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Okay, this is one I absolutely don't understand at all.

Yeah, I've tried Google searches, but I don't really know what to look for

I think they mean like The Best American Sports Writing 2020, The Best American Short Stories 2020, The Best American Essays 2020, etc.

Oh, from compilations?

M wrote: "Okay, this is one I absolutely don't understand at all."

Agreed! I thought it just meant a book that was on a Best Of list. Now I'm not sure how to find these books.

The Best American series is published by Houghton Mifflin. This site lists their latest titles:

There are also discontinued series like The Best American Nonrequired Reading. I may try The Best American Infographics 2014 or a different series like Best Debut Short Stories 2021: the PEN America Dau Prize.

Leslie Ann wrote: "The Best American series is published by Houghton Mifflin. This site lists their latest titles:

There are also discontinued series like The Best Ameri..."

Oh thank you! I wonder if there's like a Canadian version of this. They're not easy to hunt for! If there's not, I keep meaning to read more Food writing, so I know what I'll pick up.

The Best American Short Stories 2011 edited by Geraldine Brooks

I just picked this up on Kindle for $1.99 today - so it is my choice for this prompt.

I'm probably going to stick with some kind of speculative fiction for this one. Some 2021 editions I've found from a quick search:

The Year's Best Science Fiction, Volume 2: The Saga Anthology of Science Fiction 2021
The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2021
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy Horror: Volume Two
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021

Ah thanks for these recommendations! I'll probably go for speculative fiction, too!

Is there a "Best of the year" anthology that also would qualify as an anthology featuring diverse voices?

Tricia wrote: "Is there a "Best of the year" anthology that also would qualify as an anthology featuring diverse voices?"

I tend to like SFF, so this list is heavy on that. I'd think you could also read the description on others to see if they fit - I haven't read any of these, so I'm going on title + description + author list.

- The Year's Best African Speculative Fiction
- Heiresses of Russ (best lesbian speculative fiction w/editions annually from 2011 - 2016)
- Transcendent, edited by Bogi Takacs (Best Transgender Themed Speculative Fiction, several editions exist. I have more success searching for Bogi than searching 'Transcendent')

Depending on how strict you are w/the category definition, the Caine Prize is also awarded each year to an African short-story published in English. They always put out an anthology of all the long-listed stories - so it's not technically "Year's Best African Short Stories" but it's the short stories the Caine Prize team thinks are the best of the year. These tend more toward literary rather than SFF - and they always have entries from several different countries included.

I think Heiresses Of Russ (f/f speculative fiction) is arranged by best of the year

Ooooh this clarification is very helpful. I picked up The Best American Short Stories 2019 the other day from a 2nd hand shop so I think I"ll do that!

Jenny wrote: "I think Heiresses Of Russ (f/f speculative fiction) is arranged by best of the year"

Yeah, for that and for Transcendent the different editions are each a "Best of (Year)" for their kind of content.

Thanks!

I just found a shiny, like-new copy of The Best American Food Writing 2018 for $2 at my library's secondhand book store, so I'll try that!

The Best American Sports Writing 2020

I hope to read:

The Best American Essays 2019 edited by Rebecca Solnit

Hey everyone, found this list so maybe it can give you all some ideas:

/shelf/show/...



I'll probably end up doing this one: The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2021

I'm going to do The Best American Short Stories 2018, because that's one that I own and never read!

If I'm understanding the task correctly, I'm considering reading The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror: Volume Two, Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year, Volume 5, Best Canadian Poetry 2021, or if I'm up for something longer, The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume 3. These are the ones that appeal to me that I have access to through the library or hoopla, but I'll be keeping an eye on suggestions.

Yes!!! An excuse to dive back into The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2018 series! Highly recommend.

Would The Best American Essays of the Century work for this prompt?

I found the ŷ������ Choice Awards (/choiceaward...) to be helpful for this category as well as the "Best American" series.

I have a couple on my TBR already, so it will probably be one of these!
The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021
The Best American Travel Writing 2021
The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen

Book Riot wrote: "Use this space to discuss books you’re reading or that might fit the 18th Read Harder task. Sign up for our new Read Harder newsletter to get recommendations for each task delivered straight to you..."

Book Riot, can you give some more guidance on this one?

Samantha wrote: "Book Riot wrote: "Use this space to discuss books you’re reading or that might fit the 18th Read Harder task. Sign up for our new Read Harder newsletter to get recommendations for each task deliver..."

Usually, they start giving recommendations for prompts immediately after the list is published. IDK what's up this year. This is the prompt I really need guidance on.

Oh, I know, but I'm not asking for recs ;) but rather a better description of what the prompt actually means.

TBH I think they forgot about it until the last min and then just slapped it together.

Samantha wrote: "Oh, I know, but I'm not asking for recs ;) but rather a better description of what the prompt actually means.

TBH I think they forgot about it until the last min and then just slapped it together."

I figured when I saw their recs, I'd have a better understanding of what they intended for that prompt to be.

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm probably going to stick with some kind of speculative fiction for this one. Some 2021 editions I've found from a quick search:


I recommend The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction or any of the year's best series by Gardner Dozois. I read the 14th edition and it was excellent.

I'm doing The Best American Essays 2021 edited by Kathryn Schulz

I'll be doing any of the The Best American Comics 2011 that I haven't read!

Nice!

Ensorcelled wrote: "I'll be doing any of the The Best American Comics 2011 that I haven't read!"

This one seems pretty cool. I'll have to look into it.

If someone knows of any lists that aren't focused on American writing then please link them here

I've got a copy of The Goddess of Mtwara and Other Stories: The Caine Prize for African Writing 2017, part of an annual series of Caine Prize anthologies. Seems to fit the spirit, if not the letter, of the challenge.
Twenty Years of the Caine Prize for African Writing just came out in 2020, too.

Esther wrote: "If someone knows of any lists that aren't focused on American writing then please link them here"

Looks like there's a Best Canadian series if that's any better...

This is a difficult category for me. I'm going withThe Best American Nonrequired Reading 2019 because the included works were chosen by high school students.

I checked out The Guardian's Best Fiction of 2021 list: .

I chose Matrix: A Novel by Lauren Groff. It was also a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction.

Going with The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction.

Found this helpful link:

I happen to have this book in my house already, so I am planning to go with it:

The Best Short Plays of 1957��1958, edited by Margaret Mayorga

I took this in a different direction and picked “The House of Earth & Blood�� by Sarah J Mass because it won Best Fantasy in 2020 here on ŷ������.

I understand the prompt, but I'm interpreting it a bit loosely (because I have this book on my shelves, already, waiting to be read)... and it received both the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award, Fiction in 2004
The Known World

topic is slavery in the US, and author is POC, so for me, it all works for this challenge.

I have two excellent local libraries (one city, one county), and neither of them seem to have any “Best ______ Writing�� compilations…probably because they’re out of date immediately. This one is hard for library users.

rae wrote: "I have two excellent local libraries (one city, one county), and neither of them seem to have any “Best ______ Writing�� compilations…probably because they’re out of date immediately. This one is ha..."

My pretty-good-but-not-great local library was tough for this one (though it does have a couple Caine Prize editions & one of the Transcendent volumes available through interlibrary loan) , but the one for a nearby urban center had a ton - I think it really varies. Maybe try some that have similar content but that aren't called Best ___ Writing of (Year) and see if that helps?

Would we count The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen for this challenge?

Erin wrote: "Would we count The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen for this challenge?"

Yes!