She either runs or turns her back on it. I know why. It’s because she’s afraid. I am, too, but I don’t run. I fight.
Writing the Soul of a Place: An Interview With Jennifer Haigh
"For me, writing a novel is an exercise in empathy. If I can’t imagine being these people, I shouldn’t be writing about them."
The Wanting
Put simply, the wanting was for one thing only:
Poems by Bijan Elahi Translated from Farsi
Before cocks crowed I believed your eyelids opened dawn’s book.
The Ass and His Masters
The Corporation took hold of him with its promises of healthcare and bonuses. But how much would he have to sell before he was happy?
Ask the Editor: An Interview with Marisa Siegel of The Rumpus
The Rumpus' Marisa Siegel talks about shining a light on stories that build bridges, tear down walls, and speak truth to power.
Apophenia
I’m a little confused.
Review: Thick, And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom
An essay collection that speaks to personal experience while demonstrating broader truths about race in America.
Review: New Selected Poems by Thom Gunn
Thom Gunn's work evokes an oozing liminality that is addressed in an interest in the body and masculinity—ranging from cowboys to Elvis.
Canon Fodder: Dictée by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha
Growing up, Megan Sungyoon found the unconventional structure of Theresa Hak Kyung Cha's Dictée mirrored her own experience learning English.
Review: Beneath the Sleepless Tossing of the Planets by Makoto Ooka
A new edition of selected poems by Makoto Ooka, translated by Janine Beichman, is a treasure chest for lovers of Japanese poetry.
Emotion Congealed in Language: An Interview with Lisa Gornick
Lisa Gornick discusses writing about real historical figures in fiction and the many overlaps between writing and psychology.