What do you think?
Rate this book
The Best American Magazine Writing 2023
The Best American Magazine Writing 2023 offers a selection of outstanding journalism on timely topics, including inequalities and injustices pressuring families, especially mothers. Rozina Ali tells the story of a U.S. marine who unlawfully adopted an Afghan girl and her family’s efforts to bring her home ( New York Times Magazine ). A Mother Jones exposé confronts the imprisonment of women for failing to protect their children from their abusive partners. “The Landlord and the Tenant” juxtaposes the lives of a poor single mother convicted for her children’s deaths in a fire and the man who owned the fatal property ( ProPublica with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ). Caitlin Dickerson investigates the history of the U.S. government’s family-separation policy ( The Atlantic ). Jia Tolentino’s New Yorker commentary considers abortion in a post- Roe world.
The anthology features pieces on a wide range of subjects, such as Nate Jones on the “Nepo Baby” and Allison P. Davis’s essay about a decade on Tinder ( New York ). Natalie So recounts how her mother’s small computer chip company became the target of a Silicon Valley crime ring ( The Believer ). Clint Smith asks what Holocaust memorials in Germany can teach the United States about our reckoning with slavery ( The Atlantic ). Esquire ’s Chris Heath examines the FBI’s involvement in a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan. Courtney Desiree Morris takes a queer psychedelic ramble through New Orleans ( Stranger’s Guide ). Namwali Serpell reflects on representations of sex workers ( New York Review of Books ). An ESPN Digital investigation uncovers Penn State’s other serial sexual predator before Jerry Sandusky. Profiles of the acclaimed actress Viola Davis ( New York Times Magazine ) and the self-taught artist Matthew Wong ( New Yorker ), as well as Michelle de Kretser’s short story “Winter Term” ( Paris Review ), round out the volume.
The anthology features pieces on a wide range of subjects, such as Nate Jones on the “Nepo Baby” and Allison P. Davis’s essay about a decade on Tinder ( New York ). Natalie So recounts how her mother’s small computer chip company became the target of a Silicon Valley crime ring ( The Believer ). Clint Smith asks what Holocaust memorials in Germany can teach the United States about our reckoning with slavery ( The Atlantic ). Esquire ’s Chris Heath examines the FBI’s involvement in a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan. Courtney Desiree Morris takes a queer psychedelic ramble through New Orleans ( Stranger’s Guide ). Namwali Serpell reflects on representations of sex workers ( New York Review of Books ). An ESPN Digital investigation uncovers Penn State’s other serial sexual predator before Jerry Sandusky. Profiles of the acclaimed actress Viola Davis ( New York Times Magazine ) and the self-taught artist Matthew Wong ( New Yorker ), as well as Michelle de Kretser’s short story “Winter Term” ( Paris Review ), round out the volume.
- GenresEssaysNonfiction
616 pages, Paperback
Published November 21, 2023
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
dnf
March 27, 2024I have assigned this collection as summer reading for my high school juniors for the last few summers, and it's always worked really well ... but this year's collection just did not work for me. I don't know if it's the selection criteria for the year, if it's just the state of writing in a post-pandemic country, or what, but I was actively turned off by some of the essays, much to my surprise. I wound up going instead with The Best American Food Writing 2023, so let's hope that works better.
July 10, 2023
I thought this anthology was wonderful. I loved their selection of magazine articles. Award winners for sure. This was the first type of collection I have read like this and found it to be enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.
April 9, 2024
Great collection of amazing long-form articles. The one that hit me over the head most (and definitely stayed with me) was "The Landlord and the Tenant", about the lives of two very different individuals and the point where they cross, leading to unfathomable (and totally avoidable) tragedy. Reading this, and then, some entries further down, coming across this fairly self-absorbed lady describing her decades-long boo-hoo-poor-me infused travails on Tinder, a place she actually considers a way to find her True Love (!), was an interesting experience. That story really was an exercise in superficiality bordering on stupidity, and one I definitely could have done without.
