''Praying Drunk'' is a collection of twelve

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

Kyle Minor Kyle Minor (born 1976) is an American writer. Born and raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Minor lived in Ohio and Kentucky before settling in Indiana. He studied writing at Ohio State University, where he was a three-time honoree in ''The Atlantic ...

. The book was published in 2014 by

Sarabande Books Sarabande Books is an American not-for-profit literary press founded in 1994. It is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with an office in New York City. Sarabande publishes contemporary poetry and nonfiction. Sarabande is a literary press whos ...

Reception

Reception to ''Praying Drunk'' has commonly noted how although the book is a collection of stories, the reader is strongly encouraged to read the stories consecutively. According to ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'', the stories together "present a powerful reflective narrative, offering perspectives on friends, family and faith." ''Praying Drunk'' was reviewed by ''

The New York Times Book Review ''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...

'' on April 25, 2014 by Nicholas Mancusi. Mancusi writes: "Minor’s book is less a collection than an extended prayer, wrenched from the heart and wrought in the language of pain." He also notes that "beyond a certain threshold of grief and misery, the artistic returns diminish." Both ''

'' and ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' name "In a Distant Country" as the most affecting story in the collection. In January 2015, it was awarded The

Story Prize The Story Prize is an annual book award established in 2004 that honors the author of an outstanding collection of short fiction with a $20,000 cash award. Each of two runners-up receives $5,000. Eligible books must be written in English and first p ...

Spotlight Award, which honors a short story collection worthy of additional attention.

References

2014 short story collections American short story collections {{2010s-story-collection-stub