THE BEST SHORT STORIES 2025 The O. Henry Prize Winners

O. Henry Award Guest Editor Jones' selections of best stories for 2025, performed by an ensemble cast, emphasize what he views as the biggest responsibility of the fiction writer--to make stuff up. Rather than seeming mundane, these 20 stories ignite the quotidian with a sense of wonder. Listeners are given a chorus of small things: a postal worker, a set of hearing aids, an inked arrow, first kisses. Standout pairings include Kaleo Griffith's perfect rendering of Wendell Berry's heartrending "The Stackpole Legend," Angel Pean's sly, silky young lovers in Addie Citchens' "That Girl," and Ari Fliakos' disheveled 30-something in Dave Eggers' "Sanravelle." These short stories do so much with so few words, and the impeccable vocal partnerings propel listeners into their worlds. K.L.L. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2025]