Zarina Aslanova, Gunay Taghiyeva. American short stories (out-of-class reading) Advanced level. Baku, Nurlan, 2009.

Familiar names, unfamiliar titles: this, in part, was the editor’s initial inspiration in assembling The Oxford Book of American Short Stories. The challenge was to discover, whenever possible, short stories by the finest American writers — stories that, while reflecting the authors’ characteristic styles, visions, and subjects, suggested other aspects of their sensibility. This collection combines classic works with many different, unexpected plots, inviting readers to explore a wealth of important pieces by these writers. Joyce Carol Oates provides fascinating insights, blending biographical information with her own trenchant observations about their work.