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Dybek story selected among 2004's best

Jan. 6, 2005

KALAMAZOO--Stuart Dybek, professor of English at Western Michigan University, closed out the year by seeing a piece of his writing selected as one of "The Best American Short Stories 2004."

Dybek is the author of "Breasts," one of 20 stories selected by editor Lorrie Moore for inclusion in the annual anthology published by Houghton Mifflin. Other authors whose work was selected for the honor this year include literary luminaries John Updike, Sherman Alexie, Alice Munro and Annie Proulx, as well as a number of newcomers to the field.

Dybek's contribution was first published in his most recent book, "I Sailed With Magellan," and is an anchor piece in that volume of interrelated short stories. Set in Chicago, the tale revolves around a Chicago hit man, a bar owner and a failed wrestler.

Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reads pieces from hundreds of periodicals, then selects between 50 and 100 outstanding works. That selection is pared down to about 20 of the very best pieces by a guest editor who is widely recognized as a leading writer in his or her field.

Media contact: Cheryl Roland, 269 387-8400, cheryl.roland@wmich.edu

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