O.(h) Henry

Last week, my prize book find was an advance reader's edition of the O. Henry Prize Stories 2007. Thus far, it has certainly lived up to its promise. Though a few of the stories don't appeal to me, each one is particularly well crafted. The language is inventive. The plots are riveting. The stories are diverse and capture something about humanity and the essence of narrative. Among the stories featured in the collection is one by one of my favorite authors, Christine Schutt. I do have to say, though, that her style no longer seems as riveting as it did upon first discovering her work. Because her writing is driven by language over plot, it is easy to weary of. Alice Munro's story in this collection, as always, has a keen sense of place and of history. It is interesting, and pleasant to read. There are plenty of other stories that caught my attention as well.