The Paris Review, Issue 245, Fall 2023

by Emily Stokes (Editor)

Robert Glück on the Art of Fiction: “When people would ask me—and sometimes they did—to write about them, I’d reply, ‘First, break my heart.’”
Lynn Nottage on the Art of Theater: “I embrace the fact that I write plays that are popular. Audiences make their own decisions.”

Prose by Rosalind Brown, Munir Hachemi, and Ishion Hutchinson.

Poetry by Bei Dao, D. A. Powell, and Mónica de la Torre.

Art by Eric Nathaniel Mack and Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, and cover by Joeun Kim Aatchim.

FICTION
Rosalind Brown, A Narrow Room
Alena Graedon, No Changing
Munir Hachemi, Living Things
Moira McCavana, Every Hair Casts a Shadow
Liam Sherwin-Murray, Supportive Husband

INTERVIEW
Lynn Nottage, The Art of Theater No. 19
Robert Glück, The Art of Fiction No. 260

POETRY
Bei Dao, from Sidetracks
Mónica de la Torre, Flip Side
Jolanda Insana, Noose soaked in orange blossom water
Nora Claire Miller, Rumor
D. A. Powell, As for What the Rain Can Do
Katana Smith, & Nothing Happens
Olivia Sokolowski, Lover of Cars
Yuki Tanaka, Aubade

PORTFOLIO
Eric Nathaniel Mack, Sketches
Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, Companions

COVER
Joeun Kim Aatchim, Issue No. 245 Cover

ESSAY
Ishion Hutchinson, A Room in August Town

Genres: Poetry, Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2023

Reviews

[Jose Carpio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highlights in this one:
Rosalind Brown "A Narrow Room"
Munir Hachemi "Living Things"
Alena Graedon "No Changing"

[angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

faves here: bei dao poem, robert glück interview, no changing by alena graedon

honorable mention: every hair casts a shadow by moira mccavana

[Evangeline Studzinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlights for me: The Art of Theatre Lynn Nottage (Interview); As for What the Rain Can Do by D.A. Powell (Poem); Living Things by Munir Hachemi (Prose); No Changing by Alena Graedon (Prose).

[Bella Meincke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not to be dramatic, but this issue was so boring it made me cancel my subscription.

[Lucy]

Yeah it took a while, I know.

[Stephen De · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every Hair Casts a Shadow by Moira McCavana, The Gluck interview, and No Changing by Alena Graedon were the standouts for me.

While I understood why Supportive Husband by Liam Sherwin-Murray is a good story and is noted by others who have read this issue, it brought me no real joy to read, but I did read it because it was a bit of a car crash that I wanted to see the end of. A Room in August Town by Ishion Hutchinson on the other hand I couldn't finish, couldn't keep my attention.

Living Things by Munir Hachemi was okay along with A Narrow Room by Rosalind Brown.

[Kimmy Birdsell · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite pieces in this were Supportive Husband by Liam Sherwin-Murray, A Narrow Room by Rosalind Brown, and the Robert Glück interview by Lucy Ives. This is my first time reading the Paris Review and I absolutely loved it. Many bits and bobs have been very inspiring.

[Margaret Perkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only really enjoyed two stories in this issue: Every Hair Casts a Shadow by Moira McCavana and Supportive Husband by Liam Sherwin-Murray.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorites in this issue: Liam Sherwin-Murray (“Supportive Husband”) and Alena Graedon (“No Changing”)

[Dieuwke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as lyric about this one as I was about some previous issues. The interviews have become my first choice over the years, and they’re always good.

[Kaiju Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Emily Stokes issue to read, and overall, I quite liked it. A 'Men behaving badly' theme felt maybe a little too omnipresent, but whatever, I don't mind a solid if unstated theme. Too early to tell whether my opinion will waver, but certainly I’ll miss Nemen's edginess and willingness to publish stories that overlap into the supernatural, even edging into horror and speculative fiction. I find literary stories with those leanings often powerful and overlooked in today’s market. For example: it feels like Nemen’s PR would’ve been a good place for Shirley Jackson to publish.

None of the poetry truly wowed me. I couldn’t even finish the Nottage interview. And the Gluck interview was fine, but nothing special. Mack’s ‘Sketches’ I found captivating but fell into the “I don’t get it” category of art. Equally, the Frimkess pottery baffles and didn’t appeal. But I love having my horizons expanded, and both those segments did, so no regrets.

