The Book of Other People edited by Zadie Smith

The Book of Other People
edited by Zadie Smith
Hands down 2008's best original anthology of short fiction, we heartily recommend this book as the perfect gift for any and all aficionado's of the form. All the pieces are focused on the process of character creation and formation. The work of 22 of the best contemporary writers of fiction is on hand here -- Edwidge Danticat, Dave Eggers, Jonathan Safran Foer, Andrew Sean Greer, Aleksandar Hemon, A. M. Homes, Nick Hornby, Heidi Julavits, Miranda July, A. L. Kennedy, Hari Kunzu, Jonathan Lethem (whose contribution is sure to be a standout among Copacetic habitués)Toby Litt, David Mitchell, Andrew O'Hagan, ZZ Packer, George Saunders, Posy Simmonds, Adam Thirlwell, Colm Tóibín, Vendela Vida and editor Zadie Smith herself -- along with two of today's top cartoonists, Chris Ware and Dan Clowes, who both turn in amazing, full color stories that are almost worth the price of the anthology all by themselves. And not only that: this book is a "charity anthology", meaning that none of the contributors were paid and that all profits go to a charitable organization -- in this case, 826NYC, "a non-profit organization dedicated to helping children 6 - 18 with their creative and expository writing skills." And then there's the amazing Charles Burns cover. How can you say no? To learn more, read these reviews in the LA Times, NY Times and the UK Independent.