Fiction

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

Fleeing the Red Pharaohs: On Emil Draitser’s “Farewell, Mama Odessa”
Oleg Ivanov follows the tragicomic travails of Soviet émigrés in “Farewell, Mama Odessa” by Emil Draitser.
Oleg IvanovJan 20, 2020
- Around the World
- Fiction
Normality Becomes Madness: Trauma in Contemporary Nordic Speculative Fiction
Katie Smith looks at three recent books to consider how Nordic SF writers grapple with trauma through highly experimental prose.
Katie SmithJan 20, 2020
After Hours Capitalism: On Tom Lutz’s “Born Slippy”
Howard Rodman reviews "Born Slippy," the debut novel from Tom Lutz.
Howard A. RodmanJan 15, 2020
- Fiction
Unwrapping Longing: A Conversation with Neda Disney
Aaron Shulman speaks to Neda Disney about her debut novel, “Planting Wolves.”
Aaron ShulmanJan 13, 2020
- Fiction
That Glittering Southern Light
A new collection of stories explores the global contrast between North and South.
Gerri KimberJan 12, 2020
- Around the World
- Fiction
“Deflected by This Bitter Era”: On Olga Livshin’s “A Life Replaced” and Olga Zilberbourg’s “Like Water and Other Stories”
Linda Kinstler finds a resonance between “A Life Replaced” by Olga Livshin and “Like Water and Other Stories” by Olga Zilberbourg.
Linda KinstlerJan 11, 2020
Extras: A Short Story by Yuri Felsen
Bryan Karetnyk introduces his translation of “Extras,” a short story by Yuri Felsen, a Russian émigré author whose English-language debut is long overdue.
Bryan Karetnyk, Yuri FelsenJan 8, 2020
- Around the World
- Fiction
Queer Nigerians Rewrite the Body
Erik Gleibermann on the emerging generation of LGBT Nigerian writers.
Erik GleibermannJan 6, 2020
Big Lit Meets the Mexican Americans: A Study in White Supremacy
Latinx novelist Michael Nava considers the unbearable whiteness of publishing.
Michael NavaJan 2, 2020
- Fiction
- Politics
Merchants of Hate: The Dreyfus Affair Revisited
The Dreyfus Affair split France into two warring camps, and still inspires storytelling.
Theo ZenouJan 2, 2020
Lost and Found: Reading Joan Didion in California
Scott Bradfield reviews the Library of America edition of Joan Didion’s early novels and essays.
Scott BradfieldJan 1, 2020
- Fiction
- Memoir & Essay
Acts of Memory, Acts of Power: On Shenaz Patel’s “Silence of the Chagos”
Ariel Saramandi reviews "Silence of the Chagos" by Shenaz Patel.
Ariel SaramandiDec 30, 2019
- Around the World
- Fiction