Alejandro Zambra’s ‘Chilean Poet’ Is a Tender Ode to Parents and Language
In ‘Chilean Poet’, Alejandro Zambra reaches the sublime through descriptions of everyday routine amongst family members – however they describe themselves.
literary fiction
For Don DeLillo, ‘The Silence’ Is Deafening
In Don DeLillo’s The Silence, it is much like our post-pandemic life – everything changed but nothing happened. Are we listening?
Privacy and Alt-Right Transhumanism in Hari Kunzru’s ‘Red Pill’
Kunzru excels in capturing the geist in alt-right circles in his latest work, Red Pill, from the callous philosophy down to the very language.
‘Yours, Jean’ Is a Perfect Mixture of Tragedy, Repressed Desire, and Poor Impulse Control
Lee Martin's Yours, Jean is a perfectly balanced and heartbreaking mix of true crime narrative and literary fiction.
New Translation of Balzac’s ‘Lost Illusions’ Captivates
More than just a tale of one man's fall, Balzac's Lost Illusions charts how literature becomes another commodity in a system that demands backroom deals, moral compromise, and connections.
Short Stories: Beginnings and Endings
These five short stories are about new beginnings and unsettling endings that aren’t really endings.
The Soul of the Machine in William Gibson’s ‘Agency’
In William Gibson's prequel to The Peripheral, Agency, Hillary Clinton is president, but that's only a detail.
Ted Chiang’s ‘Exhalation’ Calmly Stares Oblivion in the Face
With his second collection of short stories, Exhalation, master of existential science fiction Ted Chiang explores AI, time travel, and alternate realities with the studious eye of an anthropologist.
‘Good on Paper’ Asks, Is Fidelity Possible?
Rachel Cantor follows A Highly Unlikely Scenario with a literary mystery about the difficulties of translating art into life and life into art.
Jonathan Franzen Pulls a Convincing Authorial Disappearing Act in ‘Purity’
Franzen's latest is a fulfilling if frustrating exploration of our modern identity crisis.
Indecent Exposure and Christopher Beha’s ‘Arts & Entertainments’
This story, although not mindless, is kind of a trashy read; rather like the celebrity culture it critiques.