The Best American Magazine Writing 2008 – Compiled by the American Society of Magazine Editors

The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) is a nonprofit professional organization for editors of print and online magazines edited, published, and distributed in the United States. Established in 1963, ASME currently has around 900 members nationwide and, in association with the Columbia School of Journalism, sponsors the National Magazine Awards.

Jacob Weisberg is editor in chief of the Slate Group. He has written for the New Republic, Newsweek, New York magazine, and Vanity Fair, and is the author of several books, including, most recently, The Bush Tragedy.

Contents
Introduction
Jacob Weisberg, editor-in-chief, Slate
Acknowledgments
Cindi Leive, editor-in-chief, Glamour and Immediate Past President of ASME1. Everybody Sucks
Vanessa Grigoriadis
New York
Finalist—Feature Writing2. China's Instant Cities
Peter Hessler
National Geographic
Winner—Reporting3. Present at the Creation
Matthew Scully
The Atlantic
Finalist—Profile Writing4. The Black Sites
Jane Mayer
The New Yorker
Finalist—Reporting5. Specialist Town Takes His Case to Washington
Joshua Kors
The Nation
Winner—Public Interest6. City of Fear
William Langewiesche
Vanity Fair
Finalist—Reporting7. "You Have Thousands of Angels Around You"
Paige Williams
Atlanta
Winner—Feature Writing8. Obama's Moment
Matt Taibbi
Rolling Stone
Winner—Columns and Commentary9. Out in the Cold
Mike Kessler
5280: Denver's Mile-High Magazine
Finalist—Public Interest10. Brouhahaha
Hendrik Hertzberg
The New Yorker
Finalist—Columns and Commentary11. Pat Dollard's War on Hollywood
Evan Wright
Vanity Fair
Winner—Profile Writing12. The Autumn of the Multitaskers
Walter Kirn
The Atlantic
Finalist—Essays13. Betrayed
George Packer
The New Yorker
Finalist—Public Interest14. Babes in the Woods
Caitlin Flanagan
The Atlantic
Winner—Reviews and Criticism15. Underworld
Jeanne Marie Laskas
GQ
Finalist—Feature Writing16. I Am Joe's Prostate
Thomas E. Kennedy
New Letters
Winner—Essays17. American Roulette
Kurt Andersen
New York
Finalist—Columns and Commentary18. Casualties of War
Steve Oney
Los Angeles
Finalist—Profile Writing19. So Many Men's Rooms, So Little Time
Christopher Hitchens
Slate
Finalist—Columns and Commentary20. Don't Cry For Me, Iwo Jima
Tom Carson
GQ
Finalist—Reviews and Criticism2008 National Magazine Award Finalists
Judges, 2008
National Magazine Award Winners, 1966–2008
ASME Board of Directors, 2007–2008
Permissions
List of Contributors