Compiles the best literary essays of the year 2010 which were originally published in American periodicals.

"A Mariner original."

Foreword : Confessions of an Anthologist /Robert Atwan -- Introduction / Edwidge Danticat -- Buddy Ebsen / Hilton Als -- Port-au-Prince : The Moment / Mischa Berlinski -- What Broke My Father's Heart / Katy Butler -- Auscultation / Steven Church -- After the Ice / Paul Crenshaw -- Beds / Toi Derricotte -- Grieving / Meenakshi Gigi Durham -- A-LOC / Bernadette Esposito -- Topic of Cancer / Christopher Hitchens -- Chapels / Pico Iyer -- Long Distance / Victor LaValle -- What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones? / Charlie LeDuff -- Magical Dinners / Chang-Rae Lee -- What Really Happened / Madge McKeithen -- Rude Am I in My Speech / Caryl Phillips -- Lucky Girl / Bridget Potter -- There Are Things Awry Here / Lia Purpura -- Patient / Rachel Riederer -- Pearl, Upward / Patricia Smith -- Generation Why? / Zadie Smith -- Travels with My Ex / Susan Straight -- A Personal Essay by a Personal Essay / Christy Vannoy -- Unprepared / Jerald Walker -- The Washing / Reshma Memon Yaqub -- Contibutors' Notes -- Notable Essays of 2010.