The Best American Magazine Writing 2018

by American Society of Magazine Editors (Editor)

In a time of reckoning, this year’s National Magazine Awards finalists and winners focus on abuse of power in many forms. Ronan Farrow’s Pulitzer Prize–winning revelation of Harvey Weinstein’s depredations ( New Yorker ), along with Rebecca Traister’s charged commentary for New York and Laurie Penny’s incisive Longreads columns, speak to the urgency of the #MeToo moment. Ginger Thompson’s reporting on the botched U.S. operation that triggered a cartel massacre in Mexico ( National Geographic/ProPublica ) and Azmat Khan and Anand Gopal’s New York Times Magazine investigation of the civilian casualties of drone strikes in Iraq amplify the voices of those harmed by U.S. actions abroad. And Alex Tizon’s “My Family’s Slave” ( Atlantic ) is a powerful attempt to come to terms with the cruelty that was in plain sight in his own upbringing.

Responding to the overt racism of the Trump era, Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “My President Was Black” ( Atlantic ) looks back at the meaning of Obama. Howard Bryant ( ESPN the Magazine ) and Bim Adewunmi ( Buzzfeed ) offer incisive columns on the intersections of pop culture, sports, race, and politics. In addition, David Wallace-Wells reveals the coming disaster of our climate-change-ravaged future ( New York ); Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham’s ESPN the Magazine reporting exposes the seamy sides of the NFL; Nina Martin and Renee Montagne investigate America’s shameful record on maternal mortality (NPR/ProPublica ); Ian Frazier asks “What Ever Happened to the Russian Revolution?” ( Smithsonian ); and Alex Mar considers “Love in the Time of Robots” ( Wired with Epic Magazine ). The collection concludes with Kristen Roupenian’s viral hit short story “Cat Person” ( New Yorker ).

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Journalism, Politics, History, Anthologies

528 pages, Paperback

First published December 18, 2018

About the author

The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) is a non-profit professional organization for editors of print and online magazines which are edited, published and distributed in the U.S. Established in 1963, ASME currently has about 850 members nationwide. Among other things, ASME works to preserve editorial independence and speaks out on public policy issues, particularly those pertaining to the First Amendment.

Reviews

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be warned, this is not light reading. The topics are deadly serious and important. The hefty collection begins with a articles about Harvey Weinstein by Ronan Farrow, Rebecca Traister, and Laurie Penny. Heavy going and fascinating. No relief with the next articles, as the U.S. death rate from childbirth is investigated, along with atrocities in Mexico and Iraq. Ian Frazier is uncharacteristically gloomy in his account of the Russian Revolution as he travels in Russia. The Serena Williams stories take on a renewed importance in the light of her recent experience at the U.S. Open. Get a metaphorical slap in the face with the article about climate change and how it will play out in excruciating and horrific detail. Even the story of a robot scientist turns creepy early on. And to round things out, the short fictional story from the New Yorker, Cat Person, that I had missed when it was making waves last year, brought us back to the opening stories of misogyny and powerlessness. Best to take this important and serious collection a little at a time, rather than straight through. (Thanks to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

[Thomas Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best American Magazine Writing 2018, Sid Holt, ed., 2019, ISBN 9780231189996, Dewey 814.608

A celebrated sexual-harassment case. ["Sexual harassment" could mean anything from a comment about her appearance, to rape. The authors do the reader the disservice of flogging this coy, meaningless phrase, refusing to say what they're talking about.] pp. 1-119.

900 mothers each year die in childbirth in the U.S., and 65,000 nearly die. There are 4 million births per year in the U.S. U.S. maternal deaths are 3 times the Canadian rate, 6 times the Scandinavian rate. pp. 120, 123, 144. The fragmented medical system makes it harder for new mothers, especially those without good insurance, to get the care they need. p. 124. Medicaid pays the medical costs of 45% of births in the U.S. The House of Representatives in 2018 passed a bill to gut Medicaid [the Senate did not]. p. 125. As recently as 2012, you could become an OB-GYN M.D. in the U.S. without learning to care for birthing mothers. p. 126. pp. 120-149.

Unintended victims of U.S. wars in the Mideast, 2003-2017. pp. 150-185.

