The New Kings of Nonfiction
by Ira Glass
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Read in February, 2008
A collection of essays hand selected by Ira Glass. Anyone who knows me wishes I would just shut up about Ira Glass already.
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Not surprisingly, this collection of non-fiction essays is amazing. In the introduction, Ira Glass explains his selection process in putting the collection together. It's basically all about journalists who don't shy away from putting themselves in the story. Ira says "I don't see anything wrong with a piece of reporting turning into a fable. In fact, when I...more
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Not surprisingly, this collection of non-fiction essays is amazing. In the introduction, Ira Glass explains his selection process in putting the collection together. It's basically all about journalists who don't shy away from putting themselves in the story. Ira says "I don't see anything wrong with a piece of reporting turning into a fable. In fact, when I...more
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Read in January, 2008
It's deja lu all over again.
This is not the superb collection I would expect from Ira Glass. In fact, it's an odd collection all round - the puzzling question is why it exists at all.
Don't get me wrong. The quality of most of the contributions to this anthology is very high. But most of the pieces are not new. Glass describes his selection criterion: "most of the stories in this book come from a stack of favorite writing that I've kept behind my desk for years". What does thi...more
This is not the superb collection I would expect from Ira Glass. In fact, it's an odd collection all round - the puzzling question is why it exists at all.
Don't get me wrong. The quality of most of the contributions to this anthology is very high. But most of the pieces are not new. Glass describes his selection criterion: "most of the stories in this book come from a stack of favorite writing that I've kept behind my desk for years". What does thi...more
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1 comments
In this collection of nonfiction stories collected, edited and introduced by Ira Glass from Chicago Public Radio's This American Life, the reader will find some of the most compelling articles written in the last twenty years. Glass notes in the introduction that he has collected these stories over the years as examples of first-rate journalism and in fact the pieces have no common theme save for they all draw readers in with reporting and topics that are unique in a world of celebrity-centric b...more
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Read in March, 2008
recommended to Patricia by:
Deborah
A fabulous collection of nonfiction writers. It turns out I'm a somewhat "king reader of nonfiction" as I have read three of the pieces in the book in various sources. (Dan Savage's Republican Journey, Michael Pollan's Power Steer and James McManus' World Series of Poker.) Ira Glass, my radio boyfriend, says in the introduction:
"As far as I'm concerned, we're living in an age of great nonfication wiritng, in the same way that the 1920s and 30s were a golden age for American Po...more
"As far as I'm concerned, we're living in an age of great nonfication wiritng, in the same way that the 1920s and 30s were a golden age for American Po...more
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Read in July, 2008
I would actually like to give it a 3.5 but rounded up for Ira Glass.
Most of the stories are great, uncovering inconsistent laws related to day trading by a high schooler, an ordinary socialite in extraordinary circles, and a great artist who fell through the large cracks of the establishment of art appreciators. I loved reading about how Monica Lewinsky had to be ushered out of a trendy bar when Chelsea Clinton showed up with her boyfriend, and how Dan Savage fairly successfully infiltrat...more
Most of the stories are great, uncovering inconsistent laws related to day trading by a high schooler, an ordinary socialite in extraordinary circles, and a great artist who fell through the large cracks of the establishment of art appreciators. I loved reading about how Monica Lewinsky had to be ushered out of a trendy bar when Chelsea Clinton showed up with her boyfriend, and how Dan Savage fairly successfully infiltrat...more
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Read in June, 2008
Loved it! The New Kings of Nonfiction is a collection of creative nonfiction or literary nonfiction or whatever we're calling this genre these days (no one can make up their minds, but I just call it awesome). This particular collection is edited and introduced by Ira Glass (whom I adore and whose trademark voice I couldn't help but hear in my head as I read the intro - kept me amused on the long flight to Phoenix).
Anyways, my new favorite hobby is reading creative/literary nonfiction and t...more
Anyways, my new favorite hobby is reading creative/literary nonfiction and t...more
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Hmm. I finished this ages ago, and it has since been returned to the library, so I can't even flip through it to remind myself what my thoughts are. A few scattered observations: I'd already read many of these in other places (the Pollan corn chapter, the Gladwell, the Dan Savage as a Republican piece, among not-now-remembered others), but I don't figure that should matter. If they're good (and to be honest, that's not the best Savage piece ever and I don't actually like Gladwell so much), o...more
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I suppose its fair to say that Ira Glass is kind of my hero. Not necessarily because he's brought down empires with pacifism or because he lobbied auto manufacturers for seat belts, but because he really inspires me to read and write. This entire collection is something he had sitting in a pile on his desk, saved for an appropriate time as he considered them to be great works of nonfiction. I want to be like that, finding something brilliant and xeroxing it and stapling it together with other...more
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Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
folks interested in the world around them
The worst thing that can be said about this collection is that a few of the pieces in it are merely good. Some of the articles - even those written years or decades ago - are downright revelatory. I guarantee that at least one of these stories will alter your ideas about the way the world is organized; for me, it was Malcolm Gladwell's and Lawrence Weschler's pieces about how the social universe is really put together, and Lee Sandlin's absolutely essential piece about the true character an...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone
An awesome collection of really good articles from all over. The kind of journalism I wished I did.
My favourites are the first three articles. The first is a story about Jonathan Lebed, a then-15-year-old who got hauled in by the Securities and Exchange Commission for a trading scandal, which then turns into an examination of the way the whole financial market is run -- and as a business journalist I had to agree with this article in all the ways it was possible to agree with something.
...more
My favourites are the first three articles. The first is a story about Jonathan Lebed, a then-15-year-old who got hauled in by the Securities and Exchange Commission for a trading scandal, which then turns into an examination of the way the whole financial market is run -- and as a business journalist I had to agree with this article in all the ways it was possible to agree with something.
