Sean Wilsey

From 1935 to 1943, the WPA, through the Federal Writers Project, produced a book for each of the (then) 48 states. Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey used this idea as the basis for this book, an essay for each of the (now) 50 states, as well as Washington D. C. No doubt, reading the original books would be fascinating (for a number of reasons), but this collection is no piker. In fact, it is a very good collection by a wide range of writers.

Here’s the thing. I’m assuming that the original show more project focused on the states. This collection really focuses on the writers. In fact, the best essays are the ones that reveal the author, rather than the ones that try to reveal the states. The writers are interesting people who have interesting stories to tell.

I’ll use Arizona (my home state) as an example. The author spends a lot of time describing the Tucson desert, and her neighbors, and her move to the area, and it fails to resonate. (Aside: I wonder if this happens to everyone? Is everyone hyper-critical about the essay on their own state? I think I would have felt better if they had picked someone with more history in the state. Anyway…) She is writing as a newcomer who has nothing to add to our understanding of the state. For the successful essays, the author may have deeper roots in the state, or a different story for why they are in the state, or, at the very least, a revelation about themselves as it relates to the state. Again – about the author works; about the state, not so much.

But that is a quibble. This is an interesting and varied collection. Sure there are a couple of low spots. How can 52 essays (the second introduction is really another essay) not have some valleys. But the valleys aren’t deep, and the hills are quite lofty. Throw in a nice collection of photos (chosen by each author to represent the state they wrote about) and a fascinating collection of statistics in the final appendix (everything from population by state to alcohol consumption and roller coasters per capita by state) and it is a really good book. show less

Wilsey's memoir focuses mostly on his teen years, which included a bugfuck mother who took him to Soviet Russia to meet Gorbachev and to Vatican City to meet the Pope; a distant and selfish father (who was also fabulously wealthy -- huh, wonder whether one thing had anything to do with the other? naaaaaah); and a truly wicked stepmother (and not wicked in the sense of "wicked good," either).

Frankly, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. Its effect on me can probably be conveyed show more best by illustration: I read this book just over a year ago and recently decided to post it on Paperbackswap.com, where it got snapped up quickly. Just for the hell of it, I opened it up and started to read, and found that except for a pretty riveting account of a horrific boot-camp-cum-boarding-school that Wilsey was forced to attend as a teen, I did not remember reading one single word; it was as though I was reading the book for the first time.

Completely forgetting almost every single word of a book that I've read just about a year ago is not exactly a ringing endorsement, for me at least. I think the problem was that Wilsey, who really did have a fascinating yet angst-ridden childhood up through his teen years, came across as a bit smug, as though he hadn't learned much from all his angst except how to spin a good yarn. That's not a bad skill, of course, but in the end, made Wilsey someone I just wouldn't find all that intrinsically interesting if he weren't leaning into my face, asking breathlessly, "Hey, wanna hear all the cool stuff that happened to me?!?! Do ya, huh?!?!" Well, no, I don't, thanks.

Oh, there was one thing I did learn from this book, and do remember: Herb Caen was apparently a miserable prick. show less

This collection of essays is a brilliant summer read. Short essays are digestible in between jaunts into the lake or the ocean, and a handful of them are laugh-out-loud funny. A few are lame (editors: you found a native North Dakotan and you couldn't find a native Texan??), and some are outstanding (Anthony Bourdain's New Jersey kicks all the other states' butts). I feel like I took a great road trip without having to drive through that boring-and-terrifying-all-at-once stretch of show more Pennsylvania with no gas stations and foresty hills hiding deer that want to jump in front of your car. show less

This is a great book to keep around and read and savor chapter by chapter. A lot of thoughtful, insightful, entertaining and frequently funny stories that really make you feel the state you are in. Comes with a DVD by the various writers. Excellent project, especially in a election year...a little like having your own little piece of NPR on the nightstand.