Above average, but definitely not the "Best."
An eclectic anthology of 55 essays chosen by Oates (Blonde, p. 11, etc.) comprising a generous selection of less known but deserving work from mostly big-name writers.
The collection is intended to be a greatest-hits volume of the 20th-century American essay and to stand as a companion to The Best American Essays franchise, which has been published annually since 1986. The essays included here cover the years from 1901 to 1997 and are arranged chronologically according to their original date of publication. In her introduction, Oates explains her ambitions as an editor: she tackled the project from the point of view of a literary conservator, trying to preserve worthy essays from the forgetfulness of history and vagaries of literary fashion. In order to make the task of selecting from a century's worth of writing manageable, Oates set out strict criteria: eliminating the work of writers who did not publish at least one volume of nonfiction during their career (thus ousting any one-hit-wonders), as well as those who wrote journalism or reportage. In this regard Oates self-consciously avoids creating a chronicle of the past century and, instead, collects an array of emotional journeys and obsessions. According to this formula, essays about of race and identity easily come to dominate: Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail," James Baldwin's "Notes of a Native Son," and Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" stand out. A further eight essays also take race as their topic. Other major themes include science and nature, social change, artistic endeavor, and the struggle against nostalgia. Browsing the titles indicates that only a few touchstone essays are included, although most selections have been extracted from nonfiction books whose titles are better known. As a whole, the anthology does not deliver on the grandiose promise of its title. Instead, it delivers the "Best" essays not frequently anthologized. With so few surprises and most of the selections coming from the usual suspects, the overall effect is underwhelming.
Above average, but definitely not the "Best."Pub Date: Sept. 22, 2000
ISBN: 0618155872
Page Count: 624
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2000
A contribution to the debate over professional forestry's environmental impact by someone who believes that people take better care of trees than nature does. The US Forestry Service—and professional forestry in general- -has come under heavy fire in recent years for, among other sins, the irresponsible destruction of trees. Jordan, who has worked for 40 years in the forest products industry, argues that environmentalists and government regulations are standing in the way of healthy, sustainable forests. He takes as a hopeful sign President Clinton's 1993 Forestry Conference, which attempted to find a common ground between conflicting environmental and economic demands. Some kind of resolution is necessary, Jordan argues, if the forest-products industry is to continue to fulfill the American Dream by supplying cheap housing and consumer goods. In 1993, Jordan asserts, 129,000 people were busy writing 66,000 pages of federal regulations, many of which were contradictory. Worse still, in his view, Congress is designating countless acres as national wilderness or protected parkland. Nature rules in these areas, states Jordan, causing ``catastrophic `clearcuts' through the devastating ravages of wildfires, hurricanes, insects, disease and old age,'' while in the hands of private industry these same areas would have watershed protection, erosion control, care of wildlife and plant habitat, recreational opportunity, and, most important, stewardship of a valuable renewable raw material. He calls for a national campaign on the part of the forest-products industry to spread the word about its successes, combat its negative public image, and cultivate grassroots support. Jordan is an articulate and fervent advocate of sustainable forestry, and his perspective on the issues is refreshingly different, but he fails to adequately address such major environmental concerns as the loss of genetic diversity among forest trees. A valid comment, but far from the final word on the fate of our forests. (Photos, not seen)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-89526-483-8
Page Count: 269
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994
Potential enlightenment is trumped by too much crunk in the trunk.
A hustler recounts a life filled with drugs, sex, violence and some occasional love for the Man Upstairs.
In some respects, it’s refreshing to read the memoir of a hardcore thug who, despite a jailhouse conversion, hasn’t necessarily seen the light, a man who makes no apologies–and asks no forgiveness–for his willingness to exploit the weaknesses of others. On the other hand, this story of a misogynistic drug-dealer whose main concerns are himself and his money (not necessarily in that order) sheds little insight into the human condition. Though Nesta Ali’s childhood was a troubled one–his father killed a man shortly before his birth; his parents separated when he was young; his father caroused with numerous women in between drug deals–he had a loving, supportive mother and no shortage of intelligence and determination. Despite (he claims) attempting repeatedly to apply those qualities to legal activities (a short stint as a writer was his most successful endeavor), hustling–and the habits that go hand-in-hand with dealing–was too deeply embedded in him. While his cleverness and unique sense of integrity served him well on the streets, his selfishness and the inherently unpredictable nature of hustling led to a constant cycle of booms and busts, including a few prison sentences. That same selfishness precludes any chance of Ali achieving true intimacy, and despite an abundance of women in his life, he marks the duration of successful relationships in weeks or months rather than years. Of course, the fact that he often beats his women into submission might provide some insight into why he always ends up alone. The narrative is by turns fascinating and repulsive, intriguing and reprehensible. The ghetto slang belies the sharp writing, but the constant repetition of fights, drug overdoses and abusive relationships quickly becomes monotonous.
Potential enlightenment is trumped by too much crunk in the trunk.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-0-9778491-0-4
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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