Every year, New England Review sees poems, stories, and essays from among its pages receive honors and distinctions from respected publications that recognize and anthologize works of literary merit. Our recent prizewinners and honorary mentions are listed below by year.
2020 Anthologies
Best American Essays (November 2020)
guest editor André Aciman, series editor Robert Atwan
• Jerald Walker, “Breathe”
Best American Poetry (September 2020)
guest editor Paisley Rekdal, series editor David Lehman
• Timothy Donnelly, “All Through the War”
• Jennifer Grotz, “The Conversion of Paul”
• Cecily Park, “The Seeds”
• Jon William Stout, “Dysphonia”
• Brian Tear, “Sitting Isohedric Meditation”
Best Debut Short Stories: The PEN American Dau Prize (June 2020)
editor Yuka Igarashi
• Valerie Hegary, “Cats vs. Cancer”
Pushcart Prize XLIV (November 2019)
editor Bill Henderson
• Maureen Stanton, “The Human Soup” (nonfiction)
• Alison C. Rollins, “Five and a Possible” (poetry)
• Samantha Libby, “Chinko” (nonfiction)
Special Mentions:
• Christine Sneed, “The Monkey’s Uncle Louis” (fiction)
• John Gallaher, “Brand New Spacesuit” (poetry)
• Corey Marks, “Lark” (poetry)
• Kimberly Johnson, “Fire-work” (poetry)
2019 Anthologies
Best American Short Stories 2019
guest editor Anthony Doerr, series editor Heidi Pitlor
• Ella Martinsen Gorham, “Protozoa”
Other Distinguished Stories:
• Douglas Silver, “Borders and Crossings”
• Karl Taro Greenfield, “Station 4”
Best American Poetry 2019
guest editor Major Jackson, series editor David Lehman
• Didi Jackson, “Burning Bush”
Best American Essays 2019
guest editor Rebecca Solnit, series editor Robert Atwan
Notables:
• Stephen Benz, “Overlooking Guantanamo”
• Katherine E. Standefer, “The Unmaking”
• Maureen Stanton, “The Human Soup”
• Jennifer Stock, “Parrot on a Stone Plinth”
Best American Travel Writing 2019
guest editor Alexandra Fuller, series editor Jason Wilson
• Stephen Benz, “Overlooking Guantanamo”
Notable:
• Eric Wilson, “Nix Hotel Savoy”
Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019
guest editor Edan Lepucki, series editors 826 National
Notable: Supritha Rajan, “Landscape with Figure Turning” (poetry)
Pushcart Prize XLIII (November 2018)
editor Bill Henderson and the Pushcart Prize Editors
• Nomi Stone, “Wonder Days” (poetry)
Special Mentions:
• Kim McLarin, “Eshu Finds Work” (nonfiction)
• Erika Meitner “The Practice of Depicting Matter as It Passes from Radiance to Decomposition” (poetry)
2018 Anthologies
PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers
• Celeste Mohammed, “Six Months” (38.1)
O. Henry Prize Stories 2018
• Michael Parker, “Stop n Go” (38.1)
Best American Short Stories 2018
guest editor Roxane Gay, ed. Heidi Pitlor
• Yoon Choi, “The Art of Losing” (38.2)
Other Distinguished Stories:
• Alyssa Pelish, “The Pathetic Fallacy”
Best American Poetry 2018
guest editor Dana Gioia, ed. David Lehman
• Adrienne Su, “Substitution” (38.1)
Best American Travel Writing 2018
guest editor Cheryl Strayed, ed. Jason Wilson
• Barrett Swanson, “Notes from a Last Man” (38.2)
Best American Essays 2018
guest editor Hilton Als, ed. Robert Atwan
Notables:
• Evan Lavender-Smith, “Post-its,”
• Kim McLarin, “Eshu Finds Work”
• Clarence Orsi, “Take Stock”
New Stories from the Midwest
guest editor Antonya Nelson
• Steve de Jarnatt, “Wraiths in Swelter”
Pushcart XLII (November 2017)
• Safiya Sinclair, “Good Hair,” 37.2 (Poetry)
