In our afternoon reading: musings on Deborah Levy’s new novel, nonfiction from Jami Attenberg, and more.
D. Harlan Wilson on the Literary Afterlife of Daniel Paul Schreber
The Psychotic Dr. Schreber, the latest book from D. Harlan Wilson, is a nearly indescribable blend of unsettling fiction, historical rumination, and cultural criticism. It’s also an utterly gripping literary work, one that takes bold risks and makes incredible use of an unconventional structure. In revisiting the life of a man best-known for Sigmund Freud’s writing on his case, Wilson details the ways in which Schreber remains relevant today — and traces the way he’s left his mark on everything from medical history to popular culture. I talked with Wilson about the genesis of the book and its unexpected scope via email.
Morning Bites: Paula Bomer Nonfiction, Unexpected Halloween Reading, Anne Elliott Interviewed, and More
In our morning reading: new writing by Paula Bomer, great Halloween reads, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Javier Marías’s Latest, Jokha Alharthi, Josh Malerman Interviewed, Thomas J. Campanella on Brooklyn, and More
In our afternoon reading: a review of Javier Marías’s new novel, an interview with Josh Malerman, and more.
The Unexpected Fun and Disquieting Worlds of Oliver Zarandi
Full disclosure: I blurbed Oliver Zarandi’s new collection Soft Fruit in the Sun, so I’m not exactly an impartial observer when it comes to his writing. But that’s not a bad thing: Zarandi is a writer worth championing, someone whose writing takes readers to wholly unexpected places and revels in bizarre yet familiar imagery. And so we talked about the making of his collection, the writers he admirers most, and what his take is on the current Premier League season.
Morning Bites: Jami Attenberg, Leland Cheuk Excerpted, Yoko Ogawa, Marco Rafalà’s Playlist, and More
In our morning reading: a review of Jami Attenberg’s new novel, an excerpt from Leland Cheuk’s latest, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Mario Levrero, Revisiting Charles Willeford, Kate Walbert’s Stories, Peter Mishler, and More
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on the writings of Mario Levrero, revisiting Kate Walbert’s short fiction, and more.
Six Ridiculous Questions: Paul Crenshaw
The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.