The best American nonrequired reading 2017
This anthology gathers a diverse collection of short works from mainstream and alternative American periodicals published in 2016. It features a range of genres, including nonfiction, screenplays, television writing, fiction, and alternative comics, offering a broad look at contemporary American prose.
This particular volume, guest-edited by Sarah Vowell, uniquely includes screenplays, television writing, and alternative comics alongside traditional fiction and nonfiction, offering a broader and more experimental scope than many other 'Best American' collections.
While the collection is diverse in form, Sarah Vowell's curatorial choices often highlight pieces that reflect on contemporary American culture, politics, and social observations with a distinctive, often humorous or satirical, voice, aligning with her own authorial style.