Scan barcode
blooker's review
3.0
A few days after finishing this one, Atul Guwande's essay on aging still stands out in my mind. I'd recommend anyone grab a copy at the library to read that essay, and skip through for others of interest.
I'd have preferred the Jim McManus essay on poker listed in the notable section at the back to a couple of the essays actually included in the collection, but perhaps Gopnik is more a fan of Leica cameras than card games. We can disagree on which is more interesting to either of us personally.
I'd have preferred the Jim McManus essay on poker listed in the notable section at the back to a couple of the essays actually included in the collection, but perhaps Gopnik is more a fan of Leica cameras than card games. We can disagree on which is more interesting to either of us personally.
lirael's review
3.0
I like the essay about facial hair--namely, Hitler's "toothbrush mustache" and how it symbolizes evil so much that it can possibly change one's character.
grahamiam's review
3.0
Favorites:
"The Way We Age Now" by Atul Gawande
"Candid Camera" by Anthony Lane
"Notable Quotables" by Louis Menand
"This Old House" by David Sedaris
and "Where God is Glad" by Joe Wenderoth
"The Way We Age Now" by Atul Gawande
"Candid Camera" by Anthony Lane
"Notable Quotables" by Louis Menand
"This Old House" by David Sedaris
and "Where God is Glad" by Joe Wenderoth
iceangel9's review
4.0
A selection of great writing representing magazines such as Harper's, The New Yorker, Swink, Pinch and others; by authors including David Sedaris, John Updike, Lauren Slater, Anthony Lane, Charles Simic, and many more. Simic looks at the history of his native Serbia, Sedaris's hilarious look at growing up in a home where history was not as respected as he would have liked is a gem, and Slater recounts a summer spent at camp. This is just a sampling of the great essay writing found in this book. This series is a great way to introduce readers of all ages to the art of essay writing, and what a good essay really is.
pattydsf's review
3.0
"The breath of things as they are, I think, runs through these pages, and all of the writers included achieve what Dr. Johnson said was the essayists' only real ambition: to be masters of our common life." p. xxiii
I couldn't include a quote from just one of these twenty essays. First of all, it had taken me six months to finish this collection, so some essays were fresher in my brain than others. And then, how would I pick? These twenty essays were considered the best of the year. They were all wonderful in their way. I guess I cheated - I let Adam Gopnik, the editor, speak for everyone else.
I thoroughly enjoy most essays and this kind of collection. I usually just stick with The Best American Spiritual Writing since as far as I can figure out, I will not be able to read everything. However, I had the opportunity to buy this book cheap and so it became one of my "boat" books. I will not take any book that I care about on our boat since water and books do not always get along.
This fulfilled my other requirement for boat reading - it can be easily interrupted. Although some of the essays are longer than others, I could always go back and find my place.
If you are interested in learning a lot of odd facts, told to you by some excellent authors, I recommend any of these "best of" collections. There are about ten of them published every year - there must be one that you would find interesting.
I couldn't include a quote from just one of these twenty essays. First of all, it had taken me six months to finish this collection, so some essays were fresher in my brain than others. And then, how would I pick? These twenty essays were considered the best of the year. They were all wonderful in their way. I guess I cheated - I let Adam Gopnik, the editor, speak for everyone else.
I thoroughly enjoy most essays and this kind of collection. I usually just stick with The Best American Spiritual Writing since as far as I can figure out, I will not be able to read everything. However, I had the opportunity to buy this book cheap and so it became one of my "boat" books. I will not take any book that I care about on our boat since water and books do not always get along.
This fulfilled my other requirement for boat reading - it can be easily interrupted. Although some of the essays are longer than others, I could always go back and find my place.
If you are interested in learning a lot of odd facts, told to you by some excellent authors, I recommend any of these "best of" collections. There are about ten of them published every year - there must be one that you would find interesting.
More...