The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2002

Not entirely sure what prompted me to grab one of the volumes from this series at the library book sale this spring, but I did, and then figured I might just as well start at the beginning and read the first one first, since all were very obtainable. I enjoyed dipping in and out of this one for a while (I'm not sure that reading it straight through would be advisable), and found the range of pieces very refreshing, even if not all of them were particularly of interest to me.

Okay, so maybe even the great series start off a little slowly.

I am an unabashed fan of the Best American Nonrequired Reading series. (This, in spite of generally disliking or only tolerating any of the other Best American series publications.) They bring together a quirky blend of discoveries (fiction, non-fiction, etc.) that has consistently enjoyed.

This, the very first of the series, didn’t work so well. I’m sure that part of the reason is that it was rushed. In the introduction, series editor Michael Cart indicates that the book was started later than it should have been. The second reason the subsequent volumes may be better is that Dave Eggers becomes the actual editor rather than just the guest editor. And the final reason show more may have to do with the overall approach in subsequent volumes. In this volume, Cart goes on at some length about writing for “young adults” (his quote marks). It is almost as if the first volume was intended to speak to that audience, and subsequent volumes were allowed to just speak for themselves.

Whatever the cause, this first one does not really get off the ground. The non-fiction pieces don’t really go anywhere. The exceptions include Rodney Rothman’s “My Fake Job” in which he just starts showing up at a business and, in a Krameresque set of events, becomes one of the gang, and Eric Schlosser’s “Why McDonald’s Fries Taste So Good” which explains how scents for fast food are developed and make up more of the taste than the actual product. It should be noted that this second piece eventually became a part of Fast Food Nation and the first actually earns a warning in the introduction to the book. (Because one section was made up, The New Yorker repudiated the entire article.)

The fiction is better – most of them entertaining, but none jump out as the next great thing. The high points of the entire collection are two pieces from The Onion and one from McSweeneys.net that are hilarious. But, a collection cannot live and die on the strength of three humor pieces. And it is not that you will go wrong with this collection. There is something different here. However, it is only a hint of what the subsequent volumes will bring. show less

I once heard a friend of mine who works in publishing refer to Dave Eggers as "an author who had a good idea. One good idea." I think he was referring to that title. That damned brilliant title. Heartbreaking. Staggering. Genius.

But this forum seems fit for Eggers. The pieces that found their way into this book are quality. I especially like the two essays about work: "Journal of a New Cobra Recruit" and "My Fake Job."