false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255792644m/3234078.jpg 3234078 4 "This great volume highlights the very best of this year's fiction, nonfiction, alternative comics, screenplays, blogs, and more" (OK!). Compiled by Dave Eggers and students of his San Francisco writing center, it is thoroughly "entertaining and thought-provoking reading" (Library Journal). Contributors include Woody Allen, Karen Joy Fowler, Andrew Sean Greer, George Saunders, Gene Weingarten, and others. 3350149 book 8 10 2008 The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2008 (Best American Nonrequired Reading) total:393|5:77|4:177|3:113|2:23|1:2| 393 1483 784 89 2 2 false false Thu Dec 18 10:04:52 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 12 10:49:18 -0800 2008 Thu Dec 18 10:04:52 -0800 2008 more...]]> 5 1 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Oct 31 13:24:17 -0700 2008 Tue Dec 02 07:23:34 -0800 2008
Once again this series, always the star of the "Best American" anthologies, delivers the goods. Here is just a selection of the delights it offers this y...more...]]> 2 0 false false Fri Mar 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 18 08:35:40 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 18 08:43:15 -0700 2009 once more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Mar 10 08:22:19 -0700 2009 Tue Mar 10 08:35:21 -0700 2009
The pieces are organized in such a way that each story naturally connects to the next. Many of them were politically relevant, and all of them did something I hadn't seen before...more...]]> 2 0 false false Sun Jan 25 20:59:38 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 21:13:14 -0800 2009
The introduction featuring an interview with Judy Blume is completely ridiculous...more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Mar 19 14:14:23 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 26 20:38:31 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Tue Feb 17 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 10 08:14:38 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 17 20:17:04 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Jan 11 14:57:46 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 03 08:02:17 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 11 14:57:46 -0800 2009
(1) "Neptune's Navy:" After catching a few episodes of Whale Wars, I had many, many questions (the money? the getting kicked out of Greenpeace? the poetry?). This...more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Jan 04 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Apr 06 17:54:27 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 17:58:12 -0700 2009
1) Best Facebook Groups
2) Police Blotter from Kensington, California...more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jan 13 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 29 09:37:54 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 14 12:48:18 -0800 2009 Highlights from this year include "Are You...more...]]> 2 0 false false Wed Sep 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 06 13:07:13 -0700 2009 Wed Sep 09 15:08:18 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 03 09:25:51 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 28 06:57:23 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Fri Sep 18 09:42:06 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 18 09:46:01 -0700 2009
My favorite pieces were by Marjorie Celona, J. Malcolm Garcia, Andrew Sean Greer (for his descriptions), Emily Raboteau (!!), Patrick Tobin, Laura van den Berg and Rutu Modan (fucking hilarious).

I was skeptical of reading this collection beause 1. Eggers, 2. the ...more...]]> 3 0 false false Mon Oct 12 09:20:28 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 12 09:25:34 -0700 2009 more...]]> 1 0 false false Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Dec 26 08:58:40 -0800 2008 Fri May 22 17:13:06 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Wed Oct 08 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Wed Sep 10 18:58:07 -0700 2008 Sat Oct 11 16:23:16 -0700 2008
This year's front section doesn't fall down, exactly...(Best American ...more...]]> 5 0 false false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 24 00:38:01 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 02 10:39:49 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Apr 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Feb 22 01:04:46 -0800 2009 Thu Apr 02 18:37:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jan 14 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Dec 10 07:25:06 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 14 06:02:43 -0800 2009
Update: This book reminds me of Eggers' "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius." Great ideas, grea...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Aug 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 16 23:37:26 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 16 23:39:47 -0700 2009 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=3234078