Fiction

"Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't." — Mark Twain

A Set of Vicious Russian Nesting Dolls: On Varlam Shalamov’s “Sketches of the Criminal World: Further Kolyma Stories”
Patrick Kurp reads and rereads “Sketches of the Criminal World,” the second volume of Varlam Shalamov’s Kolyma stories translated by Donald Rayfield.
Patrick KurpApr 20, 2020
- Around the World
- Fiction
An Ersatz Wonderland: On Stephen Wright’s “Processed Cheese”
Stephen Wright’s new novel is a scathingly funny satire of an ad-saturated, media-distracted, money-dominated society.
Rob LathamApr 14, 2020
- Fiction
The Intimacies of Violence: Sema Kaygusuz’s “Every Fire You Tend”
Helen Mackreath reviews the novel "Every Fire You Tend," written by Sema Kaygusuz and translated by Nicholas Glastonbury.
Helen MackreathApr 10, 2020
- Around the World
- Fiction
The Feminine Ending: On Women’s Writing in Yiddish, Now Available in English
Madeleine Cohen greets new English translations of women authors who wrote in Yiddish.
Madeleine CohenApr 10, 2020
Language Is a Casualty of War: A Conversation with Beth Piatote
Sam Levin talks with writer Beth Piatote about her debut short story collection, “The Beadworkers.”
Sam LevinApr 9, 2020
- Fiction
The Dead Against the Living: On Hilary Mantel’s “The Mirror & The Light”
Maya Chhabra looks at “The Mirror & The Light,” the conclusion to Hilary Mantel’s Thomas Cromwell trilogy.
Maya ChhabraApr 9, 2020
- Fiction
Knowing and Not Knowing: An Interview with Emily St. John Mandel
Rachel Barenbaum interviews author Emily St. John Mandel about her new novel, “The Glass Hotel.”
Rachel BarenbaumApr 8, 2020
- Fiction
Totally Grounded: A Conversation with Daniel José Older on “The Book of Lost Saints”
Marcos Damián León talks to Daniel José Older about his recently published book, "The Book of Lost Saints."
Marcos Damián LeónApr 8, 2020
- Fiction
The Narrative Wars: A Conversation with Juan Gabriel Vásquez
A major Colombian author discusses the challenges of speaking truth in a “post-truth” era.
Gwen BurnyeatApr 6, 2020
For the Homeland but Not for Stalin: On Alexander Tvardovsky’s “Vasili Tyorkin: A Book about a Soldier”
Geoffrey Hosking salutes Alexander Tvardovsky’s “Vasili Tyorkin: A Book about a Soldier,” translated by James Womack.
Geoffrey HoskingApr 5, 2020
This Is Your Home Now: On Juliana Delgado Lopera’s “Fiebre Tropical”
Florencia Orlandoni experiences "Fiebre Tropical," the new novel from Juliana Delgado Lopera.
Florencia OrlandoniApr 3, 2020
- Fiction
- Gender & Sexuality
I Want to Draw Big Pictures: A Conversation with Mari Coates on “The Pelton Papers”
Eleanor J. Bader talks to Mari Coates about her new novel, “The Pelton Papers.”
Eleanor J. BaderApr 2, 2020
- Fiction