Literary Fiction

Sublime Neutrality

In contemporary fiction, “literary evil” has been replaced by “neurotics, malingerers, failed imposters”—but what are the consequences of this indifference to evil and the assumed moral neutrality?

Difficult Empathies

“What would a successful war novel look like? This question concealed a deeper question I had: What would a truthful Kashmir novel look like?”

Fool’s Gold

In the blurb-saturated present, authors can decry blurbs as corrupt and silly all they like. When they publish new books, however, they will be conscripted to marketing duties, obliged to solicit blurbs, and most will provide glowing snippets to hype their friends and colleagues too.