Kristopher Jansma On Memory, Trauma, and the Making of “Our Narrow Hiding Places”

Kristopher Jansma

I’ve long been an admirer of Kristopher Jansma’s fiction and the way it blends an empathic view of the world with an abundance of stylistic verve. His new novel Our Narrow Hiding Places explores the complicated history of one family, beginning with the Nazi occupation of Holland and continuing on to the present day. (As an added bonus, Jansma and I grew up in adjoining New Jersey towns.) I spoke with him about his new book’s evolution, the real-life history he drew from when writing it, and his forthcoming nonfiction book Revisionaries.

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Books of the Month: August 2024

August 2024 Books

Behold, it’s August and — for the moment, at least — the weather is almost….nice? The heat and humidity aren’t conspiring to make our lives miserable; instead, there’s something almost cozy in the air. “Cozy” and “August” aren’t two words often used together, so it’s a moment worth savoring. Also? Books. We have some we’d like to recommend. Unnerving takes of the uncanny, thoughtful works of nonfiction, and sharp explorations of familial dynamics are all on the menu; read on for what we’re reading this month.

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