The Best Short Stories of 1919, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story

This collection gathers a vibrant cross‑section of American short fiction from the year after the war, showcasing the voices that shaped the emerging modernist pulse. Readers will find everything from G. F. Alsop’s quietly observant “The Kitchen Gods” to Djuna Barnes’s strikingly surreal “A Night Among the Horses,” each piece reflecting the social and emotional currents of its time. The accompanying introduction offers a thoughtful snapshot of the era’s literary climate, framing the stories within the broader quest for a national literary identity.

Beyond the fiction, the volume includes a useful yearbook of short‑story activity: listings of magazine publications, indexes of authors, and brief surveys of the market’s trends during 1918‑1919. Scholars and casual listeners alike can explore the evolving styles, from the domestic realism of Sherwood Anderson to the experimental flair of Anzia Yezierska, gaining insight into a pivotal moment in American letters.