As I was about to embark on the process of posting on my favorite writing linked to from 2012, it occurred to me that I never looked back at the best pieces linked to in 2011, with my last "best of" post being Close to Best 2010 Writing Linked To - Business. So, skipping 2012 for now and going further back...
Best writing on writing linked to in 2011
"Yesterday's News" by J.R. Moehringer for 5280: The Denver Magazine. Written on and linked to in July 2011.
"The Most Beautiful Word" by Joe Posnanski for his personal blog. Written on and linked to in Jan 2011.
"The Loading Dock Manifesto" by John Hyduk for Esquire. Written on and linked to in May 2011.
"Four Nights at Elaine's: The Last Will and Testament of a Great Saloon" by Wright Thompson for Grantland. Written on and linked to in Aug 2011.
Best writing on sports linked to 2011
"Terror, Tragedy And Hope In Tuscaloosa" by Lars Anderson for Sports Illustrated. Written on and linked to in May 2011.
"How To Become An American" by Charlie Pierce for Sports Illustrated. Written on and linked to in Dec 2011.
"Born to race, Dan Wheldon found happiness in town's slower pace" by Michael Kruse for what is now the Tampa Bay Times. Written on and linked to in Dec 2011.
"The Wheels of Life" by Gary Smith for Sports Illustrated. Written on and linked to in April 2011.
""Beat, Play, Love" by Michael Rosenberg for Sports Illustrated. Written on and linked to in Feb 2011.
"The Heart Of Football Beats In Aliquippa" by S.L. Price for Sports Illustrated. Written on and linked to in Jan 2011.
Best other writing linked to in 2011
"Heavenly Father!" "I love you all!" "I love everyone!" "Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!" "I love all of you!" by Luke Dittrich for Esquire. Written on and linked to in Oct 2011.
"The Bomb That Didn't Go Off" by Charlie Pierce for Esquire. Written on and linked to in Aug 2011.
"Torn Asunder: How the Deadliest Twister in Decades Ripped Through Joplin, Mo." by David Von Drehle for Time Magazine. Written on and linked to in June 2011.
"Nina & Kristopher: A story of great love, great loss" by Tommy Tomlinson for the Charlotte Observer. Written on and linked to in June 2011.
"Diner for Schmucks" by Alan Richman for GQ. Written on and linked to in Aug 2011.
All 15 pieces linked to here were excellent and the ones that stood out the most to me the most were the following: on the Tuscaloosa tornado by Lars Anderson, on the Joplin tornado by Luke Dittrich (with his piece winning the National Magazine Awards feature of the year), on the bomb that didn't go off by Charlie Pierce and on working for a Denver paper by J.R. Moehringer (with that piece from 2008, but I wrote on and linked to it in 2011).
Showing posts with label John Hyduk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Hyduk. Show all posts
Monday, January 07, 2013
Sunday, May 01, 2011
John Hyduk Essay from Esquire
Interesting piece of writing from the May 2011 issue of Esquire Magazine.
Written by John Hyduk, "The Loading Dock Manifesto" is an account of the author's job for a beverage distributor along with past work experiences. It's solid writing that relates what's it's like to have something far removed from a white collar career and life.
With myself as a reader having said white collar circumstances, it's interested reading about someone in a completely different orbit (which is of course is what can happen through reading).
In addition to the story, I also found myself ruminating on the author himself. Here's a guy who can definitely write, is published in Esquire (with a byline note made of occasional publishing in Ohio and Cleveland magazines), but works on a loading dock. I'm interested in this idea of a guy with writing talent who doesn't actually write as his full time job.
Does he want to write for a living, but can't catch a break? Is his stuff simply not good enough (though, this piece certainly is solid)? Is he not able to write as compelling prose if not about his life? Or, is he simply satisfied with his life and work (including both the loading dock and writing) and doesn't want to change?
I certainly can't say, but (without knowing there is any sad tale there) you gotta allow for the possibility that this is someone with a job that meets his needs and a writing interest that he's able to do well on the side... and he's good with that. If that's the case, then kudos to Hyduk for carving out something that works for him.
All conjecture here of course, but me thinks interesting things to ruminate on, and an interesting essay to read.
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Two additional pieces of writing from this issue of Esquire that while they didn't strike me as much as that from Hyduk, I found of note.
Financial writer Ken Kurson did "Let Them Eat iPads" on his prediction of coming inflation... and ways to have the possibility guide one's investing. Definitely seems like there's something to his premise as higher prices on a variety of goods and services appears to be more and more widespread.
"Walking the Border" is a feature from Luke Dittrich that chronicles the first part of his solo journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The writing wasn't bad by any means, but what stood out to me was this idea of taking on a challenge. The endeavour of course doesn't have to be walking the US-Mexico border, but that's something to be said for taking on a task whose outcome isn't certain.
Written by John Hyduk, "The Loading Dock Manifesto" is an account of the author's job for a beverage distributor along with past work experiences. It's solid writing that relates what's it's like to have something far removed from a white collar career and life.
With myself as a reader having said white collar circumstances, it's interested reading about someone in a completely different orbit (which is of course is what can happen through reading).
In addition to the story, I also found myself ruminating on the author himself. Here's a guy who can definitely write, is published in Esquire (with a byline note made of occasional publishing in Ohio and Cleveland magazines), but works on a loading dock. I'm interested in this idea of a guy with writing talent who doesn't actually write as his full time job.
Does he want to write for a living, but can't catch a break? Is his stuff simply not good enough (though, this piece certainly is solid)? Is he not able to write as compelling prose if not about his life? Or, is he simply satisfied with his life and work (including both the loading dock and writing) and doesn't want to change?
I certainly can't say, but (without knowing there is any sad tale there) you gotta allow for the possibility that this is someone with a job that meets his needs and a writing interest that he's able to do well on the side... and he's good with that. If that's the case, then kudos to Hyduk for carving out something that works for him.
All conjecture here of course, but me thinks interesting things to ruminate on, and an interesting essay to read.
-----
Two additional pieces of writing from this issue of Esquire that while they didn't strike me as much as that from Hyduk, I found of note.
Financial writer Ken Kurson did "Let Them Eat iPads" on his prediction of coming inflation... and ways to have the possibility guide one's investing. Definitely seems like there's something to his premise as higher prices on a variety of goods and services appears to be more and more widespread.
"Walking the Border" is a feature from Luke Dittrich that chronicles the first part of his solo journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The writing wasn't bad by any means, but what stood out to me was this idea of taking on a challenge. The endeavour of course doesn't have to be walking the US-Mexico border, but that's something to be said for taking on a task whose outcome isn't certain.
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