The Best American Short Stories 1983

The series is considered one of the "best-known annual anthologies of short fiction"^[3] and has anthologized more than 2,000 short stories, including works by some of the most famous writers in contemporary American literature, curated by well-known guest editors since 1915.^[4] Specifically, Amy Hempel considered it and the O. Henry Award's prize anthology to compile "the best short fiction published in American and Canadian magazines during the preceding year."^[5]

In particular, the Willa Cather Review wrote that The Best American Short Stories series "became a repository of values" for creative writing programs and literary magazines, specifically with considerable "influence" in college libraries, short fiction courses, and fiction workshops.^[6]

Kirkus Reviews called Anne Tyler's curation less impressive and idiosyncratic than previous guest editors but called the book "Still—one of the better post-Foley anthologies, with few risks and few inspired moments, but also with few pretensions or embarrassments."^[7]