The Best American Travel Writing 2018: The Gold Standard Anthology of Curated Essays from Around the World

by Cheryl Strayed, Jason Wilson (Contributor)

Everyone travels for different reasons, but whatever those reasons are, one thing is they come back with stories. Each year, the best of those stories are collected in The Best American Travel Writing , curated by one of the top writers in the field, and each year they “open a window onto the strange, seedy, and beautiful world, offering readers glimpses into places that many will never see or experience except through the eyes and words of these writers” ( Kirkus ). This far-ranging collection of top notch travel writing is, quite simply, the genre’s gold standard.
 

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Essays, Anthologies

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 2, 2018

About the author

Cheryl Strayed is the author of four books: Tiny Beautiful Things, Torch, Brave Enough, and the #1 New York Times bestseller, Wild. She's also the author of the popular Dear Sugar Letters, currently on Substack and the host of two hit podcasts--Sugar Calling and Dear Sugars. You can find links to her events and answers to FAQ on her web site: http://www.cherylstrayed.com/

Reviews

[Susan Emmet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark, finely edited collection, many of whose contributors focus on history and contemporary politics. That's okay by me as it reflects present reality.
Twenty-four writers with entirely different "takes" on each journey. I was immersed in the essays of Eliot Ackerman, Sam Anderson, Jennifer Hope Choi, Camille Dungy, Ian Frazier, Nathan Heller, Allegra Hyde, Rachel Monroe, Eileen Pollack, Albert Samaha, Gary Shteyngart, Christopher Solomon and Barrett Swanson. Don't have time to write about each right now.
But note that this anthology is replete with natural detailing, and also political, social and scientific musings and findings.
It's a strong book, well worth reading. Takes you many places in space and time.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy these collections, in fact this is the first one that wasn't excellent. I read travel collections to inspire, to learn, to enjoy this world. Unfortunately, this editor decided to focus too much on the bleak, the sad, the awful parts of the world. Some were wonderful, but too many were depressing. The two stars were for the few stories that were excellent, hopefully the 2019 collection will return to form.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another excellent collection, although I could have done with fewer pieces that were not really 'travel' writing per se but profiles of troubled places, such as an article about Flint's drinking water crisis.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow 😮 Tonight I finally finished this book that I had started 1 year, 3 weeks, and 1 day ago, while on my way to visit my ex-long-distance-gf for her birthday week and I needed to bring "the perfect book", since I usually find it hard to focus on fiction while traveling and poetry books are too short, so an anthology like this one, esp. edited by Cheryl Strayed, was very appropriate. It adds to the spirit of being "on the go" and while it will probably take me 1 year, 3 weeks, and 1 day just to write a DRAFT of my own travel essay, these pieces at least inspire or remind me to write in my journal more often.

I am sort of new to the Best American series, so it seems how they are put together is that all the essays in this collection were written in 2017, published here in 2018, and the table of contents are completely ordered in alphabetical order by last name, which explains why the first essay by Elliot Ackerman was so difficult, like it should not have been the opener, and I actually had to abandon it, but the last piece, "Vacances" by John von Sothen was lighter, funnier, about the social claustrophobia among the French when they take their summer vacations in groups.

Of the 24 stories in here, 2 were skippable (not well-written 👀), 9 were "ok" (not relateable to me? white "great outdoorsman" from Seattle who won a lottery to visit Alaska in this rare protected space to exist among brown bears), 1 was sad ("Traveling While Black"), 12 were ones I put a ✅ next to the title, like a mix of reflections on place, or very interesting and informative to me like a very expensive Japanese muskmelon, or Pam Houston buying a ranch, or a couple distant from each other traveling to Bulgaria, or whatever happened to the Russian Revolution, or the terribleness of how Mount Rushmore took place. . .it has been a year so I am almost forgetting but this was good to read. . .

Traveling 😭

[Dipra Lahiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The editor takes a broad definition of 'travel', which includes history, politics and personal remembrances. If you're okay with that, then it's a really good collection of essays by very talented writers.

[AliceC09 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down. I enjoyed this collection. As expected, some stories were more interesting (to me) than others.

I've found that these "Best American" anthologies really live and die with the guest editor. The best volumes, in my opinion, are those that include stories from a diverse set of authors. Otherwise you end up reading the same story, same perspective (usually from a white man). Other reviewers often complain about the subject matter (too similar, etc). Well, the best way to improve the diversity of subject matter is to have greater diversity in authors.

Cheryl Strayed did a much better job than other guest editors whose volumes I have read in selecting stories from both men and women. That said, there is room for improvement. Specifically, there could be more racial diversity in this volume, but at least it isn't all white (as was the case in some of the weakest volumes that I read).

