A good selection on the whole, with "Sparrow Needy" by Kenneth A. McClane and "Snakebit" by Alia Volz especially standing out or making me think to look for more by the authors. ( )

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. ( )

A mixed bag of essays. Some, like "Snakebit," "H," "Sparrow Needy," and "White Horse" were wonderfully written and incredibly gripping to read but others...not so much. I guess that's the issue with anthologies. But I have some new authors to add to my must-read pile and that's definitely a plus. ( )

A lot of essays by black people which is good.
My first book of 2018. ( )