{"product_id":"the-best-american-essays-1995-edited-by-jamaica-kincaid","title":"'The Best American Essays 1995' edited by Jamaica Kincaid","description":"\u003csection class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-69eabb59-4cc8-839c-8c97-e04927ef0509-38\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-150\" data-scroll-anchor=\"false\" data-turn=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"11a80538-3382-4912-a3c4-91fce93c9bd3\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-3\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word dark markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"63\" data-end=\"341\"\u003eWith \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eJamaica Kincaid\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e as guest editor, this volume leans toward essays that treat the form as a way of thinking under a sort of ticking time bomb rather than offloading opinion.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"343\" data-end=\"898\"\u003eThe range is wide without feeling scattered. \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eJoseph Brodsky\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e on history and interior life, \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eCynthia Ozick\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e on fracture and memory, \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eGrace Paley\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e on voice and politics, \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eTobias Wolff\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e on witness, \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eHenry Louis Gates Jr.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e on race and representation. You also get \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eWilliam H. Gass\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e doing what he does best, turning the essay into a kind of marble sculpture to stare at. It’s a line-up that still reads like a live wire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"900\" data-end=\"1246\"\u003eWhat holds it together is Kincaid’s sensibility: a bias toward essays that don’t resolve cleanly, that sit in contradiction, that understand language as something that can both expose and conceal. If you’re interested in the essay as a form that actually does something—cuts, rearranges, resists—this is one of the stronger entries in the series.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"900\" data-end=\"1246\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1261\" data-end=\"1285\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1995 Houghton Mifflin hardback. Light general wear to covers with mild edge rubbing. Clean internally, tight binding. A solid, readable copy with no markings.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"bower studio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44556717162579,"sku":null,"price":19.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/0268\/2707\/files\/Yourparagraphtext_58.png?v=1777622691","url":"https:\/\/bowerbooks.com\/products\/the-best-american-essays-1995-edited-by-jamaica-kincaid","provider":"bower books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}