• Ethan Chatagnier, “Miracle Fruit,” 37.4 (Fiction)
Special Mentions:
• Lia Purpura, “All the Fierce Tethers” (Nonfiction)
• David Brainard, “In the Desert” (Fiction)
• Ben Eisman, “Right-Hearted” (Fiction)
• Wayne Miller, “On Progress” (Poetry)
2017 Anthologies
Best New Poets 2017
Kai Carlson-Wee, “Rail,” 38.3
Best American Essays 2017
Notables: Alia Volz, “Chasing Arrows”
Lia Purpura, “All the Fierce Tethers”
Best American Short Stories 2017
Notable: Christine Sneed, “Older Sister,” 37.1
Best American Poetry 2017
Monica Youn, “Greenacre,” 37.1
O. Henry Prize Stories
Genevieve Plunkett, “Something for a Young Woman,” 36.3
Golden State 2017: The Best New Writing from California
Vincent Poturica, “Dad’s House,” 36.4 (Fiction)
Pushcart XLI
Lisa Taddeo, “Forty-Two,” 36.1 (Fiction)
Eric Wilson, “I Sing You for an Apple,” 36.2 (Nonfiction)
Emma Duffy-Comparone, “The Devil’s Triangle,” 36.4 (Fiction)
Special Mentions:
Cate Marvin, “High School in Suzhou,” 36.1 (Poetry)
Ocean Vuong, “To My Father / To My Unborn Son,” 36.1 (Poetry)
Camille Dungy, “A Shade North of Ordinary,” 36.2 (Nonfiction)
(Congratulations are also due to our fiction editor Janice Obuchowski, whose story “Sully” garnered a special mention in Pushcart XLI. It can be found in the Summer 2015 edition of the Gettysburg Review)
2016 Anthologies
New Stories from the Midwest (New American Press)
Emily Mitchell, “Three Marriages”
Other Distinguished Stories:
Christine Sneed, “The Couplehood Jubilee,” 34.1; “Clear Conscience,” 35.3
Charlie Baxter, “Sloth,” 34.3-4
Best American Short Stories 2016
Sharon Solwitz, “Gifted,” 36.2
Notables: Carla Panciera, “The Kind of People Who Look at Art,” 36.2
Michael X. Wang, “Further News of the Defeat,” 36.2
Rav Grewal-Kök, “The Bolivian Navy,” 36.4
Mateal Lovaas Ishihara, “Crossing Harvard Yard,” 36.4
Best American Essays 2016
Jill Sisson Quinn, “Big Night,” 36.1
Notables: Kelly Grey Carlisle, “Permutations of X,” 35.4
Ursula Hegi, “I’m Searching for a Home for Unwed Girls,” 36.3
Best American Poetry 2016
Patrick Rosal, “At The Tribunals,” 35.4
Cate Marvin, “High School in Suzhou,” 36.1
2015 Anthologies
Best American Short Stories
Laura Lee Smith, “Unsafe at Any Speed,” 35.1
Notables:
Charles Baxter, “Sloth,” 34.3-4
Leslie Bazzett, “Studies in Composition,” 34.3-4
Ricardo Nuila, “At the Bedside,” 35.1
Christine Sneed, “Clear Conscience,” 35.3
Best American Mysteries
Steven Heighton, “Shared Room on Union,” 35.1
Best American Essays
Kate Lebo, “The Loudproof Room,” 35.2
Notables:
Jeff Staiger, “Kindle 451,” 34.3-4
Larry I. Palmer, “The Haircut,” 35.1
Ben Miller, “Village Bakery,” 35.2
Pushcart XXXIX Tarfia Faizullah, “The streetlamp above me darkens,” 34.1 (Poetry)
Special Mentions:
Michael Coffey, “Sons,” 34.1 (Fiction)
2014 Anthologies
Best American Short Stories
Other Distinguished Stories: David Heronry, “Less Awful,” 33.4
Best American Essays
Notables:
Kathleen Chaplin, “The Death Knock,” 34.1
Marian Crotty, “It’s New Year’s Eve and This Is Dubai,” 34.2
O. Henry Prize Stories
Maura Stanton, “Oh Shenandoah,” 33.2
Pushcart XXXVII
Jake Adam York, “Self-Portrait as Superman,” 33.3 (Poetry)
2013 Anthologies
Best American Essays
Matthew Vollmer, “Keeper of the Flame,” 33.1
Best American Mystery Stories
David McFadden, “The Ring of Kerry,” 33.2
Best American Poetry
Laura Kasischke, “Perspective,” 32.4
Adrienne Su, “On Writing,” 33.1
Paisley Rekdal, “Birthday Poem,” 33.2