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can always find some decent short reading in a selected collection like this- and you'll also find some you don't care for at all.

This issue (I've read several random years of this series as I came across them...) struck me as odd because the pieces seem more about other subjects several times, but linked thinly through the author's travels to write them about other topics: the history of the Russian Revolution, what's trending in Russian fine dining, wild foxes, the differences between traveling if you're black instead of white, etc.

Not that this was bad exactly, especially if you want to learn Russian history or other random topics.

The styles of writing varied also, so you can find something that suits your taste and...a few styles that don't. None will exhaust you as all the pieces are fairly short.

Variety counts here. This whole series works well when your life calls for a little of that book readin' here and a little book readin' there. Dive on in!

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few “meh” stories but some really good stuff in here. Particularly:
-whatever happened to the Russian revolution?
-let the devil sing (Allegra Hyde)
-out of sight (Ryan knighton)
-over the river (Richard Manning)
-outside the Manson pink berry (Rachel Monroe)
-righteous febrile (Eileen pollack)
-looking for right and wrong in the Philippines (Albert samaha)
-vacances

[Hallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oof, this one was brutal at times. Absolutely worth the read solely for “We Go It Alone” by Rahawa Haile though. Some of the stories were similar to reading a history textbook, and some were totally unrelated to traveling. I also liked “The Digital Republic” by Nathan Heller a lot, but Cheryl, girl, that did not belong in a travel collection.

[Jacqueline Knirnschild · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the best piece was Barrett Swanson’s “Notes from a Last Man” and Ryan Knighton’s “Out of Sight” was also stellar.

[Stephen Alvermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, diverse. Some stories were a little political for my taste, not what I was looking for in a travel story. Particularly enjoyed Ian Frazier and Elliot Ackerman’s works

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book begins with a piece from Esquire written by Eliot Ackerman entitled “ Goodbye My Brother “ in which he returns to Iraq after the occupation is over. This ground is so well trod that I’m not sure this offers anything new though the history of the Shia/Sunni conflict is always interesting to read about, and it is important for Westerners to understand

“ Peak America “ is written by Sam Anderson in which he describes a family trip to Mt. Rushmore. Visiting in winter offers an interesting, almost solitary, experience, but he notes that overall the experience is underwhelming. We do get some tidbits. The sculptor had done Stone Mountain’s Confederate Memorial originally. We also learn that the carvings will most likely outlast our current civilizations. And he presents good questions on America’s infatuation with bigness, e.g dominance, and what the dominant culture, demographic, religion, party, might sacrifice or propose to retain its bigness.

Matthew Ferrance writes about “ The Foxes of Prince Edward Island.” We follows a small college professor as he takes a six month sabbatical with his family to PEI where they have bought a summer cottage. He had been feeling off, spiritually as much as anything but not in a religious way. While enjoying his seeing and cataloging the foxes he sees his symptoms worsen into a physical issue. Eventually he loses vision in one eye and a tumor is discovered in his brain.

A brilliant, long piece by Ian Frazier from Smithsonian Titled “ Whatever happened to the Russian Revolution “ is a highlight of the collection. Winding his way through the history of various aborted uprisings in the century prior to 1917 he eventually gives a detailed look at the revolution itself, spending much time on the American correspondent Reed, a pro communist reporter who much has been written about. He explores St Petersburg, the landmarks of the Revolution, both those that still exist and those that don’t. This is well worth your time

From The New Yorker Nathan Heller writes “ The Digital Republic “ which focuses on Estonia’s efforts to fully integrate and digitalize their society of interaction with government and bureaucracy to allow ease of use. Their use of digital citizenship for non Estonians is also interesting

“ Out of Sight “ by Ryan Knighton from AFAR is quite surprising. The author, a blind man, describes going on a safari in Africa that is designed for blind people. Reading the description and how the tour guide brings the man’s other senses into the picture to have a full experience makes one think we all could benefit from using all of our senses in better ways.

Ok I have changed my mind Richard Manning’s “ Over the River “ which offers a history of Flint and it’s water crisis has to be the most important piece in this set. Describing how the attempt by the state to save a minuscule amount of money on an additive to prevent corrosion led to a full blown disaster the author also notes the hundreds of other municipalities that have similar problems either now or on the way. A history lesson on the destruction of the inner city and how white flight, state legislatures efforts to appease those voters who left the city led to, what has to be described as a purposeful, effort to destroy the cities. This is enraging.

There are other interesting pieces but nothing I feel compelled to talk about. In truth, the sense of melancholy and sadness that permeates America right now seems to be soiled into much of this collection. It’s authentic, it’s representative, but it is, like our country right now, a bit depressing.

