Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award Finalists

Today they announced the shortlist for the 2013 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award: Tea at the Midland and Other Stories, by David Constantine Siege 13, by Tamas Dobozy Black Vodka, by Deborah Levy Black Dahlia & White Rose, by Joyce Carol Oates We're Flying, by Peter Stamm Battleborn, by Claire Vaye Watkins The winner will [...]

By |2013-05-31T13:57:47-04:00May 31st, 2013|Categories: Uncategorized|1 Comment

Naomi Alderman: “Soon and in Our Days”

Naomi Alderman's “Soon and in Our Days” is the fourth story in Granta 123: Best of Young British Novelists 4. For an overview of the issue and links to my reviews of its other stories, please click here. This is the first piece so far that is a stand-alone story rather than an excerpt from a forthcoming [...]

By |2013-05-29T16:49:48-04:00May 29th, 2013|Categories: Naomi Alderman|2 Comments

Episode 8: Kingsley Amis’s The Alteration and The Green Man

This month, we are joined by Nick During of NYRB Classics to discuss Kingsley Amis's novels The Alteration and The Green Man. We do apologize to you and to Nick, though, because for some reason only half of our discussion was recorded. Brian and I did get back together a few weeks later (finding time was difficult) and [...]

By |2014-04-09T12:16:22-04:00May 28th, 2013|Categories: Podcast|2 Comments

Akhil Sharma: “We Didn’t Like Him”

Click here to read the abstract of the story on The New Yorker webpage (this week’s story is available only for subscribers). Akhil Sharma’s “We Didn't Like Him” was originally published in the June 3, 2013 issue of The New Yorker. Betsy I liked Akhil Sharma’s “We Didn’t Like Him,” whose setting is the land of death and what we do to [...]

By |2013-05-29T13:33:59-04:00May 27th, 2013|Categories: Akhil Sharma, New Yorker Fiction|11 Comments

2013 Man Booker International Prize Winner

They've just announced this year's winner of the Man Booker International Prize: Lydia Davis I'm thrilled at this news. Not only is Lydia Davis one of my favorite writers, she is also a short story writer and a supreme translator (in fact, the only thing I have reviewed here from her is her translation of Vivant [...]

By |2013-05-22T17:21:03-04:00May 22nd, 2013|Categories: Uncategorized|5 Comments

Leandro Sarmatz: “The Count”

Leandro Sarmatz’s “The Count” (“O Conde”; tr. from the Portuguese by Peter Bush) is the ninth story in Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists. For an overview of the issue and links to my reviews of its other stories, please click here. This relatively short piece (only five pages) centers around Emil Fleischer, a Yiddish actor from [...]

By |2013-05-22T13:30:44-04:00May 22nd, 2013|Categories: Leandro Sarmatz|0 Comments

Albertine Sarrazin: Astragal

Long out of print in the United States, Astragal (L'Astragale, 1965; tr. from the French by Patsy Southgate, 1967) came to New Directions in a wonderful way. One day Barbara Epler, publisher and president of New Directions, was talking to Patti Smith about favorite authors when Smith brought up Albertine Sarrazin. Epler admitted she had never heard [...]

By |2013-05-21T15:05:44-04:00May 21st, 2013|Categories: Albertine Sarrazin|0 Comments

2013 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize Winner

The winner of this year's Independent Foreign Fiction Prize was just announced. The Detour, by Gerbrand Bakker; tr from the Dutch by David Colmer (in the U.S. this book was published as Ten White Geese) Exciting news! I haven't read The Detour (or Ten White Geese) yet, but Bakker's The Twin is one of those great books that I think about [...]

By |2013-05-20T14:39:54-04:00May 20th, 2013|Categories: Uncategorized|2 Comments

Steven Millhauser: “Thirteen Wives”

Click here to read the story in its entirety on The New Yorker webpage. Steven Millhauser’s “Thirteen Wives” was originally published in the May 27, 2013 issue of The New Yorker. Click for a larger image. Betsy Steven Millhauser’s “Thirteen wives” is a mix of fiction, fantasy, advice, and memoir, and it’s magnificent.  In thirteen parts, ostensibly told [...]

By |2013-05-21T14:41:22-04:00May 20th, 2013|Categories: New Yorker Fiction, Steven Millhauser|4 Comments

Laura Erber: “That Wind Blowing Through the Plaza”

Laura Erber’s "That Wind Blowing Through the Plaza” ("Aquele vento na praça"; tr. from the Portuguese by Alison Entrekin) is the eighth story in Granta 121: The Best of Young Brazilian Novelists. For an overview of the issue and links to my reviews of its other stories, please click here. Besides being a writer, Laura Erber is also a [...]

By |2013-05-19T15:46:14-04:00May 19th, 2013|Categories: Laura Erber|0 Comments
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