Presents twenty of the best works of short fiction of the past year from a variety of acclaimed sources.

Introduction /Geraldine Brooks -- Ceiling / Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie -- Housewifely arts / Megan Mayhew Bergman -- A bridge under water / Tom Bissell -- Out of body / Jennifer Egan -- Free fruit for young widows / Nathan Englander -- La vita nuova / Allegra Goodman -- Gurov in Manhattan / Ehud Havazelet -- The sleep / Caitlin Horrocks -- Soldier of fortune / Bret Anthony Johnston -- Foster / Claire Keegan -- The dungeon master / Sam Lipsyte -- Peter Torrelli, falling apart / Rebecca Makkai -- Property / Elizabeth McCracken -- Phantoms / Steven Millhauser -- Dog bites / Ricardo Nuila -- ID / Joyce Carol Oates -- To the measures fall / Richard Powers -- The call of blood / Jess Row -- Escape from Spiderhead / George Saunders -- The hare's mask / Mark Slouka.