NOW APPROACHING ITS THIRD DECADE, The Pushcart Prize is one of the grand institutions of the American literary scene, but it never fails to surprise, delight, and provoke readers. The short stories, essays, and poems are selected from literary magazines and small presses across the country, and represent the most exciting and innovative writing in America today. Over two hundred distinguished contributing editors helped pick more than sixty selections reprinted from scores of presses in Pushcart Prize XXIX. An index to the series and lists of hundreds of outstanding presses and authors are also included. The most honored literary series in America, The Pushcart Prize has been selected several times as a notable book of the year by the New York Times. Pushcart Press and The Pushcart Prize were named among the most influential in the development of the American book business over the past I25 years by Publishers Weekly.