New Stories from the South is an annual compilation of short stories published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill between 1986 and 2010 and billed as the year's best stories written by Southern writers or about the Southern United States. The series has been revived for publication by Blair of Durham, North Carolina, and will resume in fall 2026. The stories are collected from more than 100 literary magazines, including The Atlantic, Harper's Magazine, The New Yorker, the Oxford American, The Paris Review, Ploughshares, and The Southern Review.
Shannon Ravenel, then the editor of the annual Best American Short Stories anthology, launched the New Stories from the South series in 1986 and compiled and edited every volume until 2006. To mark the third decade of the series, Algonquin invited author and Guggenheim Fellow Allan Gurganus to be guest editor.
New Stories from the South has collected the work of many prominent modern American writers, including Steve Almond, Russell Banks, John Barth, Madison Smartt Bell, Wendell Berry, Roy Blount Jr., Larry Brown, James Lee Burke, Robert Olen Butler, Andre Dubus, William Faulkner (a newly discovered story), Barry Hannah, Nanci Kincaid, Aaron Gwyn, Barbara Kingsolver, Bobbie Ann Mason, Reynolds Price, Keith Lee Morris, John Sayles, Lucy Corin, Lee Smith, and Peter Taylor.
List of Compilations and Stories
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1986. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Bridging by Max Apple Triptych by Madison Smartt Bell Tongues of Flame by Mary Ward Brown Communion by Suzanne Brown The Convict by James Lee Burke Air by Ron Carlson Says Velma by Doug Crowell Martha Jean by Leon V. Driskell The World Record Holder by Elizabeth Harris Something Good for Ginnie by Mary Hood Summer of the Magic Show by David Huddle Holding on by Gloria Norris Umpire by Kurt Rheinheimer Delivery by W.A. Smith Something to Lose by Wallace Whatley Wallwork by Luke Whisnant Chicken Simon by Sylvia Wilkinson
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1987. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Across from the Motoheads by Luke Whisnant Lady of Spain by Robert Taylor Heart by Marly Swick Life on the moon by Lee Smith Where Pelham fell by Bob Shacochis The Pure in heart by Peggy Payne Sugar, the eunuchs / and Big G.B. by Lewis Nordan Vincristine by Trudy Lewis After Moore by Mary Hood Dressed like Summer Leaves by Andre Dubus Magnolia by Vickie Covington Heroic Measures / Vital Signs by John William Corrington Peter the Rock by Rosanne Coggeshall Edward and Jill by Robert Boswell Dependents by James Gordon Bennett
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1988. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Happiness of the Garden Variety by Mark Richard Game Farm by John Rolfe Gardiner Half Measures by Trudy Lewis The Man who Knew Belle Starr by Richard Bausch First Union Blues by Jill McCorkle Voice by Eve Shelnutt Limited Access by Annette Sanford The Watch by Rick Bass George Bailey Fishing by Ellen Akins Rose-Johnny by Barbara Kingsolver Gas by Jim Hall Facing the Music by Larry Brown The Crumb by Sunny Rogers Belonging by Pam Durban Like the Old Wolf in all those Wolf Stories by Nanci Kincaid Metropolitan by Charlotte Holmes
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1989. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Preface by Shannon Ravenel A Hank of Hair, a Piece of Bone by Lewis Nordan Six White Horses by Annette Sanford Samaritans by Larry Brown Wish by Bobbie Ann Mason Customs of the Country by Madison Smartt Bell Playing by David Huddle Coupon for Blood by Sandy Huss Hot Springs by Paula Sharp Wild Horses by Rick Bass Where She Was by Kelly Cherry Strays by Mark Richard Pacific Theater by James Gordon Bennett The Rain of Terror by Frank Manley Homes by Kurt Rheinheimer It Wasn't All Dancing by Mary Ward Brown
