FIRST PRIZE STORIES FROM THE O.HENRY MEMORIAL AWARDS, 1919-1954

This is a year of anthologies -- and this one, at any rate, has a new slant. Perhaps the best known of the annuals has been the O.Henry Memorial Award collection. Now, for the first time, the firsts have been brought together, and the names of the winners provides a memorable roster of American short story writing. Some repeat, two- and in one instance- three times,- Wilbur Daniel Steele, Kay Boyle, Stephen Vincent Benet, Faulkner rjori Kinnan Rawlings, Eudora Welty- and in most instances the short stories preceded their fame in other fields of writing. Other names, scarcely known to this generation perhaps, have nostalgic value for the rest of us- and their stories still ring true:- rvia Cobb, Roark Bradford, Julian Street. There's scarcely an unknown in the lot- high indeed for the perspicacity of successive editors of the collection, whose recognition often gave the badge of merit which launched writers then unknown. For students of he genre, as well as short story fans, here is rich harvest.