The Best American Magazine Writing 2002

Readers of the New Yorker, Harpers, The Atlantic and anyone who's a sucker for those articles that hasten flight destinations and are always, no matter how long, too short at the end. This collection, by its virtuosity, range of subjects, severe to whimsical,is an automatic embrace. Don't be surprised if you catch yourself slowing down to delay the finish. But here are some specifics: Sick of Franzen hoopla? His 'Father's Brain' transcends the muck by its own power. Caitlin Flanagan's article about the pushy parents and the spawning season at upstream universities,(Confessions of a Prep School College Counselor,) jabbed me outta nowhere- sometime in the 7th round. Who, afterall gets the grade when its all said and done? No rebouts. If that doesn't make you reach for the SSRI- the stats about the payoff for those Ivy League educations will!Read about SALT- and decide for yourself- is it worth its own? - There are two studies of powerful men in the media-Peter Barth-Variety Editor and Ted Turner- manic and megalo-everything. Both irkingly appealing for their hopeless flaws. The only skip for me was the story about the last minutes of the Egyptian flight and the forces that kept the truth hidden. Not ready for that one yet. Fiction winds the whole thing up- as it should. Guess who takes it home?This is a plum, no reason to do anything less than bite.