2011.03 massacre of townspeople in Allende, Mexico, by the Zetas drug cartel, after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency told the Zetas' pet cops that someone snitched. pp. 186-219.

Russian revolutions, 1825- . Published in /Smithsonian/ magazine. [U.S.-Government-funded.] pp. 220-269.

The Uninhabitable Earth. David Wallace-Wells. The imminent climate catastrophe. pp. 270-292. In January 2018, the North Pole was 70° warmer than normal. p. 271. The last time the Earth was 4°C warmer, sea level was hundreds of feet higher. p. 274. --Peter Brannen, /The Ends of the World/. Four of the five previous mass extinctions were caused by climate change produced by greenhouse gas. 252 million years ago, 5°C of warming released the arctic methane and killed 97% of life on Earth. p. 287. We are now adding carbon to the atmosphere at 10 times the rate then. No plausible emissions reduction can avert disaster. pp. 274-275. Humans can't live in 105°F at 90% humidity. p. 276. The European 2003 heat wave killed 2,000 people a day. p. 277. A heat index of 163°F was seen in 2015 in the Mideast. Salvadoran sugar-cane workers have chronic kidney disease from heat. In June 2018, it's 121°F in Southern California. pp. 277-278. Food-growing regions are desertifying. p. 279. Unfrozen arctic animal remains release the diseases they died of into today's populations. p. 280. Tropical diseases spread as tropical heat expands. p. 281. Five billion people will be exposed to malaria by 2050. p. 281. One-third of deaths in China in 2013 were from smog. p. 283. [I'm sure he's right about all this, though it often seems he's overstating his case.]

"My President Was Black," Ta-Nehisi Coates. pp. 294-344. [Yes, but he was a servant of Wall Street.]

National Football League, 2017-2018 season. pp. 346-377.

Race and "culture" [the Oscars, television talk shows, pro sports]. pp. 378-407

Slavery. pp. 408-432.

Artificial intelligence. pp. 434-470.

Fiction. pp. 472-493.

[Aida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually missed a few of these great pieces when they were first published. What is great about this collection is that while many of the pieces will of course have been talked about a lot when they first came out, the Best American Magazine Writing 2018 collects pieces not just from “general interest” magazines and therefore serves as a corrective for the bubble-like way we experience culture today. I for example rarely read sports articles or technology articles and found myself fascinated by ESPN’s Howard Bryant on the NFL and the athletes inequality protests. People who have a disdain for Buzzfeed for example, thinking of it as a place of just listicles and quizzes might miss out on Bim Adewunmi’s culture essays. This collection shares them. After finishing this book a reader should have a very good idea of the big cultural conversations that occurred in 2017/18 and it’s quite satisfying. Thanks to Columbia University Press and Netgalley for the ARC

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent writing about serious topics, so you may need to brace yourself or just set your expectations accordingly. It's tough to go wrong with these highly talented authors. Recommended.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

[Nav · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were all excellent, hard-hitting pieces. I was surprised by the inclusion of the short piece of fiction that capped it off, but it was definitely worth being added to the 2018 discussion/overview.

[Lud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took awhile to finish this, as it was not light reading. Almost all of the entries were dark and challenging. But then, so is the world these days...

[Katie Karnehm-Esh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reporting. This series never disappoints and my students particularly liked the readings this year.

[Missie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the opportunity to read for a review. I am still reading, rereading articles and diving into research to educate myself about the events and policies. Thank you.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review and grow as a better informed person.

[Brian Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very serious collection of longer stories which each take a concerted effort to work through. This is not a feel good collection but instead a grouping that brings to the reader some things worth thinking about. From the #Metoo movement with Harvey Weinstein to the atrocities coming from the cartels in Mexico not that far from our border, to a reading on climate change that brings figure to mind that are almost unfathomable, be ready to sit and contemplate each story after finishing. It is not an easy read but almost a required one to go in depth on the topics covered. Thank you Columbia University Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best American Magazine Writing 2018 is a must have for any writer. Not only does this anthology give you insight to the world of 2018's national award finalist, but it gives you a glimpse at today's Issues. These award finalist's writing will have you on the edge of your seat as you explore topics like racism, the cartel massacres in Mexico, and investigations on maternal mortality.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.