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A review by nikogatts
The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2017 by 826 National, Sarah Vowell
4.0
Great collection, as always. My favorite pieces this year:
-"Fable" by Teju Cole -- As the title says, a fable. One which is very relevant to America right now.
-"Peace Shall Destroy Many" by Miriam Toews -- An essay on the conflict-averse customs of North American Mennonites, and how avoiding public conflicts can lead to internal conflicts and barely suppressed unrest.
-"I am reminded via email to submit my preferences for the schedule" by Chen Chen -- A poem that reflects how I often feel when I'm asked to choose a preference for work.
-"My President Was Black" by Ta-Nehisi Coates -- A longform essay about Barack Obama's presidency. I also just finished a collection of Coates' essays. He's one of the most gifted writers of our time, and while I sometimes disagree with him, I always learn something while reading his work.
-"Tattoo" by Melissa Ragsly -- A short story about a young girl in (I think) a cult, and what happens when she gets close enough to truly see her god.
-"The Most Terrible Time of My Life" by Sonny Liew -- An excerpt from The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, a graphic novel about a comic book artist in Singapore. Looking into getting the whole book, as it looks interesting both as a fictionalized biography and a period piece about Singapore's political turmoil.
-"Fable" by Teju Cole -- As the title says, a fable. One which is very relevant to America right now.
-"Peace Shall Destroy Many" by Miriam Toews -- An essay on the conflict-averse customs of North American Mennonites, and how avoiding public conflicts can lead to internal conflicts and barely suppressed unrest.
-"I am reminded via email to submit my preferences for the schedule" by Chen Chen -- A poem that reflects how I often feel when I'm asked to choose a preference for work.
-"My President Was Black" by Ta-Nehisi Coates -- A longform essay about Barack Obama's presidency. I also just finished a collection of Coates' essays. He's one of the most gifted writers of our time, and while I sometimes disagree with him, I always learn something while reading his work.
-"Tattoo" by Melissa Ragsly -- A short story about a young girl in (I think) a cult, and what happens when she gets close enough to truly see her god.
-"The Most Terrible Time of My Life" by Sonny Liew -- An excerpt from The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, a graphic novel about a comic book artist in Singapore. Looking into getting the whole book, as it looks interesting both as a fictionalized biography and a period piece about Singapore's political turmoil.