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A review by minvanwin
State by State by Matt Weiland, Sean Wilsey
4.0
A wonderful concept (50 essays on 50 states by 50 writers, plus an interview with DC's Edward P. Jones) pretty well-executed. It seems inevitable that with this many contributors, the anthology is bound to be a bit uneven. And it was.
The essays that work best are those written by people who love or live (or lived) in the state they're writing about. It's much more satisfying to read about someone's childhood vacations to Florida, say, than it is to read about someone's poorly researched and misinformed weekend excursion to a place. (David Rakoff, I'm looking at you.)
You can argue that we can learn more about ourselves and our culture if we examine it from an outsider's perspective (a la Tocqueville). But in this volume, the travel journalism just can't compare with the warm, proud, complex, and conflicted reflections by the writers writing about home.
This book has something to offer everyone, if only one or two essays. And if you want to read the entire book, I recommend not reading it cover to cover. The alphabetical journey from Alabama to Wyoming isn't all that magical. The editors might have thought of a more creative way to organize the essays, perhaps by admission to the Union (Delaware to Hawaii), by toothlessness rate (West Virginia to Hawaii), roller coasters per capita (New Hampshire to Wyoming), or suicide rate (Alaska to New York). (Please note: those tables in the back of the book are awesome.)
I abandoned the alphabetical approach after getting bored in Arizona. Here's how I ended up reading it. I recommend this more haphazard approach:
First, read about the states where you grew up and where you currently live. For me this led to a frustrating encounter with David Rakoff in Utah quickly followed by a delightful visit to Washington with Carrie Brownstein.
Next, check out the authors you know and love, who may or may not be writing about states you know and love. This approach took me to Jhumpa Lahiri's Rhode Island, and Ann Patchett's Tennessee early in my reading.
Try some authors who you don't necessarily know or love but whose work you're curious to sample. For me, this led to Ha Jin's Georgia and many others.
Still not finished? Try some states you don't necessarily know or love, but ones where you perhaps traveled briefly for a family vacation, drove through on your way to somewhere else, or have a great aunt to whom you have not spoken, ever. Who knows? You may discover some real gems. Thanks, Alexander Payne, for making Nebraska seem maybe hip, and Louise Erdrich, for making North Dakota seem not completely lame.
Still got some unread essays? Pick and choose at random. My last stop was Jack Hitt's South Carolina.
The essays that work best are those written by people who love or live (or lived) in the state they're writing about. It's much more satisfying to read about someone's childhood vacations to Florida, say, than it is to read about someone's poorly researched and misinformed weekend excursion to a place. (David Rakoff, I'm looking at you.)
You can argue that we can learn more about ourselves and our culture if we examine it from an outsider's perspective (a la Tocqueville). But in this volume, the travel journalism just can't compare with the warm, proud, complex, and conflicted reflections by the writers writing about home.
This book has something to offer everyone, if only one or two essays. And if you want to read the entire book, I recommend not reading it cover to cover. The alphabetical journey from Alabama to Wyoming isn't all that magical. The editors might have thought of a more creative way to organize the essays, perhaps by admission to the Union (Delaware to Hawaii), by toothlessness rate (West Virginia to Hawaii), roller coasters per capita (New Hampshire to Wyoming), or suicide rate (Alaska to New York). (Please note: those tables in the back of the book are awesome.)
I abandoned the alphabetical approach after getting bored in Arizona. Here's how I ended up reading it. I recommend this more haphazard approach:
First, read about the states where you grew up and where you currently live. For me this led to a frustrating encounter with David Rakoff in Utah quickly followed by a delightful visit to Washington with Carrie Brownstein.
Next, check out the authors you know and love, who may or may not be writing about states you know and love. This approach took me to Jhumpa Lahiri's Rhode Island, and Ann Patchett's Tennessee early in my reading.
Try some authors who you don't necessarily know or love but whose work you're curious to sample. For me, this led to Ha Jin's Georgia and many others.
Still not finished? Try some states you don't necessarily know or love, but ones where you perhaps traveled briefly for a family vacation, drove through on your way to somewhere else, or have a great aunt to whom you have not spoken, ever. Who knows? You may discover some real gems. Thanks, Alexander Payne, for making Nebraska seem maybe hip, and Louise Erdrich, for making North Dakota seem not completely lame.
Still got some unread essays? Pick and choose at random. My last stop was Jack Hitt's South Carolina.