Maricopa County has assets other than Sheriff Joe; armed with my colorful new library card I took myself down to “Your Community Front Porch,” one of two regional and 15 branch libraries, and checked out The Best American Short Stories, edited by Richard Russo.

“PS”, by Jill McCorkel, from The Atlantic

Stories that evolve from a rant are not my favorite—more fun for a writer to write than for a reader to read. (I’m tempted to rant about this, but I won’t.) Rants invite us to try to figure out the truth. Here, we’re not impressed with the marriage counselor; even less so with the husband. We’re sort of on the wife’s side but, like most rants, we’re glad when it’s over. This was good for a chuckle.

• “Someone Ought to Tell Her There’s Nowhere to Go”, by Danielle Evans, from A Public Space

I liked the original title better: “Every Single Last [expletive deleted] on This Planet Is Going to Hell Someday.” This story is a sandwich board pointing to the empty aspiration. It’s a heart breaker. 

• “The Valetudinarian”, by Joshua Ferris, from The New Yorker

Stories are supposed to make you feel. I felt offended by the stereotypical portrayal of the widower in the retirement community. I felt dismay; do I stereotype when I write young characters? Of course,I’ve been young. Our author has yet to feel the pains of age. (I felt snickery.) Finally, I felt cheered when the old goat got his mojo back.

• “The Laugh”, by Tea Obreht, from The Atlantic

Masterful. Gripping. I am in awe of Tea Obreht, the author of The Tiger’s Wife. Obreht puts us in sub-Saharan Africa, a place she has never been, dispelling the myth of write what you know. We smell the savannah in our pores, feel the tension, fear and guilt that drive the story. She lays out the clues, makes us ask questions and draw conclusions that she confirms at a breathless pace. Writers, try setting your next story in a place you wish you were.

• “The Netherlands Lives With Water”, by Jim Shepard, from McSweeney’s

If Moses came today and asked him to follow him through the Red Sea to higher ground, would we follow? In this issue-driven, futuristic story, people are losing the climate battle. There’s a nice parallel with knowledge the MC is hiding from his wife that could provide a solution to a marital rift.

• “Pinsky Gets It Right”, by Jonathan Freiberger, Glimmer Train Spring 2013

A lovely story just out, Freiberger gives us a meditation on love and misunderstanding. He includes a beautiful statement of faith:

In the endless expanse of Time and Space, and amongst the incalculably vast galaxies of matter that is dead, this inexplicable, immensely small, tragically delicate ting called life flickers in and out like a match that will not stay lit for the wind…Are we not, then spectacularly precious?