Issue 38. July 2013
Excerpt from The Last Repatriate
downloadMatthew Salesses' novella The Last Repatriate tells the story of Theodore Dickerson, a prisoner who eventually returns to his home in Virginia in the midst of the McCarthy Era. He is welcomed back as a hero, though he has not returned unscathed. The lasting effects of the POW camp and troubles with his ex-fiancée complicate his new marriage as he struggles to readjust to the Virginia he holds dear. The letter from Teddy's fiancée is read by Joanne Barker. (11:09)
Taking
downloadIn Alix Ohlin's "Taking," the memory game played by two sisters in childhood finds heartbreaking resonance in the events of their lives. "Taking" explores the often painful connections between memory and loss, possession and disappearance, in prose of melancholic power. (6:14)
Writing Race in Novels
downloadMitali Perkins' essay "Writing Race in Novels" is both a collection of practical advice on a matter of writing craft, and a philosophical analysis of how our treatment of identity--our own or that of others--reveals how we approach otherness. Though this essay is directed towards writers, it bears thought-provoking ideas for non-writers as well. (8:38)
Reading at Brookline Booksmith
downloadIn this recording of her June 19 appearance at Brookline Booksmith, acclaimed novelist Lionel Shriver reads from her new novel Big Brother and discusses issues surrounding obesity in our culture. In her introduction to a short reading, and in her answers to audience questions, Shriver speaks with passion and insight about such topics as personal responsibility, government missteps, and the power of family and sibling relationships. (57:22)
Finding Forgiveness in a Ziploc
downloadHer husband's placement of a Ziploc bag at a TSA screening station becomes a watershed moment for Jane Hamilton as she contemplates the intricacies and interdependencies of marriage. "Finding Forgiveness in a Ziploc" takes us through fury to empathy, examining the ways in which imagination can lead to understanding. (11:04)
