A remembrance of Howard Nemerov, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and longtime WashU professor of English in Arts & Sciences, has been named to the Notable Essays list in “Best American Essays 2024.”
Titled “Flying Home,” the essay was written by Nemerov’s son Alexander Nemerov, a professor of art history at Stanford University. It was first published, both online and in print, by The Common Reader, the journal of essays and ideas housed at WashU.
During World War II, Howard Nemerov (1920-1991) was the lone American in a Royal Air Force squadron flying missions over Europe. The essay was prompted by a photograph, sent to Alexander many years later by a member of that squadron, taken from the wing of Nemerov’s plane. Yet the essay also explores Alexander’s relationship with his mother, a British citizen who was injured during the Blitz and who later followed Howard to the United States aboard a troop transport carrying wounded soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge.
Founded in 1986, “Best American Essays” honors the year’s finest works of creative nonfiction. As with other titles in the Best American series, the selection process begins with the series editor, Kim Dana Kupperman, choosing roughly 100 candidate articles. From this group, guest editor Wesley Morris, the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, selected approximately 20 for the 2024 volume, which will be released Oct. 22. The remaining nominees are highlighted in the Notable Essays list.
