The Best American Short Stories 1954: and the Yearbook of the American Short Story

In this collection of short stories are names familiar and unfamiliar, but each of the stories chosen by Martha Foley's discriminating eye is individual and interesting. As the Saturday Review has said, "Miss Foley has achieved a remarkable success with her eleven volumes in keeping the living flesh from hardening into marble; she has steadfastly refused to admit any restrictions but those of quality, and her choices display an extraordinary catholicity of taste."The short story has an outstanding place in American literature and an almost universal audience throughout the country. But even the most ardent lover of the genre can hardly keep up with a hundred or more magazines. Nor would he be likely to have the patience to wade through the thousands of stories that are published each year in order to find the few that shouldn't be missed.There is, therefore, a real need for collections which preserve the cream of the year's short story crop. Since its foundation in 1915 The Best American Short Stories series is held by literary critics at large. An example of this esteem can be found in a quotation from last year's Herald Tribute: "Devotees of the short story," wrote Gene Baro, 'will find martha Foley's 'The Best American Short Stories, 1953' up to the high standard of taste and literary merit she has so consistently fostered in this annual series."Jacket by George KellyA Great Reckoning in a Little Room Geoffrey BushA Beautiful Night for Orion Richard ClayThe Sense That in the Scene Delights Benjamin DeMottA Stop on the Way to Texas Ward DorranceThe Firebird LeGArde S. DoughtyApple Seed and Apple Thorn Elizabeth EnrightMy Brother Down There Steve FranzeeA Change of Air Ivan GoldFarewell, Sweet Love Priscilla HeathThe House on the Esplanade Anne HébertChar on Raven's Bench Frank HolwerdaGertrude and Sidney Randall JarrellNo Way Down Almet JenksThe Latter End George LoveridgeThe Game Frances Gray PattonThe Red Mountain Robert PayneThe Mango Tree Rosanne Smith RobinsonIn the French Style Irwin ShawThe Shorn Lamb Jean StaffordThe Pale Green Fishes Kressmann TaylorThe Third Guest B. TravenThe Man in Gray Christine WestonThe Indomitable Blue Ira WolfertThe Rock Vurrell YentzenDescription from inside jacket & back cover