Needless to say, I thought not every single one of these pieces merited inclusion in this anthology ("Tinder Hearted" just being the worst offender), but a book this size invariably includes some clunkers. Thankfully, the rest more than makes up for them.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Needless to say, I thought not every single one of these pieces merited inclusion in this anthology ("Tinder Hearted" just being the worst offender), but a book this size invariably includes some clunkers. Thankfully, the rest more than makes up for them.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 20, 2023
So much of the world’s best reporting is about hard things—violence, war, racism, the failure of social systems—and the pieces collected in 2023’s The Best American Magazine Writing are no different. The Battle for Baby L by Rozina Ali, from the New York Times Magazine, is the outrageous story of how a US army contractor used legal loopholes to effectively (allegedly) steal a baby from Afghanistan. From The Atlantic, Clint Smith’s Monuments to the Unthinkable is a powerful, thoughtful, and well-written reflection on how the US can honour the victims of slavery and anti-Black racism. We Need to Take Away Children by Caitlin Dickerson in The Atlantic is the rest of the iceberg beneath what the public saw of the Trump administration’s separation of children of migrants from parents at the southern border. The Landlord and the Tenant by Raquel Rutledge and Ken Armstrong (ProPublica and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), The Militiamen, the Governor, and the Kidnapping That Wasn’t by Chris Heath (Esquire), The Year of the Nepo Baby by Nate Jones (New York), and Tinder Hearted by Allison P. Davis (NewYork) also make for excellent reading.
This is a great collection of incisive reporting and fantastic writing about important topics and stories that caught public attention, and is highly recommended. Thank you to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for access.
This is a great collection of incisive reporting and fantastic writing about important topics and stories that caught public attention, and is highly recommended. Thank you to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for access.
October 25, 2023
Sidney Holt (ed.) American Magazine Writing Columbia University Press 2023.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The introduction is written by Natasha Perlman, executive director, Glamour but does not appear in this uncorrected proof. The list of contents provides an overview of the topics that are covered, as well as the magazines which offered the prizes around which this collection focusses: 'The Battle for Baby L.' Rozina Ali (New York Times Magazine); 'She Never Hurt Her Kids. So Why Is a Mother Serving More Time Than the Man Who Abused Her Daughter?' Samantha Michaels, Mother Jones; 'Aristocrat Inc.' Natalie So, The Believer; 'Monuments to the Unthinkable' Clint Smith, The Atlantic; 'The Landlord and the Tenant', Raquel Rutledge and Ken Armstrong, Pro-Republica and Milwaukee Journal; 'Death Sentence', Nicholas Florko Stat, Public Interest; 'The Time to Pass Paid Leave Is Now' Natasha Pearlman, Glamour; 'A PostRoe Threat and the PostRoe Eera and Is Abortion Sacred?' Jia Tolentino, New Yorker; 'We Need to Take Away Children', Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic; 'The Militiamen, the governor, and the Kidnapping That Wasn't, Chris Heath, Esquire; 'The Year of the Nepo Baby Nate Jones, New York; 'Acid Church, Courtney Desiree Morris, Stranger's Guide; 'Tinder hearted', Allison P. Davis, New York; '"She's Capital"', Namwali Serpell, New York Review of Books; 'Viola Davis, Inside Out', Jazmine Hughes, New York Times Magazine; 'Light and Shadow', Raffi Katchadourian, New Yorker; 'Winter term' Michelle de Kretser, Paris Review; and 'Untold', Tom Junrod and Paula Lavigne, ESPN Digital.
