Puschart 2010

I finished The Pushcart Prize XXXIV: Best of the Small Presses (2010 Edition) over my week at home, between the airplane and an easy morning while my dad read the paper.  And by finished, I guess I mean I made it through once, quickly, eagerly, wanting to see what made the cut and what didn't.  I didn't read everything with care and precision and I know I'll be going back to it, dipping in again and again.  Paying attention, this time.

But hey, I can tell you which pieces caught my attention.  The ones that made me dog ear a page or reach for a post-it note.  The Pushcart Prize is awarded to works of "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" so how about I pick one of each?

Poetry: "The Favorite" by Alison Townsend, originally published in River Styx.  I read it three times in a row when I got to it, and found it both heartbreaking and amazing.  I love and respect writers who can make me uncomfortable, yet consumed.  Especially in poetry.

Short Fiction: "What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us" by Laura Van den Berg, originally published in One Story.  Van den Berg's first story collection, which borrows its title from this story, recently came out and is on my to-read list.  It is a concise, smart story that is sad without asking you to feel sorry for the characters.  Or, then again, maybe it's not sad at all.  Either way, its layered and easy to fall in to in the best sort of way.

Essay:  "The Crying Indian" by Ginger Strand, originally published in Orion.  "The Crying Indian" takes a long, well-researched look at environmentalism, the role of the Keep America Beautiful campaign and the Ad Council, the history of aluminium can recycling and the energy that companies like Google and Microsoft require to run and never once lost me in minutia or irrelevant detail.  Interesting, educational and readable.  Two thumbs up, Ginger!

"Literary whatnot": Lastly, quick shout-out mention for Kim Addonizio's "How to Succeed in Po Business" originally published in New Letters.  I think it is sufficiently "whatnot" as well as being wickedly funny.  It's on page 134, so if you're just browsing your bookstore or library bookshelf, see this book and have, oh, four minutes: read it.

In a nutshell:  The whole collection is full of wonderful, witty writing.  I highly suggest you pick up a copy.  (And let me know which are your favorite!)

Comments

[Jessie Carty]

i need to get around to ordering it! none of my local stores carry it :(

[elizabeth]

Thanks for the recommendations! I love anthologies!

[Erik Smetana]

The van den Berg story is great, if you haven't had a chance to read her collection ("What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us" is the title story), do so. It is wonderful.

[margosita]

Erik, I know! I am looking forward to Van den Berg's collection. It's in my "to read" pile!