author
Edward J. (Edward Joseph) O'Brien
1890–1941
Best remembered as the editor who helped define the modern American short story, he paired a poet’s ear with a sharp critic’s eye. His annual selections introduced readers to standout fiction and gave many writers a wider audience.
1 Audiobook
The Forgotten Threshold: A Journal of Arthur Middleton
by Edward J. (Edward Joseph) O'Brien
About the author
Edward Joseph Harrington O'Brien was an American writer, poet, editor, and anthologist born in Boston on December 10, 1890. Writing as Edward J. O'Brien, he became especially known for his yearly collections of notable short fiction, a project that grew into The Best American Short Stories.
He studied at Boston College and later entered Harvard, but left before graduating. That independent streak seems to fit his career: rather than following a conventional academic path, he made his name by reading widely, judging fiction energetically, and arguing for the artistic value of the short story.
O'Brien also wrote poetry and essays, but his lasting place in literary history comes from his work as a selector and champion of short fiction. His anthologies played an important part in shaping early 20th-century American literary taste, and they helped bring attention to many important writers. He died on February 24, 1941.