From Library Journal
Many will be drawn to this anthology for the enormous popularity of Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius), who helped young adult literature expert Cart compile the fiction and nonfiction pieces presented here. But this inaugural title in Houghton's newest "Best American" series deserves at least as much attention for the remarkable scope and quality of its works. The 20-plus pieces-some shorter than two pages, some longer than 20-were previously published in various American periodicals (e.g., The New Yorker, Vibe) and cover just about any subject that today's youth (defined as "the under-25 set") would be most interested in reading when not reading a "required" text for a class. These include pop culture and music topics, explorations of identity crises or dysfunctional families, and a poignant tale of surviving culture shock. Then there are the less predictable essays, which include hard-core investigative reporting on politics and international affairs. Much of the writing resembles Eggers's, but it doesn't lack originality and the necessary wit. There is enough rareness here to provoke heavy circulation in both public and academic libraries.
Mirela Roncevic, "Library Journal"Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Although the inaugural issue of this hip, eclectic anthology is marketed at 15- to 25-year-olds, the editors are leery of condescending to "young adults" (a term they dislike). Cart goes so far as to deploy self-consciously casual language in his foreword; Eggers (author of
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) mostly replaces the introduction with a memoir of pool-hopping and awkward desire. Earnest posturing aside, this is a strong collection that includes short bursts of reportage, feature writing, fiction, satire, and even a comic strip (Adrian Tomine's moving, dead-on teenage portrait "Bomb Scare"). Two pieces from
The Onion seem a little thin in this context, since they're easily outweighed by works like "The Lost Boys" (Sara Corbett's elegantly direct article about young Sudanese refugees who relocate to Fargo, North Dakota); "My Fake Job" (Rodney Rothman's hilarious and mostly true report about showing up to work at a dot-com that never hired him); and "Higher Education" (Gary Smith's rousing, almost too-good-to-be-true account of a black coach in Amish country). Sharp under-25 readers may still flee if they feel they're being targeted, but they sure don't have to.
Keir GraffCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
de Dave Eggers
de Zadie Smith
de Viggo Mortensen
de Art Spiegelman
de Dave Eggers
