The best American short stories, 2005

Introduction / Michael Chabon

The smile on happy chang's face / Tom Perrotta

Until Gwen / Dennis Lehane

A taste of dust / Lynne Sharon Schwartz

Old friends / Thomas McGuane

Eight pieces for the left hand / J. Robert Lennon

Stone animals / Kelly Link

First four measures / Nathaniel Bellows

The scheme of things / Charles D'Ambrosio

Silence / Alice Munro

Death defier / Tom Bissell

The girls / Joy Williams

Anda's game / Cory Doctorow

Simple exercises for the beginning student / Alix Ohlin

Old boys, old girls / Edward P. Jones

The secret goldfish / David Means

The cousins / Joyce Carol Oates

Natasha / David Bezmozgis

Hart and boot / Tim Pratt

Justice shiva ram murthy / Rishi Reddi

Bohemians / George Saunders.