Although all the titles are not necessarily self-explanatory, there are enough to make the case that the collection covers a wide range of topics. Each provides a compelling story, and although some are more colourful and dramatic, others more thoughtful, and others rework old ideas in a new form with additional contemporary insights each contribution makes a valuable contribution to the collection. Each also makes a valuable contribution to the reader's knowledge, and access to new insights. However, these are disparate articles, necessarily because of the focus of the collection, and therefore have no theme - to me a shortcoming in a collection. This raises the issue of what makes a collection that works, and the value of a thematic approach rather than one that concentrates on, as in this case, prize winning articles. Although the latter can illuminate what stories are topical, written well enough to become a winner or finalist, what magazines are using to assess stories, for example, are these matters those on which to base a collection?
Turning to the articles that have been chosen, some examples provide a flavour of the work covered in the collection. Although 'The Battle for Baby L' concentrates on the story of the fight for custody of a baby orphaned during an American raid in Afghanistan it has much broader application than the story of a baby, an American couple and Baby L's biological family. The story of a football player, his teammates, the coach and the college, Penn State also raises broad ranging questions beyond the sexual predator at its centre. Neither article follows through on the broader issues, although they are admirably dense with detail.
Aristocrat Inc. lends itself admirably to this approach. The world of computer chips, their value, and the crime that can surround them, is another way of looking at the Silicone Valley opportunities, those that benefitted from them and those that contributed. A strong and compelling story! Similarly, The Landlord and the Tenant and Death Sentence work well as a compendium of information.
Monuments to the Unthinkable is resonant with detail, and thoughtful analysis. The questions it raises are valuable, partially answered, and open to further discussion, analysis and contemplation of alternative answers. Here detail and analysis are intertwined with commentary that almost forces the reader to engage with the momentous questions and declarations made.
As a collection of disparate articles, chosen only on the basis ofon their being finalists or prize winners, the positives include the value of some of the articles in publicising issues with the detail that is not available through other sources. Here, the detail is packaged in an accessible form. While lack of a theme is one of my concerns, it is fair to say that in some ways a theme is discernible in that in this collection hidden stories, which include compelling and copious detail, are brought into the open. However, it is a collection whose shortcoming remains: this is a group of disparate articles, which because of a lack of unified purpose, might limit to a few those that are of interest to individual readers.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.
The introduction is written by Natasha Perlman, executive director, Glamour but does not appear in this uncorrected proof. The list of contents provides an overview of the topics that are covered, as well as the magazines which offered the prizes around which this collection focusses: 'The Battle for Baby L.' Rozina Ali (New York Times Magazine); 'She Never Hurt Her Kids. So Why Is a Mother Serving More Time Than the Man Who Abused Her Daughter?' Samantha Michaels, Mother Jones; 'Aristocrat Inc.' Natalie So, The Believer; 'Monuments to the Unthinkable' Clint Smith, The Atlantic; 'The Landlord and the Tenant', Raquel Rutledge and Ken Armstrong, Pro-Republica and Milwaukee Journal; 'Death Sentence', Nicholas Florko Stat, Public Interest; 'The Time to Pass Paid Leave Is Now' Natasha Pearlman, Glamour; 'A PostRoe Threat and the PostRoe Eera and Is Abortion Sacred?' Jia Tolentino, New Yorker; 'We Need to Take Away Children', Caitlin Dickerson, The Atlantic; 'The Militiamen, the governor, and the Kidnapping That Wasn't, Chris Heath, Esquire; 'The Year of the Nepo Baby Nate Jones, New York; 'Acid Church, Courtney Desiree Morris, Stranger's Guide; 'Tinder hearted', Allison P. Davis, New York; '"She's Capital"', Namwali Serpell, New York Review of Books; 'Viola Davis, Inside Out', Jazmine Hughes, New York Times Magazine; 'Light and Shadow', Raffi Katchadourian, New Yorker; 'Winter term' Michelle de Kretser, Paris Review; and 'Untold', Tom Junrod and Paula Lavigne, ESPN Digital.