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1990. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Spittin' Image of a Baptist boy by Nanci Kincaid The Cellar of Runt Conroy by Lewis Nordan Family by Lance Olsen Feast of the Earth, Ransom of the Clay by Mark Richard Just Outside the B.T. by Moira Crone The Kind of Light that shines on Texas by Reginald McKnight Letter to the lady of the house by Richard Bausch The Boarder by Greg Johnson Crow Man by Tom Bailey Changing Names by Clyde Edgerton Les Femme Creoles by Bob Shacochis Zoe by Molly Best Tinsley Where we land by Ron Robinson Sleep by Larry Brown Fishbone by Donna Trussell The History of Rodney by Rick Bass
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1991. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Cousin Aubrey by Peter Taylor The Arabesque by Barbara Hudson Intensive Care by Lee Smith The Screened Porch by Susan Starr Richards Relic by Robert Olen Butler With Jazz by Bobbie Ann Mason A Life or Death Matter by Elizabeth Hunnewell Big Bad Love by Larry Brown South of Kittatinny by Hilding Johnson The Birds for Christmas by Mark Richard Poinsett's Bridge by Robert Morgan Waiting for Hard Times to End by Jill McCorkle Black Cat Bone by Thomas Phillips Brewer In the Loyal Mountains by Rick Bass This is not the Picture Show by Nanci Kincaid His Final Mother by Reynolds Price
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1992. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . The Bubba Stories by Lee Smith Lilacs by Abraham Verghese A New Life by Mary Ward Brown A Sturdy Pair of Shoes that Fit Good by Nanci Kincaid Death Crown by Robert Morgan Clearwater and Latissimus by Alison Baker The Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping by Padgett Powell Texas City, 1947 by James Lee Burke Quitting Smoking by Reginald McKnight Explaining Death to the Dog by Susan Perabo A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler The Witch of Owl Mountain Springs: An Account of Her Remarkable Powers by Peter Taylor Economics by Elizabeth Seydel Morgan Like Hands on a Cave Wall by Karen Minton A Roadside Resurrection by Larry Brown You have Chosen Cake by Dan Leone After Memphis by Patricia Lear
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1993. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Marie by Edward Jones Charlotte by Tony Earley Selling Whiskers by Barbara Hudson Spinach by Dan Leone Evening by Richard Bausch Man Watcher by Jill McCorkle Trouble at the Home Office by David Huddle Family Planning by Elizabeth Hunnewell Helens and Roses by Annette Sanford The Waiting Room by Peter Taylor Rescuing Ed by Dennis Loy Johnson A Jonquil for Mary Penn by Wendell Berry Bounty by Pinckney Benedict Name Me this River by Kevin Calder White Boys and River Girls by Paula K. Gover Prisoners by Wayne Karlin Preparation by Robert Olen Butler Major Six Pockets by Lee Merrill Byrd
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1994. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Nicodemus Bluff by Barry Hannah My Other Life by Melanie Sumner My Mother's Shoes by Robert Love Taylor Outlaw Head & Tail by George Singleton Pretending the Bed was a Raft by Nanci Kincaid Retreat by Frederick Barthelme Dark Corner by Robert Morgan Landscape and Dream by Nancy Krusoe The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin The Heart Must from its Breaking by Leon Rooke Deeds of Light by Reynolds Price Luxury by Kathleen Cushman Peeling by John Sayles Aren't You Happy for Me? by Richard Bausch Sweet Tooth by Pamela Erbe The Prophet from Jupiter by Tony Earley
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1995. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Water people by James Lee Burke Gravity by Susan Perabo Bases by Scott Gould In the distance by Caroline A. Langston Teams by Lynn Marie The runaways by Elizabeth Spencer The bug man by Tim Gautreaux Fixing Lu by M.M.M. Hayes The Stucco house by Ellen Gilchrist Ladies of the marble hearth by Hillary Hebert Riding with the doctor by R. Sebastian Bennett Boy born with tattoo of Elvis by Robert Olen Butler Everything quiet like church by Dale Ray Phillips Paying attention by Ken Craven I am the bear by Wendy Brenner Drummer down by Barry Hannah Gravity by Jesse Lee Kercheval