The fiction standouts:

Supportive Husband by Liam Murray-Sherwin – There’s a conversation in this story about irony. Tad is not a supportive husband. At least deep down. He’s repulsive and doesn’t have the self-awareness to know it. This is a well written story that is often entertaining in full ironic mode, but as we’re tied to a clueless lead character incapable of learning, it felt shallow. Shallow is probably the point. Typically, I love these types of stories. Had there been some indication that Tad could unstick himself for his suckiness, or conversely, receive some sort of judgment, then my enjoyment would increase. A good story, if unsettling. 3.5 stars.

A Narrow Room by Rosalind Brown – I really loved the accessible prose considering the experimental approach. Brown tells this story from deep within the character Annabelle’s head. As she works on an essay covering Shakespeare’s sonnets, her mind actually produces text in that form, in that language, she creates characters that exist in her own world, as she herself exists in her own world. It’s a dreamy and deeply personal connection we have with Annabelle. At times challenging, and sometimes tedious, I imagine the novel version, The Practice, either solves or worsens those issues. Either way. Good solid story. 3.75 stars.

Living Things by Munir Hachemi – A disturbing and sometimes scatterbrained account of the author’s slightly fictionalized workings alongside some friends in what can only be called big food’s unethical and often illegal practices. The prose (or at least translation) isn’t as slick as Bolano, but one still gets that Bolano feeling of self-destructiveness mixed with self-importantance and ultimately self-actualization. This too appears to be an excerpt from a not-too-much longer work coming out later. I’m less excited to read further along these lines than with A Narrow Room, but will look into it. Regardless, this is engaging and interesting stuff. 3.75 stars.

A Room in August Town by Ishion Hutchinson – Both this story and all the poems in previous issues by Ishion haven’t worked for me. A Room starts off somewhat strong but dissolves into an aimless list of student activities. I found the story lacked focus. A shorter targeted view of the room and related material would’ve been more engaging. 1.5 stars.

[Dave F F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Supportive Husband" blew my mind. It made me feel stoned even though I wasn't. I was reading George Saunders, "A Swim in a Pond in the Rain," at the same time and it seemed to me that "Supportive Husband" did all (or lots) of the things that Saunders said Chekov did in the first story Saunders looks at. I mean in terms of technique. Anyway. Amazing! And the author has no internet presence to speak of. Like a flash of lightning he comes on the scene. It's time to celebrate the arrival of a new WRITER.

[Bridget Bonaparte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the two short stories, both pregnancy related, bit odd. Also loved the poem ‘Aubade’ and could certainly do without the DMT memoir piece. Have already read Living Things by Munir Hachemi but now that I’m saying that I can’t actually remember what journal that was in and might have been in the granta lol

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars for "A Narrow Room" (Rosalind Brown), "Living Things" (Munir Hachemi), "& Nothing Happens" (Katana Smith), "Aubade" (Yuki Tanaka), and the interview with Robert Glück.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favourite was No Changing but enjoyed them all. Lover of Cars and Aubade for the poems.

[Olegs Tkacevs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alena Graedon "No Changing" is really good!

[Dominic Z.]

A Narrow Room, A Room in August Town, the Bei Dao poetry, and the Glück interview were the highlights. Everything else was also pretty good, except for that dreadful car poem.

[Christina]

Highlights: Munir Hachemi, Alena Graedon, Ishion Hutchinson. Interviews (always). Honorable mention: Robert Glück’s pottery.

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Save me the return of print magazines 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[Cto3]

Loved virtually all of it, special highlights being “Supportive Husband”, both interviews, the Bei Dao poem, “Living Things”, and “Every Hair Casts a Shadow”.

[Amie]

I liked A Narrow Room and Lover of Cars. Otherwise, this issue wasn’t as great for me.

[Marie.]

Favourites;
- Living Things by Munir Hachemi (prose)
- A Room in August Town by Ishion Hutchinson (prose)
- Every Hair Casts a Shadow by Moira MccCavana (prose)
- Aubade by Yuki Tanaka (poetry)

[Emmapettitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

It must be me, but most of the stories in here seem very self-centred - perhaps it's the theme of this issue? I'm fairly bored by most of them, and those in the Winter issue, too.

[Raena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for "Supportive Husband" by Liam Sherwin-Murray.

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't love the poetry in this edition. "No Changing" was spectacular.

[Kamran Sehgal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually the interviews are my favourite part of a Paris Review but in this issue they were rather lacklustre. My favourites were the short stories Alena Graedon's "No Changing", Munir Hachemi's "Living Things", and Ishion Hutchinson's "A Room in August Town".