Desperate Literature Eleven Stories 2023

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ABOUT THIS YEAR’S SHORTLIST: ‘There is such energy in these stories. Such pulse!’ – TIFFANY TSAO, 2023 Judge ‘I like this prize especially because it’s so international. The voices aren’t coming from a limited cultural perspective, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there’s a breadth of wider experiences by the writers. They’re conveying something, and I think conveying something with urgency.’ – OTTESSA MOSHFEGH, 2023 Judge ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WINNING STORY: ‘[‘Falling’ is] a story I haven’t read before: a story of loss, focused not on grief but on how others make use of the depth and power of death […] beautiful in its economy, not a word too long or short. Moving, and yet very quiet. Precise and relaxed.’ — OTTESSA MOSHFEGH, 2023 Judge ‘honest and sensual […] carrying a slight but intense wickedness.’ — MARIANA ENRÍQUEZ, 2023 Judge The stories were exquisitely written and completely delightful in their power to surprise and astonish in a remarkably few number of words. Reading these stories made me feel glad for the future of short stories and excited me for reading more. I hope other readers feel the same way – ANTON HUR In these rich and vibrant stories, the language surprises and delights. From surreal mouse proposals to the catharsis of visible grief, via the uncertainty of memory and perception, each of these stories creates a new, engrossing reality, while shedding light on our own. – NATASHA BROWN