You’ve Got to Read This: Contemporary Writers Introduce Stories That Held Them in Awe

Writers Jim Shepard and Ron Hansen had a unique idea for a short story anthology--rather than selecting the stories themselves, they asked contemporary writers to pick one story that "you've got to read." The stories themselves are wonderful, but the passages that introduce each are what sets this anthology apart. Each writer explains why he or she chose a particular story, providing insights you won’t find anywhere else. Fully a third of the authors picked "the story that made me want to become a writer," and their introductory essays are as fascinating as the stories themselves. Many of the stories are classics, while others are lesser known. In this 12-week SDG, we will be encountering a diverse range of voices, time periods, experiences and styles, but all with a common devotion to story.