The Best American Magazine Writing
2004 by American Society Of
Magazine Editors
And The Winner Is
In the magazine world, no recognition is more highly coveted than an Ellie,
presentedby the American Society of Magazine Editors. Selected from
thousands of submissions, the pieces in this anthology represent the very
best of those -- outstanding works by some of the most eminent writers in
America: Laura Hillenbrand (Seabiscuit) on living and creating with chronic
fatigue syndrome Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering
Genius) on love and surfing Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down) on modern
torture and the landscape of persuasion Seymour M. Hersh (Chain of
Command) on the selective intelligence used by the White House to justify
the war in Iraq Calvin Trillin (The Tummy Trilogy) on his favorite force of
nature, the newsman R. W. Apple, Jr. Tucker Carlson (CNNs Crossfire),
the whitest man in America, on a peace mission with Rev. Al Sharpton And
many more!

Personal Review: The Best American Magazine Writing 2004 by
American Society Of Magazine Editors
The introduction alone was reason enough for me to buy this book; it was
written by Susan Orlean, one of my favorite writers. I also own the 2002
Best Magazine Writing, which I wholeheartedly recommend (be sure to
read "Dr. Daedalus" by Lauren Slater).
This new edition did not disappoint me. I was especially moved by the
essay, "The Falling Man" by Tom Junod, which attempts to unveil the
mystery behind a man who jumped from the World Trade Center after it
began to crumble.
Another one you shouldn't miss is the highly depressing yet mouth-
dropping essay "A Sudden Illness" by Laura Hillenbrand. You will
appreciate your health tremendously after reading the horror that she
experienced.
I'm not particularly interested in reading about Iraq because it brings up too
many strong emotions, but despite that "The Killer Elite" (part one) by Evan
Wright, is an extremely powerful and important read. It is a very vivid
insider look on what it's like to be in the war, and how it affects the soldiers
who fight there. It's a glimpse into their behavior and how they are able to
do what they do. (Think: Abu Gharib.)
Here's a list of all the 18 essays in the book:
"The Dark Art of Interrogation" by Mark Bowden (about prison torture)
"The Marriage Cure" by Katherine Boo (about Bush's plan to save
marriage; it follows two women who take a marriage class)
"The Killer Elite" (Part One) by Evan Wright (about Iraq war and American
soldiers; follows one American platoon in Iraq)
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" by Tucker Carlson (comic piece;
about black leaders, Al Sharpton included, trying to make peace in Africa)
"Housewife Confidential" by Caitlin Flanagan (funny piece; tribute to Erma
Bombeck)
"The Stovepipe" by Seymour M. Hersh (about exposing the selective
intelligence used by Bush administration to justify Iraq war)
"Columbia's Last Flight" by William Langewiesche (very vivid account of
the investigation into the Columbia shuttle crash)
"The David Kelly Affair" by John Cassidy (about a British weapons scientist
who commits suicide, after pressure about the Iraq war)
"The Vulgarian in the Choir Loft" by Andrew Corsello (hilarious yet moving
piece about finding spiritual nourishment by singing in a church choir)
"The Red Bow" by George Saunders (fiction; about a town that dips into
hysteria)
"Newshound" by Calvin Trillin (personality profile of journalist R.W. Apple,
an entertaining journalist)

"A Sudden Illness" by Laura Hillenbrand (author of Seabiscuit; about her
fight with chronic fatigue syndrome, trying to live with it while writing and
maintaining a relationship)
"Wynton's Blues" by David Hajdu (personality profile about Wynton
Marsalis, a jazz artist)
"The $20 Theory of the Universe" by Tom Chiarella (hilarious account
about how $20 can be used to bribe anyone to do anything)
"My Big Fat Question" by Michael Wolff (about Iraq war, which resulted in a
threat from the military)
"The Confessions of Bob Greene" by Bill Zehme (a personal account about
being fired from the Chicago Tribune for alleged sexual misconduct)
"The Only Meaning of the Oil-Wet Water" by Dave Eggers (author of "A
Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius"; original piece about love and
surfing)
"The Falling Man" by Tom Junod (a "dectective' story about a writer who
searches for answers about a particularly man who jumped to his death
from World Trade Center tower).
While this book has several politically important pieces, it also contains
fun, light-hearted reads as well.
In my opinion, this book perfectly exemplifies the times in which we are
living--that which most defines our interests and in what we must be
interested.
Read this!
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