Houghton Mifflin's Best American Series features genre-specific writing collected and edited by notable editors. Members of the series include "The Best American Science and Nature Writing", "The Best American Essays", "The Best American Mystery Stories", and "The Best American Sports Writing." The most recent addition to the series to hit the stands, "The Best American Nonrequired Reading", is new in 2002 and flaunts a departure from its forbearers: the lack of a unifying genre.

One might expect such a ironic twist from the collection's editor, Dave Eggers. Eggers is known chiefly for the very bestselling memoir, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," which in 2000 turned him into an overnight pop-cultural icon. Eggers has been busy this past year with the release of his first novel, "You Shall Know Our Velocity," and his work at San Francisco's 826 Valencia writing lab.

826 Valencia, named for its address in the mission district, is an altruistic writing lab founded by Eggers to help young people learn and hone the craft that has made him famous. There, Eggers and a staff of volunteers help young people, ages 8 to 18, improve their writing skills and learn new ones.

"We offer drop-in tutoring, in-class workshops, free classes and vocational training, and scholarships."

According to Eggers, it was the high-school aged youth to which this center caters, along with a number of the 826 Valencia's volunteer tutors who spent untold hours reading and discussing the stacks of submissions that were considered for "The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2002." The result is a genre-defiant collection that while intended for readers 15-25, goes well beyond that mission statement by engaging, stimulating, and entertaining readers of all ages.

The pieces range from fiction to non-fiction, from international journalism to the poignant diary of a high school freshman who calls herself Zoe Trope. There are humorous selections from The Onion, as well as crucially investigative non-fiction articles including Eric Schlosser's, "Why McDonald's Fries Taste So Good," the publication of which in The Atlantic Monthly incited radical Hindus to destroy McDonald's restaurants and stage riots all across India. A riveting article about methamphetamine usage in the slums of Bangkok, more than one glimpse at familial dysfunction, and a hilarious David Sedaris essay about high school popularity are among the more than 20 selections from mainstream and alternative American periodicals which include The New Yorker, Jane, ZYZZYVA, Modern Humorist, and others.

"I wonder if written in the correct order could the correct words make a difference in someone's life," asks the Pampleteer in Jenny Bitner's story of the same name.

"The Pamphleteer" falls as the first piece in the collection, which is arranged alphabetically by author. However, it seems to me more than coincidental that we should enter into this journey of words by considering the possible effect words might have upon us, the readers. Like all writers, the pamphleteer seeks through words to brilliantly ignite a single moment for her readers, and have the reader affected by that transaction, however subtly. And whether you fall into the targeted age group of 15 - 25 or perhaps like me a bit more aged, something in "The Best American Nonrequired Reading," will change you, however subtlety.