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The Best American Essays 2020

The Best American Essays 2020

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  • Create Date：2021-04-30 08:51:59
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：André Aciman
  • ISBN：0358359910
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Summary

A collection of the year’s best essays selected by André Aciman， author of the worldwide bestseller Call Me by Your Name。

“An essay is the child of uncertainty，” André Aciman contends in his introduction to The Best American Essays 2020。 “The struggle to write what one hopes is entirely true， and the long incubation every piece of writing requires of a writer who is thinking difficult thoughts， are what ultimately give the writing its depth， its magnitude， its grace。” The  essays Aciman selected center on people facing moments of deep uncertainty， searching for a greater truth。 From a Black father’s confrontation of his son’s illness， to a divorcée’s transcendent experience with strangers， to a bartender grieving the tragic loss of a friend， these stories are a master class not just in essay writing but in empathy， artfully imbuing moments of hardship with understanding and that elusive grace。 

The Best American 2020 Essays includes  RABIH ALAMEDDINE • BARBARA EHRENREICH • LESLIE JAMISON JAMAICA KINCAID • ALEX MARZANO-LESNEVICH • A。 O。 SCOTT • JERALD WALKER • STEPHANIE POWELL WATTS and others 
 

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Reviews

Kevin ，

A lot of this depends on if you want the editor of the anthology to have one essay in many different categories or to chose a themes pick a theme that interests them and curate a collection based on a theme。 Andre Aciman has done the latter which is a fine approach but he seems to be really into writing about illness and people whose children died unexpectedly。 Which is as good a subject as any and he's chosen good work here。 Mostly。 Mostly I don't care for his choice of topic and his preferred A lot of this depends on if you want the editor of the anthology to have one essay in many different categories or to chose a themes pick a theme that interests them and curate a collection based on a theme。 Andre Aciman has done the latter which is a fine approach but he seems to be really into writing about illness and people whose children died unexpectedly。 Which is as good a subject as any and he's chosen good work here。 Mostly。 Mostly I don't care for his choice of topic and his preferred essay style seems to be a ton of abstraction and intellectualizing and then， surprise！， we're talking about a dead kid！ Yeah， no thanks。 I guess I prefer a "best of" to be a survey rather than an extension of the editor's tase。 。。。more

Stevie Smith ，

Many fascinating essays on all manner of topics。 One of the most moving: "Maly Trostinets" by Koerner， a family remembrance of the Holocaust -- warmly heartbreaking。 Many fascinating essays on all manner of topics。 One of the most moving: "Maly Trostinets" by Koerner， a family remembrance of the Holocaust -- warmly heartbreaking。 。。。more

Robert ，

There is a lot of good writing， pleasurable to read and intellectually provocative， in The Best American Essays 2020， but all that starts once you have finished the odd forward by the series editor and the introduction by the volume editor。 The series editor takes a spin through his thoughts on Gertrude Stein， which have little if nothing to do with the essays here， all of which are more readable than Getrude Stein's writing。 The volume editor then indulges in unoriginal reflections on Machiavel There is a lot of good writing， pleasurable to read and intellectually provocative， in The Best American Essays 2020， but all that starts once you have finished the odd forward by the series editor and the introduction by the volume editor。 The series editor takes a spin through his thoughts on Gertrude Stein， which have little if nothing to do with the essays here， all of which are more readable than Getrude Stein's writing。 The volume editor then indulges in unoriginal reflections on Machiavelli。 Both editors tip their hats to Montaigne。 Again， the relevance of Machiavelli and Montaigne is questionable。 Of course they were great essayists， but the essays in this volume are marked not so much by greatness as by fulfilling a dictum offered by the volume editor: "This， in the end， is why an essay is always personal。" And that means these are essays full of psychological intimacies， contemplation of illness and death， and the quirks of contemporary culture。One essayist writes entertainingly about his misadventures as a bartender。 A second essayist reflects on recent experiences while driving。 A third essayist reports on her impressions of an exhibition of Garry Winogrand's photographs。 In each case--bartending， driving， and Winogrand--the topic at hand leads back to the person with the pen。 Since these are interesting people who write well， that's not a flaw， it's a strength。One of the most provocative essays is a piece by Philip Weinstein called "Soul-Error，" which he defines as "the comedy of the mind's altering relation to objects and others and events in time and space。 Although this formulation is pretty abstract， not to say it is exceedingly vague， Weinstein gets at the uncanny sensation we often have of knowing one thing and yet believing another， or， as Kafka would have it， always finding ourselves in the antechamber of a greater reality， never certain that what is important in existence is within our grasp。Critic Peter Schjeldahl writes about his aimless， feckless but highly productive journey to cultural prominence in New York。 These reflections are prompted by and wrapped around the sad fact of his lung cancer。 My only problem with the essay is that it was published in the New Yorker in late 2019 and as far as I can discover， Schjeldahl may still be alive in April， 2021。 I don't really want to learn otherwise， but if he's still kicking， he sure has gotten a lot of mileage of his reflections on mortality。A。O。 Scott's essay， "Under the Sign of Susan，" about Susan Sontag inadvertently highlights one problem with the essay as a personal vehicle。 The relationship of his fascination with the Sontag mystique is pretty thin stuff。 By leaving A。O。 Scott out of the piece， A。O。Scott might have strengthened it。 Just a thought。And by the way， I don't think that the essay form is always， in the end， personal。 They certainly can be， as these essays are， but there are innumerable great essays that skip the personal and focus on an idea， an event， a person， or an entire society。 。。。more

