Introduction

I believe that anthologies are, in and of themselves, a type of story. Poor anthologies are bitty; a playlist and not an album. It doesn’t matter how good the individual bits are; a proper anthology should have something to say as a curated composition. 

That said, I’m too British at this point to make an anthology with a theme of ‘me’. Instead, I’ve chosen twelve stories that I think are remarkable for showcasing the power and potential of short fiction. They’re all clever and insightful and highly entertaining, as many good stories are. But the best short stories use the medium to do something novel (pun intended); to provide a perspective that is perfectly suited for the exact length and depth of the format.