Although all the titles are not necessarily self-explanatory, there are enough to make the case that the collection covers a wide range of topics. Each provides a compelling story, and although some are more colourful and dramatic, others more thoughtful, and others rework old ideas in a new form with additional contemporary insights each contribution makes a valuable contribution to the collection. Each also makes a valuable contribution to the reader's knowledge, and access to new insights. However, these are disparate articles, necessarily because of the focus of the collection, and therefore have no theme - to me a shortcoming in a collection. This raises the issue of what makes a collection that works, and the value of a thematic approach rather than one that concentrates on, as in this case, prize winning articles. Although the latter can illuminate what stories are topical, written well enough to become a winner or finalist, what magazines are using to assess stories, for example, are these matters those on which to base a collection?
Turning to the articles that have been chosen, some examples provide a flavour of the work covered in the collection. Although 'The Battle for Baby L' concentrates on the story of the fight for custody of a baby orphaned during an American raid in Afghanistan it has much broader application than the story of a baby, an American couple and Baby L's biological family. The story of a football player, his teammates, the coach and the college, Penn State also raises broad ranging questions beyond the sexual predator at its centre. Neither article follows through on the broader issues, although they are admirably dense with detail.
Aristocrat Inc. lends itself admirably to this approach. The world of computer chips, their value, and the crime that can surround them, is another way of looking at the Silicone Valley opportunities, those that benefitted from them and those that contributed. A strong and compelling story! Similarly, The Landlord and the Tenant and Death Sentence work well as a compendium of information.
Monuments to the Unthinkable is resonant with detail, and thoughtful analysis. The questions it raises are valuable, partially answered, and open to further discussion, analysis and contemplation of alternative answers. Here detail and analysis are intertwined with commentary that almost forces the reader to engage with the momentous questions and declarations made.
As a collection of disparate articles, chosen only on the basis ofon their being finalists or prize winners, the positives include the value of some of the articles in publicising issues with the detail that is not available through other sources. Here, the detail is packaged in an accessible form. While lack of a theme is one of my concerns, it is fair to say that in some ways a theme is discernible in that in this collection hidden stories, which include compelling and copious detail, are brought into the open. However, it is a collection whose shortcoming remains: this is a group of disparate articles, which because of a lack of unified purpose, might limit to a few those that are of interest to individual readers.
November 19, 2023
A new volume of the best magazine writing, selected and honored by the American Society of Magazine Editors in association with the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
As every year, you will find a lot of good writing in these pages, with many pieces you might otherwise have missed. It is interesting how many of them revolve around children and family - some of them heartbreaking. But what I found most rewarding was a forgotten story about Silicon Valley's "drug of the nineties," computer chips, and all the criminal activities surrounding them.
Thanks to the publisher, Columbia University Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
As every year, you will find a lot of good writing in these pages, with many pieces you might otherwise have missed. It is interesting how many of them revolve around children and family - some of them heartbreaking. But what I found most rewarding was a forgotten story about Silicon Valley's "drug of the nineties," computer chips, and all the criminal activities surrounding them.
Thanks to the publisher, Columbia University Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
March 27, 2024
I don't have a ton of time to read magazines, and this is perfect for someone like me! The collected "best" articles from the year. Tons of interesting topics and all well-written. I highly recommend!
August 26, 2023
Interesting format for magazine articles that you might have missed over the last year or were unable to read because of paywalls. I didn't agree with all the selections but it is good to see the different styles and features from around the country
July 29, 2023
Disclaimer: I received an ARC via Netgalley.
This is the first volume of this type of Best American series I’ve read. And I guess, I am proud to say that I had actually read most of them before.
Many of the essays address women and women’s issues. It is no surprise that an essay/report about the post-Roe era makes the cut. But what is also include are essays that showcase how society’s view of motherhood effects the lives of women. From the story of a woman being convicted for the deaths of her children in a fire while her landlord faces no time or lawsuit (“She Never Hurt Her Kids” by Samantha Michaels) to a call for paid family leave by Natasha Pearlman to experiences on Tinder by Alison Davis. There is reporting about the separation of parents and child at the border, detailing how the policy went into effect (“We Need to Take Away Children” by Caitlin Dickerson) but also a detailed article about the fate of a baby girl from Afghanistan who was taken from her relatives and allowed to be adopted by an American couple.
