Top Five Stories: 2008 - 2009

AMONG THE MANY excellent stories published in the past year as Stories of the Week, we wanted to focus on some newer works, so we selected the five best, variously remarkable for heart, humor, drama, and illumination. In each one, you’ll find pleasure and surprises and a writer to remember and read again.

The Story of the Week series for 2009–2010 begins next Sunday. If you would like to send a story for consideration as a Story of the Week, please see our Guidelines. Each September the Top Five Stories are selected for special notice.

Congratulations to the winners. Each receives a $500 award.

Heather Brittain Bergstrom
Shallow Sea
He can only get so close, and this attracts him.
Pete Fromm
Peas
When he finally opens his mouth I ram my fist into it.
Melanie Gideon
The Mattress Wars
We drank a lot. Every night. It was the nineties.
Skip Horack
Borderlands
He awoke on the couch with her standing over him.
Emily Raboteau
The Structure of Bubbles
My mother’s hair turned white after my brother’s accident.

Top Five Stories: 2008 - 2009

He can only get so close, and this attracts him.

When he finally opens his mouth I ram my fist into it.

We drank a lot. Every night. It was the nineties.

He awoke on the couch with her standing over him.

My mother’s hair turned white after my brother’s accident.