Disclosure, and take this as you will: I picked up this anthology because an essay of mine was selected as Notable. Having said that, I was fairly disappointed with the choices here. I kept picking this book up and putting it down. However, it seems like, based on other reviews, I am not alone in this regard. These anthologies always come down to the editors' tastes and interests, and I am finding that mine haven't aligned lately.

The essays originally published in The Atlantic were, by far, the highlights for me. There were some lyrical experiments as well that stood out, like "Love Is a Washing Line" by Remy Ngamije.

I have to say, I'm just so tired with all the writing about New York and writing about writing. I experienced this same annoyance with the Best American Poetry 2024 anthology.