[Hilary Hanselman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the best American food writing series and had high hopes for this one. Super unenjoyable

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not one of the best collections, if I'm honest, with nothing particularly stand-out memorable of the bunch. Usually there's a couple that jump out at me that I go back and think about later, either as an "I want to go here some day" or "Whoa scary war story" or "Hahaha that was hilarious, what else has this author written?" But... none of that, here. Probably the most memorable was "In the Home of the Bear" as well as a story about a blind man going on safari, by Ryan Knighton, who I recognize from earlier Best American collections, and maybe also a piece about Mount Rushmore. But... yeah. Great travel writing! (Mostly.) Just nothing stand-out "wish I'd written this" memorable.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading on of those “Best of American .... Writing”. I’ve always been curious about the series but never had seen the travel writing iteration of the series and of course Cheryl Strayed as editor caught my eye. Some really enjoyable essays, some meh. Nice and easy to dip in and out. Particularly enjoyed those from Outside magazine, now considering a subscription.

[scott b bredbenner · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not travel writing

Selections are better suited for something other than a travel anthology. The history of the Russian Revolution is not travel writing. Because you write about a subject in another place does not make it travel writing. I have read these for many years and recommend skipping 2018. I guess the editor did not understand what travel writing is.

[Donna Luu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as past issues, the articles weren't even organized, except alphabetically by author. Still, there were a few good ones: Why should a melon cost as much as a car?, Foxes of PEI, and the Digital Republic.

[Whiskers024 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some I loved, like Goodbye my brother and My Mother and I ...but Russian Revolution a history blog, not travel , way too laborious. Price Edward island story extremely touching and lovely.
Let's focus on heart rendering and not political writings for 2019 please.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of essays. I definitely felt inspired to do a better job of documenting my own travels! Of course, I fear I will fall far short of the excellent writing found in this volume.

[Selena · Rating 3 out of 5]

And on that day, I realized my purpose in life: I love fighting more than anything else. - Goodbye, My Brother by Elliot Ackerman

While pawns are the most vulnerable piece on the chessboard, they are also the only piece capable of transforming into something entirely new, provided they make the perilous journey across the board. - The Ghost of Capablanca by Brin-Jonathan Butler

While none openly regret their decision, they lead lives much like double-exposed photographs, always wondering how they would have fared if they had left. - The Ghost of Capablanca by Brin-Jonathan Butler

North Dakota in pheasant season is ashy silver, yellow, rusty orange and white, cinnamon brown and gray, green and gold, with masses of crows - the word for a religous gathering of crows is not a mass but a murder crows lifting off from, or settling into, the corn stubble. - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

For long stretches, nothing is visible but the earth and the sky, and their unadorned hugeness is on a mythological scale: the sexual congress of Gaea and Uranus, the primal scene of creation.

In this simplicity, a man is revealed as what he is. - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

One rainy morning in Nebraska, you wake up and look out the hotel-room window at the red thread-leaf maple and you say: Remind me what we're doing here. - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

"You were stranded in Zion?" he said. "That's funny."
"It wasn't funny at the time."
"That's not what I mean. It's like saying you were held prisoner in heaven. You know what I mean? The castle of Zion is the city of David. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath sined. You know? Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
"Got it."
"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. The LORD loveth the gates of Zion. The Redeemer shall come to Zion."
"Right on."
"Thus saith the LORD, I am returned unto Zion."
"Yes, man," I said. "I understand you." - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

Instead, I knelt to pray. But what to pray.
Despeneme en la sima y saque a luz lo escondido de su abismo, says the Knight of the Wood to Don Quixote: I threw myself into the chasm and brough tto light what lay hidden there in darkness.
I said: Our father, who art in heaven. - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

All I saw was sky, and the storm filled the sky. It began to hail whomping big rocks. I saw a double rainbow touching on both ends while lightning struck unceasingly all round it. - Signs and Wonders by J.D. Daniels

I didn't realize that I was living in the temporary stillness between "you're fine" and "you're not." - The Foxes of Prince Edward Island by Matthew Ferrence

I used to tell people that I loved Russia, because I do. I think everybody has a country not their own that they're powerfully drawn to; Russia is mine. I can't explain the attraction, only observe its symptoms going back to childhood, such as listening over and over to Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Peter Ustinov, when I was six, or standing in the front yard at night as my father pointed out Sputnik crossing the sky. Now I've traveled enough in Russia that my affections are more complicated. I know that almost no conclusion I ever draw about it is likely to be right. The way to think about Russia is without thinking about it. I just try to love it and yield to it and go with it, while also paying vigilant attention - if that makes sense. - What Ever Happened to the Russian Revolution? by Ian Frazier