...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
die hard fiction fans
I read this book in three sittings. Ira Glass culled feature length articles from some of his favorite nonfiction writers and compiled them here. Ira's warmed by the site of factual, well organized journalism that is enhanced with the rules of storytelling. He (and I too) likes to hear the voice of the narrator, of the writer as part of the story. He makes the argument that these writers are all seeking to discover the meaning of this stories, these complete tales, long after they've been pu...more
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Read in May, 2008
The New Kings of Non-Fiction
The New Kings have been crowned by Ira Glass, host of This American Life found on public radio. This is a collection of his favorite articles from the last few years. I must say that overall this is a fine collection. There are a few misses, but mostly really good stories from unique points of view. Poker tournaments, the world and mind of a ten year old boy, the finding of a new old artist, these are all covered with top-notch story-telling skills that will leave...more
The New Kings have been crowned by Ira Glass, host of This American Life found on public radio. This is a collection of his favorite articles from the last few years. I must say that overall this is a fine collection. There are a few misses, but mostly really good stories from unique points of view. Poker tournaments, the world and mind of a ten year old boy, the finding of a new old artist, these are all covered with top-notch story-telling skills that will leave...more
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first of all, ira glass picked these all out so i am inclined to decide to like them whether i actually do or not. but the fact is that these are awesome nonfiction writers. so far they have delivered what mr. glass promises: journalism with a personality. these are highly skilled writers stating facts while managing to entertain wildly. my favorite so far is an extensive analysis of saddam hussein, based on impressions by his (previously) close advisors, friends, victims, and everyone in betwee...more
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Read in November, 2007
Starts off with wonderful pieces, then trails off to the end. While all of the pieces were insightful in their own ways (though I still think the one about poker was a boring waste of space), my favorites were:
- Host, David Foster Wallace's fantastic, hilarious look at conservative talk radio
- Among the Thugs, Bill Buford's disturbing, drunken, participatory account of British soccor hooligans
- Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg, Malcolm Gladwell's take on how we know...more
- Host, David Foster Wallace's fantastic, hilarious look at conservative talk radio
- Among the Thugs, Bill Buford's disturbing, drunken, participatory account of British soccor hooligans
- Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg, Malcolm Gladwell's take on how we know...more
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Read in October, 2007
First, let me say that this is a great way to read nonfiction. Nonfiction in the format of a story is very enjoyable.
Topics are eclectic and range from a day trading teen's run in with the SEC to the miraculous discovery of an artist at the end of his career. You'll be disgusted by the fans of Manchester United and delighted by the simplicity of the 10-year-old named Colin.
But not every entry is equal. David Foster Wallace's story about the radio host is full of his trademark foot...more
Topics are eclectic and range from a day trading teen's run in with the SEC to the miraculous discovery of an artist at the end of his career. You'll be disgusted by the fans of Manchester United and delighted by the simplicity of the 10-year-old named Colin.
But not every entry is equal. David Foster Wallace's story about the radio host is full of his trademark foot...more
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Read in May, 2008
I love Ira Glass and This American Life. And I have enjoyed essays, novels, books, etc. by several of the authors featured in this book. I had very high expectations! While these may be "New Kings", I wouldn't say the material is new - some dates back to the early 90's. I want cutting edge baby - right now new, not 1992 new! That said, I enjoyed most of the essays. I had already read a few of them. I think my faves were the Gladwell and Buford pieces. Gladwell's piece is on six degrees...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Adam Conover, who's into these things
Is it possible I'm just not the hugest fan of short nonfiction? I felt like I was dragging myself through the majority of this book. (Granted, if I'd just allowed myself to skip the pieces that weren't grabbing me, I probably would've had a much nicer time. But for some reason I don't allow myself to do this. It makes me a very bitter reader.)
A few gems, though: "The American Man, Age Ten" by Susan Orlean, a story by Chuck Klosterman in which he interviews the bizarre Val Kilmer, a...more
A few gems, though: "The American Man, Age Ten" by Susan Orlean, a story by Chuck Klosterman in which he interviews the bizarre Val Kilmer, a...more
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Read in April, 2008
I'm torn between a 3 and 4 star review. I loved the first couple of stories in this book and was just tearing through them and then I hit a couple that were pretty tedious. David Foster Wallace's (as I expected it would) really slowed me down and not because it was complex but because his over-attention to detail sucked the life out of his subject. Likewise, Dan Savage's essay was free of the fun that he usually imbues all his writing.
But as I looked back over the index of stories, I re...more
But as I looked back over the index of stories, I re...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in February, 2008
If you enjoy listening to Glass's "This American Life" broadcast, you will probably enjoy this book. However, I find it much more hit or miss than the broadcast. Some of the short stories are awesome, particularly those by Michael Lewis and Malcolm Gladwell.
But some were awful. And for some reason, the awful ones were awfully long.
Most, however, were interesting. Nothing great, but just interesting. I liked David Foster Wallace's piece about the conservative talk show host. It...more
But some were awful. And for some reason, the awful ones were awfully long.
Most, however, were interesting. Nothing great, but just interesting. I liked David Foster Wallace's piece about the conservative talk show host. It...more
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Read in November, 2007
recommends it for:
all thinking folks who want some ideas to chew on
Really absorbing essays. I was especially intrigued by: "Six Degrees of Lois Weisberg" by Malcolm Gladwell about those people who seem to know everyone, and how crucial they are to the fabric of community; "Among the Thugs" by Bill Buford about British football fan/hooligans; "Host" by David Foster Wallace about the business and internal logic of right-wing talk radio; "Losing the War" by Lee Sandlin about WWII & how the memory of war fizzles out &...more
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