Pia ，

A few really good pieces but way too many white dudes who assume they have something interesting to say。 And why the fuck did Aciman give page space to a racist pro-Brexiter？？！ Ugh。 So much of the volume were exercises in pretension。

Cristina Santos ，

I enjoyed: The Other Leopold， Cosmic Latte， Breathe， Holiday Review， and How to Bartender。 The rest were average。

Billie Pritchett ，

It wasn't my favorite year， but I was happy to have read it， and happy to have made some new discoveries thanks to the curation of series editor Robert Atwan and guest editor Andre Aciman。 Among my favorites were these: Peter Schjeldahl， "77 Sunet Me，" about his battle with lung cancer， the long perspective that has allowed him to take upon his life as an art critic， husband， person; A。O。 Scott， "Under the Sign of Susan，" on the influence of Susan Sontag on Scott's own criticism， and a study of It wasn't my favorite year， but I was happy to have read it， and happy to have made some new discoveries thanks to the curation of series editor Robert Atwan and guest editor Andre Aciman。 Among my favorites were these: Peter Schjeldahl， "77 Sunet Me，" about his battle with lung cancer， the long perspective that has allowed him to take upon his life as an art critic， husband， person; A。O。 Scott， "Under the Sign of Susan，" on the influence of Susan Sontag on Scott's own criticism， and a study of Sontag as critic and personality; Alison Townsend， "My Pink Lake and Other Digressions，" on the nature of digression， illustrated with her own; and Philip Weinstein， "Soul-Error，" about how we covet what we don't have and devalue what we do。 Something in this volume is bound to sparkle for you if you let it。 。。。more

segosha ，

Skipped four of the 20+ because I do what I please。 Really enjoyed a handful of them but nothing came close to matching the absolute belter of an opener by rabih alameddine

Madeline Art ，

The essays from this I loved:How to BartendCosmic LatteAfter the Three-Moon EraA Street Full of Splendid StrangersTo Grieve is to Carry Another TimeUnder the Sign of SusanOde al Vento OccidentaleWas Shakespeare a Woman？

Jim Manis ，

I've read every issue of this series。 And I look forward to next year's selections。 I've read every issue of this series。 And I look forward to next year's selections。 。。。more

Kurt ，

One of my least favorite collections in the series， I think。 It felt stuffy and blinkered -- so different from the collection that Rebecca Solnit curated the year before。 Have to admit I did love two essays by art critics: Peter Schjeldahl's on dying and A。O。 Scott's on Sontag。 One of my least favorite collections in the series， I think。 It felt stuffy and blinkered -- so different from the collection that Rebecca Solnit curated the year before。 Have to admit I did love two essays by art critics: Peter Schjeldahl's on dying and A。O。 Scott's on Sontag。 。。。more

James ，

My annual tradition。 There were some good picks this year。

Jason ，

First time I have read one of these collections all the way through。 A bit of a mixed bag， turns out。 Lots of very interesting essays， and if you’re curious about craft then this is worth a read。 Otherwise， you’ll need to find those pieces that match your interests。

