earlyandalone's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a master class in what beautiful essays can be and what they can make us feel.
pdestrienne's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I think Jo Ann Beard's life is realer than mine
lifesaverscandyofficial's review against another edition
coyotes essay... titular essay... the classique "Fourth State Of Matter"... chef's kiss
bettydraper's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.5
it took a bit for me to get into it but once i did it whizzed past..
asnives's review against another edition
5.0
Timeless. So so good. I feel my youth in hers despite living decades apart
alexblackreads's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fantastic collection of essays. I adored reading it. Beard's writing style is gorgeous as well as funny.
My favorite part is how she ties two different stories together. There will be the main story that takes up most of the pages of the essay, but then a secondary story that's the more important story. They tie together well and work off each other, and the secondary story becomes somehow more meaningful than it would have if she'd just written the essay about that. I dunno how to describe that well, but it was so well done.
A few of the essays dragged a bit. I didn't connect emotionally with all of them and for a couple I couldn't figure out why it existed. Not sure if I missed the point or if they just weren't as well done, but the majority of the essays were fantastic. The Fourth State of Matter, Out There, and The Boys of my Youth were all standouts.
Highly recommend if you like creative nonfiction. It's a wonderful collection and Beard is a great writer.
My favorite part is how she ties two different stories together. There will be the main story that takes up most of the pages of the essay, but then a secondary story that's the more important story. They tie together well and work off each other, and the secondary story becomes somehow more meaningful than it would have if she'd just written the essay about that. I dunno how to describe that well, but it was so well done.
A few of the essays dragged a bit. I didn't connect emotionally with all of them and for a couple I couldn't figure out why it existed. Not sure if I missed the point or if they just weren't as well done, but the majority of the essays were fantastic. The Fourth State of Matter, Out There, and The Boys of my Youth were all standouts.
Highly recommend if you like creative nonfiction. It's a wonderful collection and Beard is a great writer.
rosieherrington's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
5.0
huncamuncamouse's review against another edition
5.0
I really do think this is the best essay collection I've ever read. I first encountered it when I was senior in college and beginning to write my own personal essays--many of which deal with the same themes Beard explores. While I've gone on to read individual essays from this book dozens of times, I haven't actually reread it from start to finish since the first time, and the experience was immersive. I decided to revisit it because I noticed Beard is publishing her long-awaited second collection later this month, and I can't wait to read it.
I'm struck by how thoughtfully arranged these essays are; how they serve as a master class on form, scene, navigating point of view (balancing the adult narrative reflection with a child's ), and voice; and how nonfiction can incorporate imagined material and make use of composite events. In short, as a writer I was once again thrilled to learn about craft from this book.
Everyone rightly highlights "The Fourth State of Matter" as a truly great essay--and it is. But every essay in the Boys of my Youth is terrific, especially "Cousins" and the title essay. Easily in my top 10 favorite books, I can never recommend this book enough.
I'm struck by how thoughtfully arranged these essays are; how they serve as a master class on form, scene, navigating point of view (balancing the adult narrative reflection with a child's ), and voice; and how nonfiction can incorporate imagined material and make use of composite events. In short, as a writer I was once again thrilled to learn about craft from this book.
Everyone rightly highlights "The Fourth State of Matter" as a truly great essay--and it is. But every essay in the Boys of my Youth is terrific, especially "Cousins" and the title essay. Easily in my top 10 favorite books, I can never recommend this book enough.