... a stunning, beautiful meditation on life in rural America ... All 18 of the essays in this volume, including "Hide-And-Seek", weave themselves into a world where the sadness of repressed family anger is forgiven through the grace of a beautiful essay. But they're not all easy -- none of them are bland and comfortable and non-threatening ... Each entry in this book delivers on the promise of its title. This one will hurt, the next one will support, and yet another will challenge. No matter which drink you choose from this case, you'll be surprised by its staying power.
... a collection of hard-hitting essays that leave the reader in no doubt that he is a writer of considerable talent ... Crenshaw... writes honestly, luminously and unsparingly ... These essays are written with poetic stoicism. Paradoxically, this is precisely this quality that makes Crenshaw’s essays powerfully redemptive. Like the tornadoes he describes, This One Will Hurt You reveals that it is the harshness of life that creates its beauty and gives it meaning.
... the best of these essays... provide textbook examples of the craft ... Most collections of previously published essays are necessarily uneven. This one is no exception, but the best pieces are worthy of inclusion in the Best American Essays series.
Crenshaw’s evocative descriptions of place... balances well with his confessional style. Throughout this fine collection, Crenshaw proves a deeply self-reflective narrator, able to expose his innermost worries while remaining keenly aware of the world around him.
