The Slate Diaries

by Jodi Kantor (Editor), Cyrus Krohn (Editor), Judith Shulevitz (Editor)

Each week the editors of Slate, one of the first and best on-line literary magazines, ask a different person to keep a diary. The Slate Diaries is a selection of some of the best of those diaries. Contributors included dozens of well-known figures, such as radio host Ira Glass, novelists Dave Eggers, Cynthia Ozick, and Doug Coupland, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and gameshow host Ben Stein, as well as everyday people who are extraordinary raconteurs, including a classified-ad writer, school nurse, NYPD detective, and AIDS researcher.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Politics

376 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Jodi Kantor has covered the world of Barack and Michelle Obama since the beginning of 2007, also writing about Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Richard Holbrooke, Eric Holder and many others along the way.

Ms. Kantor graduated from Columbia and attended Harvard Law School. But soon after she arrived, she caught the journalism bug, took time off to work at Slate.com, and never looked back. She joined The New York Times in 2003 as Arts & Leisure editor, revamping the section and helping lead a makeover of the culture report.

The recipient of a Columbia Young Alumni Achievement Award, Ms. Kantor has also been named by Crain's New York Business magazine as one of "40 Under 40." She appears regularly on television, including The Today Show and Charlie Rose.

Though she is a Washington correspondent, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 90s feel staler than any other decade of the past century, helping me to cull books from my shelves. Nothing ages faster than casual mentions of internet technology, unless it's anything by Dave Eggers. They're both here.

The diary entries of the professional writers and editors (with the exception of David Sedaris* and Ben Katchor) are most annoying: they're shaped and crafted, the snark and punchlines polished and carefully inserted, peppered with humble-brags. These entries violate the fresh, unprepackaged sense that a true diary entry should have.

The entries of the people with real and relevant jobs are more interesting: the public defender, the tax preparer, the forensic anthropologist.

Two excellently chosen sans serif fonts are used on the back cover.


* "J. called last night to tell me she's got a new boyfriend. "Ok, he's not a boyfriend, he's a crush," she said. She met the guy at a party, and two days later he moved into her spare bedroom. The problem is that the bedroom is right next to the bathroom, and J. doesn't want to be heard making any potty noises. As a result, she has taken to shitting in a paint can in the basement."

[Rds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the variety of diary entries in this book. From a school nurse to UPS driver to Malcom Gladwell. The writing is generally really strong across the board.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was so interesting to catch little glimpses into other people's lives: writers, journalists, famous people, not famous people, a judge, a social worker, Bill Gates, Beck, a cop, a UPS driver, etc. These were diary email entries published as they were sent in, so they are supposed to feel real and unedited. Interesting...

[Cat. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of people, keeping short-time diaries for publications. From Bill Gates to editors to lawyers. I skipped a few, some were good, some were pretty dull.