The best American nonrequired reading 2006

I was surprised at how intriguing and captivating this anthology was. I recently finished my first Dave Eggers' book, Zeitoun, a few weeks ago; I found it eye-opening and provocative for its message but also for its bias.

This anthology certainly reflects the time period; in 2006, there was quite a bit of media attention surrounding national security measures, perceptions of Arabs/Muslims/the Middle East, and a great deal of consternation about belief and religion. I think this volume captured the political and social issues of 2006 while also presenting them in a variety of formats, including essays, short stories, and snippets from graphic novels.

I was delighted to see more of Joe Sacco's work in here, and I discovered David Rakoff to be as funny and entertaining as David Sedaris. Along with a few others, I will be looking into more of these authors' works. This volume was a great introduction to some new authors and artists—just what I needed!