The New York Times' "100 Notable Books of 2018": Two Serious Omissions

I’m pleased to see that one of my favorite books of 2018 – Zadie Smith’s essay collection Feel Free – made The New York Times’ “100 Notable Books of 2018.” Smith’s book includes four New Yorker pieces: “Brother from Another Mother” (February 23, 2015); “Some Notes on Attunement” (December 17, 2012); “Crazy They Call Me” (March 6, 2017); and “A Bird of Few Words” (June 19, 2017).

But I’m puzzled that an equally delectable essay collection, Lorrie Moore’s See What Can Be Done (2018), is omitted. Moore’s book contains, among many excellent pieces, five New Yorker articles: “Legal Aide” (April 23 & 30, 2001); “Bioperversity” (May 19, 2003); “Wizards” (September 12, 2011); “Lena Dunham: Unwatchable in the Best Way” (March 17, 2012); and “Canada Dry” (May 21, 2012).

And I’m shocked that Geoff Dyer’s brilliant The Street Philosophy of Garry Winogrand (2018) didn’t make the list. The Times’ own reviewer, Jennifer Szalai, called it “visually sumptuous” and “enormously ambitious” (“Geoff Dyer Takes to the Streets with Garry Winogrand,” March 28, 2018). Dyer’s splendid opus is, for me, the best book of 2018. I’ll post my review of it in the next few weeks.