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1996. Edited by Shannon Ravenel. . Rose of Lebanon by William Faulkner Gauguin by Moira Crone Paradise by Jill McCorkle The host by Marcia Guthridge Jealous husband returns in form of parrot by Robert Olen Butler Some say the world by Susan Perabo Goose girl by Annette Sanford The happy memories club by Lee Smith A happy, safe thing by Kathy Flann The Balm of Gilead tree by Robert Morgan Died and gone to Vegas by Tim Gautreaux Cool moss by David Gilbert General Markman's last stand by Tom Paine Mood music by J.D. Dolan Grant by Ellen Douglas
Best of the South: From Ten Years of New Stories from the South. 1997. Selected and introduced by Anne Tyler. . Martha Jean by Leon V. Driskell After moore by Mary Hood Where pelham fell by Bob Shacochis Heart by Marly Swick Watch by Rick Bass Customs of the country by Madison Smartt Bell Rain of terror by Frank Manley Hank of hair, a piece of bone by Lewis Nordan Letter to the lady of the house by Richard Bausch Kind of light that shines on Texas by Reginald McKnight This is not the picture show by Nanci Kincaid Birds for Christmas by Mark Richard Intensive care by Lee Smith After Memphis by Patricia Lear Winnowing of Mrs. Schuping by Padgett Powell Charlotte by Tony Earley Marie by Edward P. Jones Nicodemus bluff by Barry Hannah My other life by Melanie Sumner Water people by James Lee Burke
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1997. Edited by Shannon Ravenel with a preface by Robert Olen Butler. . Corporal Love by Dale Ray Phillips Ramone by Judy Troy Help me fine my spaceman lover by Robert Olen Butler The taxi ride by Patricia Elam Ruff Little frogs in a ditch by Tim Gautreaux After the opera by Marc Vassallo The Green Suit by Dwight Allen Gravity by Pam Durban Native daughter by Lee Smith Along a wider river by Janice Daugharty Ashes north by Edward Allen Julia and Nellie by Ellen Douglas The finest wife by Elizabeth Gilbert Simpler components by Lucy Hochman Marrying Aunt Sadie by Gene Able Mojo farmer by Brad Vice The half-pint by Beauvais McCaddon Every building wants to fall by Rhian Margaret Ellis Pavane for a dead princess by Charles East
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1998. Edited by Shannon Ravenel with a preface by Padgett Powell. . Yellow Jack by John Russell Rita's mystery by John Holman Memorial Day by Mark Richard The baker's wife by Sara Powers The lesson by Frederick Barthelme Aliens of affection by Padgett Powell Where words go by Michael Gills In the Little Hunky River by Annette Sanford Girls like you by Jennifer Moses The poet by Stephen Dixon Nipple by Wendy Brenner Sorry blood by Tim Gautreaux The other mother by Enid Shomer The only way to ride by Molly Best Tinsley Bridge by Tony Earley The order of things by Nancy Richard These people are us by George Singleton Naked as Tanya by Stephen Marion Talk radio by Scott Ely
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 1999. Edited by Shannon Ravenel with a preface by Tony Earley. . Birdland by Michael Knight Fla. boys by Heather Sellers Lunch at the Piccadilly by Clyde Edgerton Those deep elm Brown's ferry blues by William Gay Missy by Richard Bausch Caulk by George Singleton Borrowed hearts by Rick DeMarinis The human side of instrumental transcommunication by Wendy Brenner Pagan babies by Ingrid Hill Leaving Venice, Florida by Richard Schmitt Storytelling by Mary Gordon Krista had a treble clef rose by Mary Clyde Booker T's coming home by Laura Payne Butler Beyond the point by Michael Erard Miracle boy by Pinckney Benedict Neighborhood by Kurt Rheinheimer Little bitty pretty one by Andrew Alexander Name of love by Janice Daugharty Quill by Tony Earley Poachers by Tom Franklin
New Stories from the South: The Year's Best, 2000. Edited by Shannon Ravenel with a preface by Ellen Douglas. .