Emilie ，

I enjoy reading this annual anthology each year。 I challenge myself to read just one essay per day so that I have time to think about that day's essay。 I enjoyed most of the essays in this one。 I enjoy reading this annual anthology each year。 I challenge myself to read just one essay per day so that I have time to think about that day's essay。 I enjoyed most of the essays in this one。 。。。more

Tanis G ，

As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough， André？！？！ You couldn’t have thrown in just one feel good essay for good measure。 Cried through the antagonizing 278 pages thinking oh god when will this end。 Then just as the saddest essay I’ve ever read ends， you hit me with another one。

Ramona Mead ，

This is the second of these collections that I've read。 This one felt a bit academic， as most of the essays included research and/or were reportage style。 I prefer more personal essays， which is what I write and I read these collections for research and inspiration。 While this collection didn't resonate with me much personally， I recognize the writing is excellent overall。 This is the second of these collections that I've read。 This one felt a bit academic， as most of the essays included research and/or were reportage style。 I prefer more personal essays， which is what I write and I read these collections for research and inspiration。 While this collection didn't resonate with me much personally， I recognize the writing is excellent overall。 。。。more

Grant Burgman ，

A collection is a collection so it can often be no better or worse than three stars。 Some tiers:Great:"Driving as Metaphor" — Rachel Cusk“After the Three-Moon Era” — Gary Fincke"Body Language” — Alex Marcano-Lesnevech"Semantic Drift" — Lionel Shriver"Was Shakespeare a Woman？" — Elizabeth WinklerGood:"Cosmic Latte” — Ron Huett"77 Sunset Me” — Peter Schjeldahl"Under the Sign of Susan" — A。O。 Scott A collection is a collection so it can often be no better or worse than three stars。 Some tiers:Great:"Driving as Metaphor" — Rachel Cusk“After the Three-Moon Era” — Gary Fincke"Body Language” — Alex Marcano-Lesnevech"Semantic Drift" — Lionel Shriver"Was Shakespeare a Woman？" — Elizabeth WinklerGood:"Cosmic Latte” — Ron Huett"77 Sunset Me” — Peter Schjeldahl"Under the Sign of Susan" — A。O。 Scott 。。。more

Anthony Camacho ，

This is my first reading of this compilation series。 I've heard of this series from Roxanne Gay who mentioned it in a Essay Workshop course。 I'm glad I picked this up。 The essays in this ranged from incredible to banal。 The following were my favorite:How to Bartend - Rabih AlameddineDriving as a Metaphor - Rachel Cusk Cosmic Latte - Ron HuettBody Language - Alex LesnevichWas Shakespeare a Women - Elizabeth WinklerAfter the Three-Moon Era - Gary FinckeLetter to Robinson Crusoe - Jamaica KinkaidI' This is my first reading of this compilation series。 I've heard of this series from Roxanne Gay who mentioned it in a Essay Workshop course。 I'm glad I picked this up。 The essays in this ranged from incredible to banal。 The following were my favorite:How to Bartend - Rabih AlameddineDriving as a Metaphor - Rachel Cusk Cosmic Latte - Ron HuettBody Language - Alex LesnevichWas Shakespeare a Women - Elizabeth WinklerAfter the Three-Moon Era - Gary FinckeLetter to Robinson Crusoe - Jamaica KinkaidI've found myself thinking about How to Bartend for days after I've read it。 If I could rate just these essays alone I'd give them 5/5。 As far as the entire compilation， it's average with the rest of the additional essays holding them back。 Driving as a Metaphor's entire structure is also perfect。 The pace， prose and stream of thoughts cements it as one of my favorite essays so far。 I'm glad I picked this up。 。。。more

Connie ，

3。5 some great， some meh。 It’s a collection。

Oisín ，

For all the talk of experimental prose in Atwan's foreword， almost all the essays were conventional。 Mostly good though。 For all the talk of experimental prose in Atwan's foreword， almost all the essays were conventional。 Mostly good though。 。。。more

Sam Price ，

Lots of essays about death， illness （the deadly kind）， sex， and Susan Sontag。 Really enjoyed "How to Bartend，" "Cosmic Latte，" and "77 Sunset Me。" Lots of essays about death， illness （the deadly kind）， sex， and Susan Sontag。 Really enjoyed "How to Bartend，" "Cosmic Latte，" and "77 Sunset Me。" 。。。more

