Introduction / Richard Russo --
Donkey greedy, donkey gets punched / Steve Almond --
Into silence / Marlin Barton --
The cousins / Charles Baxter --
Safari / Jennifer Egan --
Someone ought to tell her there's nowhere to go / Danielle Evans --
The valetudinarian / Joshua Ferris --
Delicate edible birds / Lauren Groff --
Least resistance / Wayne Harrison --
The hollow / James Lasdun --
Painted ocean, painted ship / Rebecca Makkai --
My last attempt to explain to you what happened with the lion tamer / Brendan Mathews --
Further interpretations of real-life events / Kevin Moffett --
The laugh / T©♭a Obreht --
All boy / Lori Ostlund --
The Seagull Army descends on Strong Beach / Karen Russell --
The Netherlands lives with water / Jim Shepard --
The cowboy tango / Maggie Shipstead --