jrrrck's review against another edition
4.0
(arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
This was my first time reading one of these collections of The Best American Magazine Writing and I was really pleasantly surprised. As I've gotten older, I've begun to appreciate a wider-range of writing formats and journalism, including such that is featured primarily in magazines has gained more of my affection even though I do not buy magazines on the regular. Definitely looking forward to reading further additions to the series.
This was my first time reading one of these collections of The Best American Magazine Writing and I was really pleasantly surprised. As I've gotten older, I've begun to appreciate a wider-range of writing formats and journalism, including such that is featured primarily in magazines has gained more of my affection even though I do not buy magazines on the regular. Definitely looking forward to reading further additions to the series.
bookish_sue's review against another edition
5.0
This annual collection always proves a great way to meet writers new-to-me.
samanthaisonline's review
4.0
For someone who is newly interested in magazine journalism, this was an illuminating read. I loved to see all the different styles of writing side by side. Though some of the stories were not my favorite, there were many that I really enjoyed.
My favorites were:
- A Betrayal by Hannah Dreier
In which a undocumented kid trying to escape gang life informs the police and then is deported back to almost-certain death.
- Shallow Graves by Ben Taub
About people who lived in ISIS occupied territories and are now being systematically arrested by Iraq. What makes it so painful and raw are the actual encounters that Taub has with these (usually innocent) people.
- We Made It. We Depend on It. We're Drowning in It. Plastic by Laura Parker.
This is exactly what it sounds like from the title.
- The National Geographic Twins and the Falsehood of Our Post-Racial Future by Doreen St. Félix
Critiques the ideals of a "mixed race" future by taking a look at the racism of the present
- This Place is Crazy by John J. Lennon
One of the three stories written by inmates, Lennon examines the shoddy way America's prisons treat mentally ill inmates.
- Taming the Lionfish by Jeff MacGregor
Half invasive-species exposé and half charmingly written fishing adventure. I really enjoyed it.
- The Breakup Museum by Leslie Jamison
Jamison takes us on a visual tour of the eclectic breakup museum while also giving us the museum's backstory.
*I was provided this book for free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
My favorites were:
- A Betrayal by Hannah Dreier
In which a undocumented kid trying to escape gang life informs the police and then is deported back to almost-certain death.
- Shallow Graves by Ben Taub
About people who lived in ISIS occupied territories and are now being systematically arrested by Iraq. What makes it so painful and raw are the actual encounters that Taub has with these (usually innocent) people.
- We Made It. We Depend on It. We're Drowning in It. Plastic by Laura Parker.
This is exactly what it sounds like from the title.
- The National Geographic Twins and the Falsehood of Our Post-Racial Future by Doreen St. Félix
Critiques the ideals of a "mixed race" future by taking a look at the racism of the present
- This Place is Crazy by John J. Lennon
One of the three stories written by inmates, Lennon examines the shoddy way America's prisons treat mentally ill inmates.
- Taming the Lionfish by Jeff MacGregor
Half invasive-species exposé and half charmingly written fishing adventure. I really enjoyed it.
- The Breakup Museum by Leslie Jamison
Jamison takes us on a visual tour of the eclectic breakup museum while also giving us the museum's backstory.
*I was provided this book for free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
kleonard's review
4.0
Solid investigative articles on everything from health issues to drug dealing to immigration, culled from major magazines in 2019. I could have done without the editor's overly self-praising introduction, but the rest offers interesting and good reads from excellent journalists.
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