It isn’t all serious issues, though. There is Jazmine Hughes excellent profile of Viola Davis, which was a pleasure to read again. Serpell’s thoughtful essay about prostitutes in literature, focusing a bit on the book Nana. There is “Acid Church” by Courney Desiree Morris which is about so many things that have to do with heart and community/tribe.
There are two essays that I did raise my eyebrows at. The first was the one about Nepo Babys. While I am aware of the debate that seemed to happed early this year, I just found the whole topic to be just “well, yeah, that’s not new” so the essay by Nate Jones just got a shrug from people. And then there is Chris Heath’s essay “The Militiamen, the Governor and the Kidnapping that Wasn’t”. This is about the men charged with plotting to go after Governor Whitmer. Heath’s essay takes a good hard look at the men as well as how they were portrayed in the media and the issues with the case. It isn’t that Heath is wrong per se in some of the issues he addresses. It’s just that even if you believe the informant lead the men along, there is still the disturbing sentences that the men uttered about the Governor. In other words, whether Heath intended it or not (and I don’t think he did) the essay almost suggests that verbally talking about violence against women isn’t anything that bad and is just what the average man does. This is especially true when you realize that women politicians get far more threats and abuse than their male counterpoints (both NYT and Forbes have had articles about the difference). It was the type of essay that while you know is good and does raise some valid issues, you are also not surprised it was written by a man, about other men, for a magazine that is targets men.
Still, this collection, and even Heath’s essay, are well worth reading.
This is the first volume of this type of Best American series I’ve read. And I guess, I am proud to say that I had actually read most of them before.
Many of the essays address women and women’s issues. It is no surprise that an essay/report about the post-Roe era makes the cut. But what is also include are essays that showcase how society’s view of motherhood effects the lives of women. From the story of a woman being convicted for the deaths of her children in a fire while her landlord faces no time or lawsuit (“She Never Hurt Her Kids” by Samantha Michaels) to a call for paid family leave by Natasha Pearlman to experiences on Tinder by Alison Davis. There is reporting about the separation of parents and child at the border, detailing how the policy went into effect (“We Need to Take Away Children” by Caitlin Dickerson) but also a detailed article about the fate of a baby girl from Afghanistan who was taken from her relatives and allowed to be adopted by an American couple.
It isn’t all serious issues, though. There is Jazmine Hughes excellent profile of Viola Davis, which was a pleasure to read again. Serpell’s thoughtful essay about prostitutes in literature, focusing a bit on the book Nana. There is “Acid Church” by Courney Desiree Morris which is about so many things that have to do with heart and community/tribe.
There are two essays that I did raise my eyebrows at. The first was the one about Nepo Babys. While I am aware of the debate that seemed to happed early this year, I just found the whole topic to be just “well, yeah, that’s not new” so the essay by Nate Jones just got a shrug from people. And then there is Chris Heath’s essay “The Militiamen, the Governor and the Kidnapping that Wasn’t”. This is about the men charged with plotting to go after Governor Whitmer. Heath’s essay takes a good hard look at the men as well as how they were portrayed in the media and the issues with the case. It isn’t that Heath is wrong per se in some of the issues he addresses. It’s just that even if you believe the informant lead the men along, there is still the disturbing sentences that the men uttered about the Governor. In other words, whether Heath intended it or not (and I don’t think he did) the essay almost suggests that verbally talking about violence against women isn’t anything that bad and is just what the average man does. This is especially true when you realize that women politicians get far more threats and abuse than their male counterpoints (both NYT and Forbes have had articles about the difference). It was the type of essay that while you know is good and does raise some valid issues, you are also not surprised it was written by a man, about other men, for a magazine that is targets men.
Still, this collection, and even Heath’s essay, are well worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews