This annual compiled short story collection is one I look forward to with deep anticipation. This year’s release stands out from so many. Min Jin Lee’s editorial fingerprints are readily identifiable from story to story and have honed a tightly woven together compilation. More so than the collective influence of guest editors that came before her in prior editions. Keeping with the tone and themes of Lee’s own “Pachinko,” you encounter stories that dive deep into the human experience from various perspectives. Themes include topics such as trying to find one’s voice in life. The universal aspects of the path to finding oneself is amplified by the broad representation of personalities and ethnic identities Lee includes. Additionally, the theme of communication is a consistent thread between stories. Specifically, how language and cultural differences often leave us talking past each other. Even when experiences are shared between characters, the perception of those events can leave people feeling like vast strangers. Finally, it would not be a Min Jin Lee collection without the theme of loss. Particularly, the loss of a loved one and what the grieving process looks like for those who remain. Many of the stories seem intimately personal, reading more like snippets from memoirs than fiction; it is all warranted. After the reality shifting events of the years since 2020 it makes sense that the dramatic elements of our lived experiences are enough to satisfy any imagination. “Write from what you know” is what many English majors are taught. The grittiness of these stories underscores that advice.