The preeminent annual collection of short fiction features the writing of John Updike, Alice Munro, Wendell Berry, Diane Johnson, Lorrie Moore, Stephen Dixon, and Mary Gaitskill. Simultaneous. 75,000 first printing. The latest volume in this distinguished series, a valued resource in public and academic collections alike, contains 20 stories selected from American and Canadian magazines by novelist Erdrich. Her selection testifies to the abiding and growing appeal of the short story as a literary form and to the important role of general-audience magazines and journals in providing a medium both for established masters and emerging talents. Erdrich pays tribute to both in her choices: John Updike's "Playing with Dynamite" is an exquisite portrayal of the onset of old age, and Wendell Berry's "Pray Without Ceasing" explores the control of time by memory. But the volume will also strengthen the growing reputation of younger writers: for instance, Tony Earley's "Charlotte" is a memorable and original treatment of professional wrestling as a metaphor for unfulfilled love. Highly recommended. --Eleanor Mitchell, Arizona State Univ. West, Phoenix Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.