The Best American Essays

Brief Description: Since 1986, The Best American Essays has gathered the most interesting and provocative writing of the year, establishing a firm place as the leading annual of its kind. The volume is edited each year by an esteemed writer who brings a fresh eye to the selections. Previous editors have included Elizabeth Hardwick, Susan Sontag, Geoffrey C. Ward, Cynthia Ozick, and Stephen Jay Gould. This year's volume is terrifically diverse, with subjects ranging from driving lessons to animal rights to citizenship in times of emergency. Review Quotes: "Each volume in this powerhouse series is truly and impressive, even exhilarating gathering of congest and searching writing."Brief Description: Published: Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., -Table of Contents: Contents Foreword by Robert Atwan ix Introduction by Anne Fadiman xiv Andre Aciman. Lavender 1 from Harvard Review Donald Antrim. I Bought a Bed 17 from The New Yorker Rachel Cohen. Lost Cities 38 from The Threepenny Review Brian Doyle. Yes 48 from The Georgia Review Joseph Epstein. In a Snob-Free Zone 53 from The Washington Monthly Marshall Jon Fisher. Memoria ex Machina 61 from DoubleTake Caitlin Flanagan. Home Alone 67 from The Atlantic Monthly Ian Frazier. Researchers Say 79 from The New Yorker Atul Gawande. The Learning Curve 83 from The New Yorker Adam Gopnik. Bumping Into Mr. Ravioli 103 from The New Yorker Francine du Plessix Gray. The Debacle 112 from The American Scholar Edward Hoagland. Circus Music 125 from Harper's Magazine Myra Jehlen. F. P. 136 from Raritan Jane Kramer. The Reporter's Kitchen 146 from The New Yorker Ben Metcalf. Wooden Dollar 160 from Harper's Magazine Frederic Morton. A Delivery for Fred Astaire 174 from Harper's Magazine Michael Pollan. An Animal's Place 190 from The New York Times Magazine Katha Pollitt. Learning to Drive 212 from The New Yorker Elaine Scarry. Citizenship in Emergency 223 from Boston Review Susan Sontag. Looking at War 243 from The New Yorker Francis Spufford. The Habit 274 from Granta Cheryl Strayed. The Love of My Life 291 from The Sun Judith Thurman. Swann Song 308 from The New Yorker John Edgar Wideman. Whose War 320 from Harper's Magazine Biographical Notes 329 Notable Essays of 2002 334 Review Citations:

Booklist 10/15/2003 pg. 379 (EAN 9780618341610, Paperback)

Library Journal 10/15/2003 pg. 68 (EAN 9780618341610, Paperback)

Publishers Weekly 08/18/2003 pg. 70 (EAN 9780618341610, Paperback)

Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2003 pg. 1111 (EAN 9780618341610, Paperback)

Publishers Weekly 08/18/2003 pg. 70 (EAN 9780618341603, Hardcover)

Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2003 pg. 1111 (EAN 9780618341603, Hardcover)

Library Journal 10/15/2003 pg. 68 (EAN 9780618341603, Hardcover)

Booklist 10/15/2003 pg. 379 (EAN 9780618341603, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Fadiman, Anne Anne Fadiman is the editor of The American Scholar and the author of two books of nonfiction, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down and Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader. Her essays and articles have appeared in Harper's Magazine, The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among other publications. Contributor Bio:  Atwan, Robert ROBERT ATWAN has been the series editor of "The Best American Essays" since its inception in 1986. He has edited numerous literary anthologies and written essays and reviews for periodicals nationwide.