The Best American Essays 2016A true essay is something hazarded, not definitive, not authoritative; something ventured on the basis of the authors personal experience and subjectivity, writes guest editor Jonathan Franzen in his introduction. However, his main criterion for selecting The Best American Essays 2016 was, in a word, risk. Whether the risks involved championing an unpopular opinion, the possibility of ruining a professional career, or irrevocably offending family, for

one that will have readers sleeping with one eye open’ David Bell

but he always seems to land himself in trouble

and that they’ve been keeping their own secrets from him

Piper is a practiced liar

When she receives a letter from a man she’s long thought dead

Silent on the Moor

Harder to keep clean

Rachel determines to track down the intended recipient

you will never again take what our president says for granted

its injustices and history

with doubt being cast over whether Joe’s death was due to natural causes

illustrated collection of essays written by today’s queer heroes—featuring