She smiled at us, her blueish-gray eyes vivid, but neither warm nor cold In them I got a glimpse of the character one needs in order to live through such a time, and for one hundred years. - What Ever Happened to the Russian Revolution? by Ian Frazier

When I asked what the Russian for "speed bump" is, I was told it's lezhashchii politseiskii, which means "lying-down policeman." When a noise thumped in an apartment we were visitingm, our hosts explained to me that it was the domovoi, the resident spirit of the apartment. Every house of apartment has a domovoi. - What Ever Happened to the Russian Revolution? by Ian Frazier

I'm lonely enough as it is, without feeling additional isolation. I keep it from myself, and I follow the blazes north. I tell the trees the truth of it: some days I feel like breathing. - We Go It Alone by Rahawa Haile

Little has changed since. Now the rocks gnaw at my shins. I thud against the ground, my tongue coated in dirty. I pick myself back up and start again. - We Go It Alone by Rahawa Haile

How do we become who we are in the world? We ask the world to teach us. But we have to ask with an open heart, with no idea of what the answer will be. - Some Kind of Calling by Pam Houston

"She died too soon," Orpheus sang to Hades, strumming his lyre all those miles underground, his words echoing through the fleshless spirit world, the legions of the dead. "We had so little time together." - Let the Devil Sing by Allegra Hyde

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

my favorites:
- Notes from a Last Man by Barrett Swanson. An interesting look at contemporary culture through the lens of Nietzsche's idea of the last man. This is a bit academic, but if you can make it through the first half the second half is very rewarding. If a guy that got a Ph.D. in English is considered a last man, who knows what the rest of us are.
- The Ghost of Capablanca by Brin Jonathan Butler. Easily the best story about someone visiting a culture to understand how and why it works. Butler goes to Cuba to understand their fascination with chess.
- Out of Sight by Ryan Knighton. A blind man goes on a safari. really interesting.
- Hope and Home by Rabih Alameddine. A Lebanese man with a comfortable life in San Francisco visits refugee camps in his home and discusses how they become homes.

[Pearse Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful anthology as always, though after I bought this used I heard some awful things about series editor Jason Wilson that will alter how I view this series for a long time. Great stories here from shitting yourself in Poland to discussing historic racism in Flint to watching your childhood friend pass down coconuts from Filipino trees. I read this in under a week, mostly on the train from Syracuse to Chicago that was frustratingly delayed. Glad I could experience travel through this book!

[Tri Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly enjoyable collection of travel-related short pieces. However, there was a bit more politics than I would have preferred in the travel writing I read. The book contained a wide-range of material, from the uncomfortable-ness of an American on a French vacation, the black experience on the Appalachian trail, to the exploration of AI and technology in Korea, and the food scene in Moscow. I enjoyed the diverse selection and learned quite a bit more about the world.

[AChui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read Harder #21: Read a book of short stories

This is my second go at the "The Best American.." series and I enjoyed this series on travelling, (but not as much as "The Best American Food Writing.") Although not every story is about travelling in the traditional sense, you still get to escape into whatever the writer is feeling at that point. A couple of stories didn't quite catch my interest but the ones that did were exceptional.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, entertaining collection of travel essays, including topics like a lottery-restricted visit to an Alaskan bear preserve, a not-so-idyllic vacation in France, and an expat's return to a remote farm in the Philippines. The writing is always top-notch, representing a wide collection of voices and experiences. If you enjoy travel writing at all, you'll like this book.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bummed I spent $1.99 on this collection. It really should have made my DNF shelf but there were a few really good pieces too bad they were mixed in with some really poor "travel" pieces. I was hoping to be inspired, intrigued and whisked away to far off adventures but sadly many of the articles were the complete opposite. Oh well, you win some you lose some.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Little Free Library read. I enjoyed having this - it's nice to read magazine articles in book form. Not every one was a hit, for sure, and the definition of travel writing was massively broad, but overall, it was great before-bed reading, and I would pick up others in the series if I saw them hanging around, but probably wouldn't seek them out (at least, not very often).

[Patricia Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this collection each year for teaching travel writing. This one is going to be tough. A lot of the essays are more centered on people or history than on place. Lots of have a meditation on personal thoughts and less observation of surroundings.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many interesting travel stories. My favorite one is called Vacances about an American man, John Von Sothen, with his French wife, their kid and their French friends going on a vacation together. He is a funny writer too.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually I love these collections. Way too many inner landscapes and not enough actual 'travel' writing.
Nathan Heller's piece on Estonia was super interesting & Rabih Allmendine just knows how to write!