The Best American Series - Method

Method

Each category has a continuing series editor, who makes an initial selection of notable works. The guest editor for that year then chooses a smaller number of pieces from the initial list. The pieces that do not make the final cut are often given honorable mention in an alphabetical list at the back of the book.

A work is eligible for the series if published in English (or published in another language, but translated into English by the author) in the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Greenland; if it first appeared, or was significantly revised, during the previous year; and if the author comes from or chiefly lives in North America. Internet publications are eligible if their audience includes North American readers.

Many editions are a mix of more-established authors (e.g., Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Chabon, Lorrie Moore) with up-and-coming writers who have achieved moderate success (e.g., Benjamin Percy, Kyle Minor, Ander Monson). Introductions to each book are written by the series editors, guest editors, and/or other celebrities (e.g., actor Viggo Mortensen for Nonrequired Reading, and UK cook Jamie Oliver for Recipes).

The volume title is the year the volume was published. The articles in the volume were published the prior year. So for example The Best American Essays 2000 contains articles published in 1999. The volumes are published in September or October of each year.