Ann Fisher ，

I always get the best food writing， the best travel writing， and the best essays。 This year the food writing was disappointing， the travel writing good， and the essays terrific。 The first essay alone， "How to Bartend" by Rabih Alameddine （an author I'd never heard of and originally published in Freeman's， a magazine I'd never heard of） was worth the price of the book。 And that's another good point。 Some years most of the essays are from magazines I read anyway--The New Yorker， or The Atlantic--b I always get the best food writing， the best travel writing， and the best essays。 This year the food writing was disappointing， the travel writing good， and the essays terrific。 The first essay alone， "How to Bartend" by Rabih Alameddine （an author I'd never heard of and originally published in Freeman's， a magazine I'd never heard of） was worth the price of the book。 And that's another good point。 Some years most of the essays are from magazines I read anyway--The New Yorker， or The Atlantic--but this is a much broader collection。 Even the introduction was good: "an essay is like a story， only with the difference that the author may have no idea where he is headed。" 。。。more

Chris ，

Might as well rename the series to Best American Dead Family Members 20XX。"Driving as Metaphor" by Rachel Cusk was the only essay I truly loved。 There were a few others I enjoyed like the one about Shelley and inspiration or the art critic reflecting on his life。 Jerald Walker hearing a white doctor suggest his 12 year old son had a seizure due to syphilis is a moment I'm unlikely to forget。But for the most part， the book is forgettable personal essays。 It's a shame because both the intro essays Might as well rename the series to Best American Dead Family Members 20XX。"Driving as Metaphor" by Rachel Cusk was the only essay I truly loved。 There were a few others I enjoyed like the one about Shelley and inspiration or the art critic reflecting on his life。 Jerald Walker hearing a white doctor suggest his 12 year old son had a seizure due to syphilis is a moment I'm unlikely to forget。But for the most part， the book is forgettable personal essays。 It's a shame because both the intro essays -- by series editor Robert Atwan and guest editor Andre Aciman -- are quite good。 But the works they chose for this book just do not display the qualities celebrated in either of their essays。 。。。more

Fern F ，

I read "The Best American Essays 2020" throughout the course of January。 As with every BA collection， whether or not you enjoy the selection depends on the guest editor， in this case André Aciman [who， coincidentally， I also read this month]。 By and large， Aciman made a good selection: there are a lot of essays I really enjoyed （Ron Huett's Cosmic Latte， Mark Sundeen's Holiday Review， Elizabeth Winkler's Was Shakespeare a Woman？） and even more that I liked， including one that I reluctantly admir I read "The Best American Essays 2020" throughout the course of January。 As with every BA collection， whether or not you enjoy the selection depends on the guest editor， in this case André Aciman [who， coincidentally， I also read this month]。 By and large， Aciman made a good selection: there are a lot of essays I really enjoyed （Ron Huett's Cosmic Latte， Mark Sundeen's Holiday Review， Elizabeth Winkler's Was Shakespeare a Woman？） and even more that I liked， including one that I reluctantly admired even as I found the subject matter uncomfortable （Susan Fox Rogers' The Other Leopold）。 And， as is natural for a collection， there are a few duds and one that made me go "really？ This is amongst the best American essays published in 2019？" （It was the one bemoaning grammar）。 Not every essay will please you， but I finished the collection having discovered new writers and even new magazines， which is really the best you can get from a BA collection。 。。。more

Holly ，

Not my favorite essays。

Nathan Shuherk ，

Some absolute stand-out essays （that arguably make it worth reading - especially the first one）， and quite a few essays that simply shouldn’t have been selected。 I think that somewhat the trend of this series。

Patrick Johnson ，

It was a strange mixture。 I did like a lot of them but many suffered from antiquated structure and content。

Chris ，

The first essay is exceptional and it's still lingering in my mind。 The rest are mostly good enough but I'm surprised they qualified for the Best Essays。 The first essay is exceptional and it's still lingering in my mind。 The rest are mostly good enough but I'm surprised they qualified for the Best Essays。 。。。more

Dana ，

It's hard to rate a collection that included pieces I both loved and abhored。 It's hard to rate a collection that included pieces I both loved and abhored。 。。。more

Pamster ，

So over it。

Jean-michel Boudreault ，

Great selection！ André Aciman’s intro stands out， as do Rachel Cusk， Leslie Jamison， A。O。 Scott and Philip Weinstein。 This was my first taste of the series， I’ll definitely go back and read some previous years’ editions。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Best American Essays 2020

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Best American Essays 2020&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Best American Essays 2020&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0