The Best Short Stories 2025: The O. Henry Prize Winners

The prestigious annual story anthology, featuring prizewinning stories by a diverse and exciting array of writers, including Wendell Berry, Alice Hoffman, Dave Eggers, Ling Ma, Lori Ostlund, and Anthony Marra.Continuing a centurylong tradition of cuttingedge literary excellence, this years edition contains twenty prizewinning stories chosen from the thousands published in magazines over the previous year. Guest editor Edward P. Jones has brought his own refreshing perspective to the prize, selecting stories by an engaging mix of celebrated names and emerging voices. The winning stories are accompanied by an introduction by Jones, observations from the winning writers on what inspired them, and an extensive resource list of magazines that publish short fiction.THE WINNING STORIESThe Stackpole Legend, Wendell BerryThe Arrow, Gina ChungThat Girl, Addie CitchensThe Pleasure of a Working Life, Michael DeaglerBlackbirds, Lindsey DragerHearing Aids, Clyde EdgertonSanrevelle, Dave EggersStump of the World, Madeline ffitchShotgun Calypso, Indya FinchCity Girl, Alice HoffmanSickled, Jane KaluThe Spit of Him, Thomas Korsgaard, translated from the Danish by Martin AitkenWinner, Ling MaCountdown, Anthony MarraJust Another Family, Lori OstlundMornings at the Ministry, Ehsaneh SadrRosaura at Dawn, Daniel Saldaa Pars, translated from the Spanish by Christina MacSweeneyThree Niles, Zak SalihStrange Fruit, Yah Yah ScholfieldMiracle in Lagos Traffic, Chika Unigwe