April 24, 2012: Great American Stories, Part Two

[As work on the writing project continues, this week’s brief posts will highlight some of my favorite American short stories, by some of our most talented authors in this unique and compelling genre. Suggestions, and even guest posts, very welcome as always!]

Today’s great American story is Jhumpa Lahiri’s

“A Temporary Matter” (1999).

I don’t think any American writer, past or present, can create a more perfect short story than Lahiri. If you ask me for my favorite of hers the answer would probably depend on the day—but certainly this one, the opener to her first collection, is always on the short list.

Next story tomorrow,

Ben

PS. Nominations?

4/24 Memory Day nominee: Robert Penn Warren, for his great American novel, his rich and evocative poetry, his pioneering literary scholarship, but most of all for his willingness to grow and deepen as an American historian and Studier (as I discuss in the blog post linked at his name).