The Best American Essays 1999

by Edward Hoagland (Editor), Robert Atwan (Editor)

A collection of outstanding essay writing from 1999 includes the likes of Joan Didion, Annie Dillard, Ian Frazier, Mary Gordon, and Arthur Miller, among others. Simultaneous.

Genres: Essays, Anthologies, Nonfiction

297 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Edward Hoagland (born December 21, 1932, in New York, New York) is an author best known for his nature and travel writing. His non-fiction has been widely praised by writers such as John Updike, who called him "the best essayist of my generation."

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As expected, there are standouts:
"Planet of Weeds" by David Quammen and
"American Heartworm" by Ben Metcalf are vitally imprinted on my mental landscape now.
I also rather enjoyed several others... Joyce Carrol Oates, Brian Doyle, Ian Frazier, and others wrote memorably of precise moments of insight they'd experienced.

A book like this reminds us we should read and catch glimpses more often of others' lives in our world.

Oates visiting a prison, Charles Bowden unearthing the worst of the worst Tucson crime stories, John Lahr about having a father who played the Cowardly Lion...

The Quammen, though. Worth picking up this book for his alone!

[Ronald Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection popped to the top of my reading list because it contains essays by authors I’ve enjoyed in other venues. Still somewhat puzzled by what constitutes and essay, and more so by what makes an essay one of the best, I was especially careful in reading the “Foreword” by series editor Robert Atwan and the “Introduction” by guest editor Edward Hoagland, which greatly enhanced my appreciation of the works that followed.

Of the twenty-five essays in this volume, there were six I found powerfully rewarding, Each of these changed my attitude in some manner, altered my perspective regarding some aspect of my world, and/or adjusted the perceived significance of certain experiences and memories.

These six were: “In Search of Proust” by André Aciman; “Torch Song” by Charles Bowden; “Compression Wood” by Franklin Burroughs; “On Silence” by Daisy Eunyoung Rhau; “Beauty” by Scott Russell Sanders; and “Folding the Times” by George W. S. Trow.  

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few standouts: 1. Joyce Carol Oates "After Amnesia" (WOW) 2. Andre Aciman "In Search of Proust" 3. Torch Song by Charles Bowden 4. Michael W Cox "Visitor 5. John Lahr "The Lion and Me" 6. Hilary Masters "Making it Up" 7. Mary Gordon "Still Life"

okay, maybe more than a few.

[Jeff Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the finer Best American Essay Anthologies I have read, having read 2011, 2007, 2003, and 2004. Of note were Joan Didion's, "Last Word," Mary Gordon's, essay, "Still Life," on youthful beauty through the paintings by Bonnard compared to her ninety-year-old mother's mental and physical declination. Also of note were Daisy Eunyoung Rhau's, essay, "On Silence," about quitting the piano after youthful years of intense eight hour a day practice, competitions and performances. Scott Russell Sanders', essay, "Beauty," explored our notions of beauty in his daughter's wedding, mathematics, cosmology, and nature. Toure addressed boxing in "What's Inside You, Brother?" and how the protagonist was compelled to practice it despite his athletic limitations. These were, of course my favorite essays. This anthology, however, included other fine essays that may appeal to other readers' interests.

[claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A totally hit-and-miss read, but one you can read in a few hours and stay continuously entertained. Some of the stories captivated me to the point where I can't wait to share them, while others I couldn't stand reading more than a paragraph. I'm interested in sharing this book with friends and seeing if the stories they liked could possibly be the stories I couldn't even read, or vice versa, since I'd hate to break it down to poor judgement on certain story choices.

[Bibliophile10 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection features authors I greatly admire--Didion, Dillard, Frazier, Oates, Sanders. Most of their essays, however, are not the strongest examples of their work. I did enjoy Charles Bowden's "Torch Song," Michael W. Cox's "Visitor," Mary Gordon's "Still Life," Patricia Hampl's "A Week in the Word," and Daisy Eunyoung Rhau's "On Silence." While this BAE features accomplished writing, I have liked other years better.

[Hurricane_ReD · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Visitor' & 'Hitler's Couch' have been haunting me for years. This collection is excellent!