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The Best American Series® First, Best, and Best-Selling The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, the very best pieces are selected by a leading writer in the field, making the Best American series the most respected—and most popular—of its kind. The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2011 includes Daniel Alarcón, Clare Beams, Sloane Crosley, Anthony Doerr, Neil Gaiman, Mohammed Hanif, Mac McClelland, Michael Paterniti, Olivier Schrauwen, Gary Shteyngart, and others Review “Required reading is the stuff that’s supposed to be on the test. Nonrequired reading often is more interesting. That’s the case with this quirky collection” (USA Today ) From the Back Cover The Best American Series® First, Best, and Best-Selling The Best American series is the premier annual showcase for the country’s finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, the very best pieces are selected by a leading writer in the field, making the Best American series the most respected—and most popular—of its kind. The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2011 includes Daniel Alarcón, Clare Beams, Sloane Crosley, Anthony Doerr, Neil Gaiman, Mohammed Hanif, Mac McClelland, Michael Paterniti, Olivier Schrauwen, Gary Shteyngart, and others [INSERT AUTHOR PHOTO] DAVE EGGERS, editor, is the editor of McSweeney’s and a cofounder of 826 National, a network of nonprofit writing and tutoring centers for youth, located in eight cities across the United States. He is the author of six books, including What Is the What, Zeitoun, and The Wild Things. GUILLERMO DEL TORO, guest introducer, is an Academy Award–nominated writer, director, and producer. He is the creator of Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Cronos, and The Devil’s Backbone, among other films. Pan’s Labyrinth earned prizes worldwide, including three Oscars. Look for the other best-selling titles in the Best American series: THE BEST AMERICAN COMICS THE BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE AND NATURE WRITING THE BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES THE BEST AMERICAN SPORTS WRITING THE BEST AMERICAN TRAVEL WRITING