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zac_housedownbooks's review
3.0
Travel writing is at an interesting juncture as it becomes more diverse. I saw a lot of intention in these essays to "decolonize travel," but most of the white writers left it at that – words about diversity. Their own essays still felt navel gazey, or "touristy." There were multiple essays about how "New York City just isn't the same" due to the pandemic, which is a thoroughly boring topic to write about. And giving Paul Theroux a platform is always a bad idea in my mind. Thankfully his essay was just four short pages.
The content shone when ACTUAL diverse viewpoints were showcased. Most notable for me included the essay from Latria Graham about being Black in the outdoors, and the essay from Elizabeth Miller about the disappearing barrier islands of Louisiana (and by extension, the world). Another high point was the format of Kiese Makeba Laymon's "Mississippi: A Poem, in Days." These were essays that moved me and kept my attention amid too many entries that felt chopped off. In "In the City of Saints" by Sarah Khan, for example, I felt that I learned next to nothing. If only editorial guidelines would have let her expand upon her story and point. As it was, it felt like a few pages of empty words. Multiple essays in this collection felt that way.
In all, I don't feel that this represents the best of travel writing in 2021, even given the constraints of a global pandemic. I definitely feel that the curation missed the mark, and that there was too much filler. The essays that shone, however, shone brightly and demonstrated why so many people long to put themselves out of their comfort zones each year to travel. I hope to see a more solid edition in 2022.
The content shone when ACTUAL diverse viewpoints were showcased. Most notable for me included the essay from Latria Graham about being Black in the outdoors, and the essay from Elizabeth Miller about the disappearing barrier islands of Louisiana (and by extension, the world). Another high point was the format of Kiese Makeba Laymon's "Mississippi: A Poem, in Days." These were essays that moved me and kept my attention amid too many entries that felt chopped off. In "In the City of Saints" by Sarah Khan, for example, I felt that I learned next to nothing. If only editorial guidelines would have let her expand upon her story and point. As it was, it felt like a few pages of empty words. Multiple essays in this collection felt that way.
In all, I don't feel that this represents the best of travel writing in 2021, even given the constraints of a global pandemic. I definitely feel that the curation missed the mark, and that there was too much filler. The essays that shone, however, shone brightly and demonstrated why so many people long to put themselves out of their comfort zones each year to travel. I hope to see a more solid edition in 2022.
ryner's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
In this latest annual edition of 'The Best American Travel Writing,' Padma Lakshmi has curated a diverse selection of articles and essays intended to inspire wanderlust. Overall, for me this was at best a pleasant read, just not as inspiring as I'd been expecting or hoping for. This was partly my fault for selecting the 2021 edition and it not occurring to me that the content could be quite different from previous editions with traditional travel having been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In hindsight, I should have chosen an earlier year. There was a bit more focus on travel philosophy than I would have preferred — I rather needed someone to be going somewhere interesting or exciting. "Five Oceans, Five Deeps" turned out to be my favorite story — deep ocean exploration is fascinating in an eerie, anxiety-inducing way!
tabbycat26's review
3.0
Apparently I forgot to rate this. But it was pretty good. And some interesting travel
sierratakushi's review
5.0
This collection of stories had me crying, gasping, and reading full essays out loud alone in my room because they were so poetic or relatable or inspiring. What an great capsule of moments+places+events of 2020 - and what outstanding representations of what travel writing can be!
Favorite stories include: Doug Clark’s piece on passengers quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the early days of COVID-19, Kiese Laymon’s poem and reflections about Mississippi, Meghan Gunn’s piece on assault and realization in Borneo, Glynis Macbicol’s essay on the new New York City, Amanda Fortini’s local perspective about Las Vegas, Latria Graham’s letter touching upon Blackness in the outdoors and the world, and Ligaya Mishan’s reflections on Han and Uygur relations in Xi’an, China.
Unlike most books in this series, this edition felt complete, rich with an array of perspectives, experiences, and commentary on the current state of the world!
Favorite stories include: Doug Clark’s piece on passengers quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the early days of COVID-19, Kiese Laymon’s poem and reflections about Mississippi, Meghan Gunn’s piece on assault and realization in Borneo, Glynis Macbicol’s essay on the new New York City, Amanda Fortini’s local perspective about Las Vegas, Latria Graham’s letter touching upon Blackness in the outdoors and the world, and Ligaya Mishan’s reflections on Han and Uygur relations in Xi’an, China.
Unlike most books in this series, this edition felt complete, rich with an array of perspectives, experiences, and commentary on the current state of the world!
olivia_piepmeier's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This was a fun collection of recent travel essays. The last one was possibly the worst - a bit rambly and veering into racism. Reading something in a *book* about the pandemic was weird, though.
pearseanderson's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
So I've heard some awful things about Jason Wilson recently, so I can't look at this series the same way. And he's on his way out, the entire series is, for some reason.
Breakout pieces:
Breakout pieces:
“Reindeer at the End of the World” by Bathseba Demuth, published in Emergence Magazine
“Good Bread” by Bill Buford, published in The New Yorker
Mississippi: A Poem in Days
Senegal's Beating Heart
Wanderlust
California's Weet Country is Lit
To the Swimmer in the Borneo Rainforest
Mississippi: A Poem in Days
Senegal's Beating Heart
Wanderlust
California's Weet Country is Lit
To the Swimmer in the Borneo Rainforest
More...