2.5 stars

The problem with anthologies, of course, is that some pieces resonate and others don't, and you won't know which is which until you read them all, given the sheer range of writers included (76 in this collection).

I only liked bits and pieces of certain essays, and there were many I didn't care for at all, whether because they were boring, or they featured sexual content, profanity, or the notion that evolutionary theory is fact.

I also wish the bio for each writer appeared directly after their work (instead of compiled toward the end), so I wouldn't have to flip back and forth after each piece. ( )

Uneven but absorbing collection of essays. Standouts include Barbara Hurd's 'Moon Snail' which is well worth the price of admission, and made me vow to find more by her, right away. It put me in mind of Annie Dillard at her grittiest. Also noteworthy was Michael Perry's 'The Big Nap'- visionary, quiet, and revelatory. A collection worth picking up. ( )