The Best American Essays 2024
Essay collections are always a toss up, either matching your tastes or coming in at a miss. But even so, I love reading them, and I thoroughly enjoyed many pieces chosen by guest editor Wesley Morris in the 2024 edition of The Best American Essays.

Morris selected “Jenisha from Kentucky,” as the opener for the collection and his description of the piece as a “gut punch” is an apt take on the essay, which first appeared in The Atlantic. Watts, an editor at The Atlantic, writes about her struggle to hide where she came from and her family history while pursuing a publishing career in New York City. The story she tells rings so true and is so beautifully written that, to me, it is the crown jewel of the collection, which has many gorgeous pieces rendered from diverse points of view and inhabiting sometimes surprising shapes.

Another piece that captured my attention was Teju Cole’s “Reframing Vermeer” from The New York Times Magazine, which achieves the somewhat meta accomplishment of creating a piece of art that is about art and the violence of the times attached to its production.

Sallie Tisdale’s piece “Mere Belief” from Harper’s Magazine addresses the difficulty of writing memoir and poses the painful but necessary question of whether memoir writers are just making the stories up all the time and discusses the complications of relying on memory when memories are constantly evolving. Necessary food for thought for anyone working on or dreaming about writing a memoir.

I also enjoyed the deep, meditative piece “Proxemics” by Jonathan Gleason from the Colorado Review, that explores the architecture of early penitentiaries and his uncle’s incarceration.

And I loved the piece “Woodstove” from Five Points written by Brock Clarke on a topic he bans his students from writing about: dead dogs.

There are also notable and lovely pieces about panic attacks, ancestry and slavery in Arkansas and transformative backyard gardening that first irritated, then won over neighbors.

Check it out.

https://nancymcallister.substack.com/p/three-books-ive-been-reading

Every year my library buys the latest installment of this series -The Best American Essays.
I haven't read all of the books in the series, there are too many! Thanks to the publisher for allowing me an early review copy access.

This book and others in this series are great for people who enjoy reading the essay form that cover many different topics.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this title in exchange for honest feedback

Anthologies are always a crapshoot, but this one was worse than some. There were some gems in the collection, but lord the bougie bs in some!

I always look forward to The Best American Essays anthologies, and this edition from 2024 is another great edition to the years. Guest editor Wesley Morris pulled together a fascinating collection with these essays, and I wholeheartedly agree with him when he said the essay "Jenisha from Kentucky" was a "gut-punch to open this book". I was stunned and heart-broken by the essay written by a fellow Kentuckian, Jenisha Watts. It was easily my favorite of the collection, and such an eye-opening, beautifully written piece. The collection as a whole is essential reading for those who cherish thoughtful, engaging prose.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I look forward to this collection every year, but this selection of essays was sadly very disappointing. Many felt aimless and disjointed.

"The Best American Essays 2024" is a thought-provoking and engaging collection of essays that showcases the diverse talents and perspectives of some of the most compelling writers in the United States. Guest editor Wesley Morris, a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, has curated an exceptional selection of essays that range from deeply personal narratives to insightful cultural commentary.

The anthology features a wide range of voices, covering topics such as race, identity, politics, and the environment. Each essay is a testament to the power of the written word to evoke empathy, challenge assumptions, and inspire reflection. The contributors offer unique insights and fresh perspectives, inviting readers to engage with the complex issues that shape our world today.

Morris's selections not only entertain and enlighten but also serve as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking and empathy in our increasingly polarized society. The collection encourages readers to expand their understanding of the world and the human experience, and it offers a hopeful vision for the future of American literature.

Overall, "The Best American Essays 2024" is an outstanding collection that celebrates the art of the essay and the diverse voices that contribute to the rich tapestry of American life. This anthology is a must-read for anyone interested in thoughtful, compelling writing and the issues that shape our world.

The Best American Essays is a must read every year. The 2024 edition, with a new editor and new look, feels a bit scaled down from previous years, but is still a solid read with a beating pulse. The Notable section in particular feels leaner than under Robert Atwood's helm. Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this eArc.

Not the best essays, and the one titled The Lives of Bryan about the author’s brother almost dying over and over again was disturbing. If you are hiking in the mountains and your kid is vomiting from altitude sickness, it’s time to stop hiking.

What a solid collection. These types of things are often a mixed bag but this group was pretty solid throughout.

My two favorites were “Jenisha From Kentucky” by Jenisha Watts where she recounts her difficult childhood in Louisville and “The Ones We Sent Away” from Jennifer Senior who tells of her mother’s sister, Adele, who was removed from their home before age two to live the rest of her life in state care.

Oh, and from the fun “It’s Hard Out Here for a Memorist,” “‘Here…read THIS.” I looked at the title. It was PIMP: THE STORY OF MY LIFE, by Iceberg Slim. I returned it to him a few days later. ‘What did you think?’’ he asked. ‘I think,’ I said, ‘I should not have read that.’”