THE BEST AMERICAN MAGAZINE WRITING 2002

The "Ellie" awards—the magazine equivalent of newspaper reporting's Pulitzers—are granted annually by the American Society of Magazine Editors to celebrate excellence in a variety of genres of magazine writing: reporting, features, profiles, commentary, criticism and fiction. Thus this third annual volume, which reprints some 19 finalist or winning entries, covers a remarkable range of topics and modes of treatment. Tom Junod's "Gone," about three Americans kidnapped in the Ecuadorian jungle, is a nail-biting cliffhanger and suggests miniseries possibilities, while Anne Fadiman's account of moving from the city to the country seems endlessly re-readable, embodying the essay form at its timeless best. Some of the pieces, like Mark Levine's "Killing Libby," an account of asbestos contamination, suggest future book-length treatment, while others, such as Jonathan Franzen's "My Father's Brain," have already been incorporated into other works (i.e., The Corrections). The most topical entries—e.g., William Langewiesche's depiction of the 1999 crash of EgyptAir Flight 990, Alex Perry's account of fighting in Afghanistan, Amy Wallace's profile of Variety editor Peter Bart, and Ken Auletta's study of Ted Turner—seem dated, while some more obscure entries—e.g., Lauren Slater's profile of a plastic surgeon, Steve Rushin's analysis of German drag racing, and Caitlin Flanagan's "Confessions of a Prep School College Counselor"—remain fresh and piquant. E.L. Doctorow's story about a murderous widow, the only fiction entry here, is a gem. While the Atlantic Monthly, the New Yorker and Esquire are predictably well represented, even constant readers of these magazines will appreciate having some of their best pieces in a more lasting format. Agent, David McCormick. (On sale Oct. 15)