The short story is about a moment of truth, rearranging our perceptions, and bringing new insights. Although the short story is associated with brevity, there is an overflow of revelation, illumination, or feeling. In this class we will examine the way in which the sensibility of the American writer has found in the short story a highly congenial medium. This course will examine a new wave of short stories singled out for their importance for 21stcentury America. Both contemporary and timeless, these stories represent the variety and power of American short fiction, its range of voices and styles, and give us a look into America’s soul. Readings include stories by Karen Russell, Said Sayrafiezadeh,George Saunders, Wells Tower, Lydia Davis, Anthony Doerr, Yiyun Li, David Foster Wallace, Deborah Eisenberg, Hector Tobar Lauren Groff, Joy Williams, Donald Antrim, Charles Yu, Rivka Galchen, Mohammed Naseehu Ali. The texts for this class will be The Anchor Book of New American Stories, and New American Stories (Vintage Contemporaries) both edited by Ben Marcus.