“Living did not mean one joy piled upon another. It was merely the hope for less pain, hope played like a playing card upon another hope, a wish for kindness and mercies to emerge like kings and queens in an unexpected change of the game. One could hold the cards oneself or not: they would land the same regardless.”

American writer, critic, and essayist

Lorrie Moore is an American writer, critic, and essayist best known for her short stories. Since 1984, she has also taught creative writing. Her fiction has brought her major awards, and her work is widely associated with the short story form. Alongside her writing, she has maintained a long teaching career in creative writing, and her essays and criticism add to a body of work shaped by close attention to language and form.