The Best Short Stories 2024: The O. Henry Prize Winners

The latest collection of O. Henry Prize–winning short fiction, brought to life by a full ensemble of skilled narrators, is simply amazing. These 20 stories are wide ranging, featuring both well-known writers and newcomers, whose combined talent satisfies every taste. The first entry, Emma Binder’s “Roy,” centers on the relationship between a young girl and her disreputable uncle. E.K. Ota’s “The Paper Artist” tells the story of a Japanese artist who severs his relationship with his daughter when she marries an American. Some stories are funny and surreal, such as Morris Collins’s “The Home Visit,” while others cleave to the familiar, such as Michele Mari’s “The Soccer Balls of Mr. Kurz” (translated from the Italian by Brian Robert Moore), which reminisces over the glorious days of youth when a simple ball game meant so much. Brad Felver’s “Orphans” stands out, telling the emotionally cathartic story about finding family in unexpected places. The well-selected narrators enhance the print, adding variety and expression while creating their own works of art.