Narrative nonfiction at its cutting-edge best from writers at the cusp of recognition and fame.

Lee Gutkind, proclaimed the “Godfather behind creative nonfiction” by Vanity Fair, along with the staff of his landmark journal Creative Nonfiction, has culled alternative publications, ‘zines, blogs, podcasts, literary journals, and other often overlooked publications in search of new voices and innovative ideas—essays and articles written with panache and power.

“The Truth About Cops and Dogs,” by Rebecca Skloot, describes a vicious pack of wild dogs, preying on the domesticated pets of Manhattan. Monica Wojcik’s “The w00t Files,” for the chic geek crowd, comes directly from John McPhee’s famous Literature of Fact workshop at Princeton, a launching pad for famous young writers. Daniel Nestor, of McSweeney’s and Bookslut, explains James Frey, while the very overweight Michael Rosenwald becomes a Popular Science nearly nude centerfold in a quest for knowledge about high-tech diagnostics.