Supernova

by Dani Shapiro, Benjamin Samuel (Introduction)

What fascinating about Dani Shapiro's story "Supernova" is "its focus on the minor catastrophe that is Shenkman, a relatively prosperous man whose minor shortcomings feel, to him alone, monumental and impossible to overlook," writes Benjamin Samuel, Co-Editor of Electric Literature, in his introduction to this issue of Recommended Reading. "Despite rowing everyday, obsessively racing against an old rival in a computerized simulation, nobody even knows Shenkman still competing. Worse still, he isn't even trying to win anymore, just trying to transpose his sense of defeat on anyone left in the race. Shenkman's last hope for achieving something is his son, Waldo, who spends so much time stargazing, so disconnected from the real world, that he's slipped out of Shenkman's reach. "'Supernova' is a story that succeeds because of its remarkable treatment of the mediocre, it's focus on the middle of the pack where most of spend our days. It reminds us that we can exalt the quotidian, and that normalcy can be something to commemorate....Because most of the time existence doesn't end with a bang or even a whimper, sometimes life ends with a shrug." About the Dani Shapiro is the author of five novels and three memoirs. Her newest, Still The Pleasures and Perils of a Creative Life, is just out. About Electric Electric Literature is an independent publisher working to ensure that literature remains a vibrant presence in popular culture. Electric Literature’s weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to recommended great fiction. Once a month we feature our own recommendation of original, previously unpublished fiction, accompanied by a Single Sentence Animation. Single Sentence Animations are creative the author chooses a favorite sentence and we commission an artist to interpret it. Stay connected with us through our eNewsletter (where you can win weekly prizes), Facebook, and Twitter, and find previous Electric Literature picks in the Recommended Reading archives.

19 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2013

About the author

Dani Shapiro is the bestselling author of the memoirs Hourglass, Still Writing, Devotion, and Slow Motion, and five novels including Black & White and Family History. She lives with her family in LItchfield County, Connecticut. Her latest memoir, Inheritance, will be published by Knopf in January, 2019.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I am a huge Dani Shapiro fan, I didn't particularly connect with this one. It meandered around a bit too much and I found the characters depressing. Nevertheless she is a very talented writer with a great many other books worthy of exploring.

[Robyn Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mm, that has to be a courtesy rating, because I read this not more than a few weeks ago, and I can barely remember anything happening in it.