In her selection process for this sterling volume, Edwidge Danticat considers the inherent vulnerability of the essay formβa vulnerability that seems all the more present in todayβs spotlighted public square. As she says in her introduction, βwhen we insert our βIβ (our eye) to search deeper into someone, something, or ourselves, we are always risking a yawn or a slap, indifference or disdain.β
Here are intimate personal essays that examine a range of vital topics, from cancer diagnosis to police brutality, and from devastating natural disasters to the dilemmas of modern medicine. All in all, βthe brave voices behind these experiences keep the pages turningβ (Kirkus Reviews).
The Best American Essays 2011 includes entries by Hilton Als, Katy Butler, Toi Derricotte, Christopher Hitchens, Pico Iyer, Charlie LeDuff, Chang-Rae Lee, Lia Purpura, Zadie Smith, Reshma Memon Yaqub, and others.