The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2004 (Best American Nonrequired Reading)

Rating:
Summary: A much weaker collection than the past
Review: I picked up this book, having thoroughly enjoyed the last 2 editions and was greatly disappointed by the story selection this year. In the past the selections have all had only one thing in common: they are some of the best pieces of "writing" in the past year. This year there seems to be a theme of nothing but depression. Story after story seems to be nothing but how bad life is and how there is nothing you can do to get around it. Reading this book is akin to watching French films all day then calling your mom and asking her "whats wrong?". The light at the end of the tunnel is a hilarious story from Sedaris about a rousing night of strip poker. Very funny stuff and is just about the only reason I give this book 2 stars.

Rating:
Summary: I'm so over Eggers. But what a great collection he has made.
Review: NOTE: I don't want to be over Eggers. I loved the first book. I love the concept of a writer being involved in the entire presentation of his work. I love the thought of McSweeney's. Blah, blah, blah Velocity made me so excited to treasure the words and the design. But the dang book is HORRIBLE. I keep buying these books from his camp and thinking, "Yeah! Experimental fiction!" But I keep going, "Aw. Bad Story."

But okay, I'll bite. I mean, c'mon - Aragorn is sooo hot. And what the hell will he write about?

His intro is a wonderful, thoughtful piece. Eggers' selections held my attention even through my first trip to Paris.

BOYFRIEND: Hey wanna go walk fifty miles in a light drizzle to your favorite designer's boutique where our US dollar means not squat?
ME: Yup. Just lemme finish this story.

What? Fashion is fashion. But you get the point. Know how sometimes you read a collection of stories so voraciously that you enjoy them but can't remember any one story? This is my high compliment for a book of this kind - you'll have memories.