THE BEST SPIRITUAL WRITING 2001

If, as Zaleski writes in the preface to his latest anthology, the best spiritual writing flourishes in an atmosphere of silence, then the very finest of what was produced in 2000 may still lie in obscurity. Given that, Zaleski once again has skillfully skimmed the cream from the top of last year's published spiritual prose and poetry. In this, his fourth gathering of writers, he has assembled works from the known and the lesser known. Names such as Thomas Moore (Care of the Soul) and George Weigel (Witness to Hope) are among the draws, but the writing itself is the major attraction. It is difficult to page casually through this repository of gems without finding something appealing to read. There is "The Yoga Exercise," a two-stanza verse by Floyd Skloot, whose words are as elegant and lithe as the prayer posture he describes. Likewise, Patricia Hampl's "The Sacrament of Reconciliation" artfully plaits the writer's childhood memories of Catholic confession into her rediscovery of the now-reformed ritual. Also worth noting among the 30 selections is Ben Birnbaum's "How to Pray," a masterful essay on prayer that taps the author's 1950s boyhood recollections, blending them with stories from sources as disparate as the Talmud and a Jewish children's magazine. Although not every faith tradition is represented, Zaleski is generally to be lauded for the diversity of his choices, which this year include works with Christian, Jewish, Native American and Buddhist themes. (Sept.)