Shayla Lawson on Living Free in a Dangerous World – Chicago Review of Books

Shayla Lawson on Living Free in a Dangerous World – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] I think Shayla Lawson is a literary genius, so their new book, How to Live Free in a Dangerous World, was among my top most anticipated 2024 titles. Shayla is not only whip-smart—agonizingly careful with each word and comma, so every sentence they write packs a punch—but they’re also masterful at making connections. They … Read more

Silence and Shame in “Ordinary Human Failings” – Chicago Review of Books

Silence and Shame in “Ordinary Human Failings” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] Megan Nolan’s highly-anticipated sophomore novel carries the author’s essential voice into new and familiar territories. As a writer of essays, criticism, and fiction, Nolan is undoubtedly skilled at expounding facets of culture that divide and unite; her previous work, such as her column in The New Statesmen, explores modern anxieties, aesthetics, ideas of place … Read more

A Conversation with Amina Akhtar on “Almost Surely Dead” – Chicago Review of Books

A Conversation with Amina Akhtar on “Almost Surely Dead” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] On the way home from work, Dunia Ahmed is attacked and nearly flung to her death onto New York City subway tracks. When strangers manage to rescue her, the man who would have been her murderer ends his own life instead. The mystery of why someone Dunia had never met wanted her dead takes … Read more

Cis Male Heartbreak in Dolly Alderton’s “Good Material” – Chicago Review of Books

Cis Male Heartbreak in Dolly Alderton’s “Good Material” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] Dolly Alderton’s central narrative preoccupation across all her books has remained the same: depicting the tumult of seeking romantic love in one’s twenties and thirties, with all the attendant anxieties of false promises and disillusioned hopes. In Alderton’s first novel, Ghosts, a thirtysomething food writer, Nina, embarks on a fling that seems to promise … Read more

12 Must-Read Books of February 2024 – Chicago Review of Books

12 Must-Read Books of February 2024 – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s certainly full of exciting new releases! Here in Chicago, we’re trying to adjust to a winter that has been notably inconsistent. From frigid temperatures and snow to now relatively balmy temperatures, we’re here to say that things are certainly heating up both outside … Read more

Searching for Humanity’s Future in Bora Chung’s “Your Utopia” – Chicago Review of Books

Searching for Humanity’s Future in Bora Chung’s “Your Utopia” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] Bora Chung takes readers on a journey to the unexpected in her latest short story collection, Your Utopia. In her 2022 collection, Cursed Bunny, Chung showed us many types of monsters in stories ranging in varying degrees from speculative fiction to supernatural to horror. In Your Utopia, the narratives are decidedly more science fiction … Read more

Risking It All in The Mayor of Maxwell Street – Chicago Review of Books

Risking It All in The Mayor of Maxwell Street – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] In my opinion, writing historical fiction is somewhat of a Herculean task. While absolutely nothing about writing any novel is easy, there are unique difficulties that come with writing this specific genre. Oftentimes, extensive research is necessary to accurately reflect the appropriate language, clothes, and settings. More importantly though, authors of historical fiction must … Read more

The Translator’s Voice — Alison Anderson on Translating Muriel Barbery’s “One Hour of Fervor” – Chicago Review of Books

The Translator’s Voice — Alison Anderson on Translating Muriel Barbery’s “One Hour of Fervor” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] The Translator’s Voice is a new column from Ian J. Battaglia here at the Chicago Review of Books, dedicated to global literature and the translators who work tirelessly to bring these books to the English-reading audience. Subscribe to his newsletter to get notified of new editions as well as other notes on writing, art, … Read more

A First Look at Cavar’s “Failure to Comply” – Chicago Review of Books

A First Look at Cavar’s “Failure to Comply” – Chicago Review of Books

[ad_1] The Chicago Review of Books is excited to feature the cover reveal of Cavar’s debut novel, “Failure to Comply.” The blurb, author bio, and quotes that follow are all courtesy of the book’s publicist, Addie Tsai: “Failure to Comply is an abolitionist text concerned with trans, disabled, and Mad liberation as a speculative art…Every story … Read more