The best American essays 2017

I write essays professionally. So I gotta read "Best American Essays" every year as professional development. I feel the same about it most years: Some pieces are great. Some don't interest me. Usually depends a bit on the taste of the editor. But regardless, I usually average out at about 4 stars. Its more a guide to whom I should be reading in the future than a assessment of the book itself.

For this one, pay special attention to Editor Leslie Jamison's introduction, on why the essay matters in the age of Trump. Leslie Jamison is 35 and writes like she's already destined to be a legend. Eager to read her new memoir this spring.