendable!

Short stories fill a unique niche in my reading time. In between series, when nothing sounds good, I'll pick up a book of short stories, especially an anthology where numerous authors flex their story telling skills, and dive in. It's too easy to get lost in a story that starts and finishes in one sitting. Discovering new to me authors is a real plus. And when the title says Best of.....how can you not try it? I've also been known to gift anthologies to teens who I'm trying to encourage to read more.
This book contains 20 stories by some of the best names in fiction and some of the newest names....at least to me. The books all have one thing in common. They are a short, concentrated look at human emotions/ feelings and they all pack a punch. The writing is excellent. Of course, I liked some stories more than others, even loved a couple. That is the beauty of reading, its a personal experience and short stories allow you to expand and enrich your time. Read this book, then go back and get the back issues, you won't regret it.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this anthology. I especially liked that most of these authors are new to me and gives me a chance to read a little something of theirs, something that makes a mark and reminds me that I want to pick up their next work.

I was provided a free copy of this from @netgalley I'm exchange for my honest review.
Anthologies such as this can be tricky to review. Most all of these stories deal with struggle, identity, and a lot dealt with some heavy/dark topics. The editor who chose the stories had a great introduction talking about her choices and how they highlight some of the current struggles in the real world right now. But that was probably part of the problem I had with it. I like for reading to be an escape! I'm ok with some sadness or struggle or realistic tough situations, but I need some relief too! There were a few quirky, less serious stories, but only 2 or 3 out of 20!
Quite a few of the stories were good, they just felt too heavy for me. Maybe if I had taken breaks during the reading I would have liked them as a whole better, but I was trying to get it read by today (publishing day!) so didn't have time to read other things.
Overall a good collection of stories, just know that you may need to be in the right mood for them, or take breaks in between the stories.
#TheBestAmericanShortStories2021 #NetGalley

A brilliant collection! I do love short fiction, and I've always loved the Best American series, having people I profoundly admire collate the best of the best. My favorites here, Little Beast and You Are My Dear Friend, were absolutely gripping.

I wish I knew in advance that a book would be dark and depressing before I start reading it. Life itself is dark and depressing enough, I don't need a reminder from fiction.
These stories seem to all be about drugs, poverty, abuse and neglect. I did not read them all, and I probably won't. I want fiction that creates the illusion that life is good.
I will say that the Foreword and Introduction were excellent.

The same themes which occur in Ward's writing often appear in these stories and Ward doesn't shy away from troubled lives often of younger protagonists.

This was an interesting collection of stories. I really liked some, others were ok and some I didn't really enjoy. But I think there is something in here for everyone. Some of them were more difficult to read than others - either due to the content or the vernacular. But overall they were pretty good.

I look forward to these collections every year! It's always a great opportunity to discover new authors and I find that each guest editor has a different taste/flair in picking stories. Perhaps fitting for the year defined by a global pandemic and a contentious election that was defined as a battle for the soul of the nation, many of these stories are dark. I found it difficult to read some of the stories, since 2020 left me wanting to feel hopeful. Standouts in the collection are "The Miracle Girl" by Rita Chang-Eppig, "Escape from the Dysphesiac People" by Brandon Hobson, and "Love Letter" by George Saunders. My absolute favorite story was "Switzerland" by Nicole Krauss. I love stories told by someone looking back on their childhood understanding of the world and people in it with the added wisdom of adulthood. If you typically enjoy the best American short story collections, you should pick this one up.

This collection of short stories is a mixed bag; some I really enjoyed, but many I didn't care for at all, which is probably why it took me nearly two monthly to get through. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - taking time to get through this is good, and I am glad I did, but the themes throughout the book are very, very heavy and much of the prose and perspectives of the stories take time to get used to when reading.

Overall I would recommend this as slow reading, but only if you already like short stories, as it's definitely not an easy read.