Author: Carol

"Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case" by S. J. Rozan is a light mystery. Yong-Yun's daughter is a Chinese American private investigator, Lydia Chin, Rozan's series detective, but in this short story it is Yong-Yun who offers her help. Tan Li-Li plays mahjong with Yong-Yun and her friends, but when she calls for Lydia's help, Lydia's not home. Li-Li's grandson has been kidnapped and Li-Li's son only has two hours before he needs to turn over the code for software his firm has developed as ransom, effectively destroying his career. Yong-Yun accepts the case, implying that she works closer with Lydia than she does. I liked how Yong-Yun followed the clues, and dealt with the whole situation wisely. She's a bright woman. I enjoyed reading her thoughts, not just on the case but on her daughter's profession, asking the computer about people "as though it were a temple fortuneteller," marriage which "if handled badly, can be a source of distress," and her...

In her introduction to The Best American Short Stories 2011, Brooks states, "I have always though of literature as a physical matter. A great piece of writing is the one you feel on your skin. It has to do something: Make the heart beat harder of the hairs stand up. Provoke laughter or tears." And when the author can do that in less than 30 pages, I am amazed. This anthology contains a varied selection of topics and authors. Some of the writer are relative new-comers, others well-known Pulitzer Prize winners. There are stories about parent-child relationships and about small towns, even a foray into a futuristic prison. I've already looked in detail at a few of the stories: “Ceiling” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie “Housewifely Arts” by Megan Mayhew Bergman  “A Bridge Under Water” by Tom Bissell I'm sure some people will like some of the stories better than others, as with any collection. Overall, though, it's a collection worth reading. There are several stories to savor, like "The...