I love a good collection of essays/magazine writing so I was curious to check out this collection of the best magazine writing in America for 2022. It was an excellent and interesting read that was educational , entertaining, eye-opening, and thought-provoking.

The topics of the articles were quite diverse and included pieces on the COVID pandemic, the James Webb Space Telescope, the exploration of Venus, abortion, Jake Paul and his boxing career, the problems with the guardianship industry, an "on the streets" look at the fall of Kabul, racism and the founder of the Audubon Society founder, the aftermath of 9/11, and personal stories and profiles that were quite diverse. The authors range from journalists to famous people (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to published authors (Ann Patchett).

I loved moving from one essay to another and discovering an entirely new world or person to explore. There wasn't a bad piece in the book, but obviously your "favorites" will depend on your own personal preferences. For example, I particularly liked the essay by Ann Patchett because I'm a fan of her writing. However, I was just as interested in pieces by writers I've never heard of and topics I didn't know anything about.

Some of the essays gave me a greater insight into current events--such as the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and all that was involved in designing and launching it. I'd known it was already a success with all the photos that have been featured in the news, but reading about all the possible issues and design challenges gave me some more depth and context to what went into getting those photos.

The pieces were drawn from a variety of publications and websites, such as The Atlantic, Harper's, Popular Science, Quanta, Women's Health, AARP the Magazine,Texas Highways, ESPN.com, BuzzFeed News and more. So you're definitely being exposed to writing from sources that you may not come across or read in your daily life.

All in all, this was a satisfying read that I found quite edifying and interesting.

While I couldn't connect with all of the essays included here, there really is something for everyone. My favorite was These Precious Days, which is written by Ann Pachett about her experience quarantining with Sooki Raphael while she is going through treatment for pancreatic cancer. Brilliant and heartbreaking both. These are mostly very heavy reads, so be ready for a commitment if you decide to pick it up! But you will be better for it, having educated both your mind and soul.

Thank you to Columbia University Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to access this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I used to read the Best Aimerican Essay series every year, but it became rather pretentious. Over the last few years, this series has picked up what that series has left behind: strong, thought-provoking essays that are well-written, that leave you wondering and wanting to tell someone else the story. There is a wide emotional scope here, and a breadth of subject matter. From COVID, to dancing, to conspiratorial thinking, there's something for everyone. You may not really jump into each essay, but the fact that there is a wide range of writing is to be commended. The story on vaqueros providing some fascinating historical background, and the Buzzfeed article "Beyond Brittany" on guardianship exposed me to info that I would never have considered. The Atlantic essay, Twenty Years Gone, which I had read in the Atlantic magazine, really blew me away, and I'm glad it is included here. It is amazing and heartbreaking.

I always suggest this anthology for Christmas gifts, and this one will certainly win over anyone who loves to be adventurous in the nonfiction reading

The Best American Magazine Writing 2022 anthology has a great representation of writing in different formats from reporting to lyrical fiction. Highly readable, I recommend this for anyone who is serious about reading, writing, or publishing in magazines. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This book was sent to me by Netgalley…thanks to the publisher for the electronic copy. Stories that are Intriguing by various authors…enjoy…authors that are reliable In that the reader can expect a good story…