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Granta: The Magazine of New Writing #128
Granta 128: American Wild
When every inch of land has been conquered, when every place has been mapped, what is left to explore? This issue of Granta goes into the American wild, metaphorical and real. Includes contributions by David Treuer, Anne Carson, Anthony Doerr, Thomas McGuane, Martin Amis, Andrew Motion, Callan Wink, Claire Vaye Watkins, Melinda Moustakis, and
Mona Simpson.
Mona Simpson.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
About the author
Sigrid Rausing
46 books54 followersSigrid Rausing is Editor and Publisher of Granta magazine and Publisher of Granta and Portobello Books. She is the author of History, Memory and Identity in Post-Soviet Estonia: The End of a Collective Farm and Everything is Wonderful, which has been translated into four different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 7, 2020
Loved these short stories, they were all so varied and compelling, informative and transported me to huge unfamiliar landscapes. Great lockdown reading when troubled with short concentration span.
August 27, 2014
"It's not that the stuff is still here. It's not that the house still stands. It's that someone keeps the stuff on the shelves. It's that someone keeps the house standing."- Anthony Doerr
"'Now what the hell was that? I have no idea. Who knows where it came from and who knows how long it's been running? All I know is that there's a dentist in Dallas who would pull his own eye teeth to have that thing hanging on his wall. That's what we do here." -Callan Wink
"'...But here's some advice, fuck one and they'll think you want to fuck them all.'" - Melinda Moustakis
"Win or lose. Hit or be hit. He could control that. Sam dominated his opponent under the bright, artificial lights of the Northern Lights Casino as Waabojiig and all the other chiefs and warriors dominated their enemies before him."
- David Treuer
"You're not the black world. You're not black, Don't you get it? And listening to this shit doesn't change that. It just makes you a parasite." - Jess Row
"After the Civil War, the caste system was gradually replaced by segregation, which preserves hierachy based on skin color by imposing only two racial categories: whites and blacks. But this new system did not correspond to the fragmented and complex social reality". - Nicola Lo Calzo
"'The one thing I know I can say is that I have made this the place where wolves can howl.'"- Adam Nicolson
"I have stumbled into something sacred on Pine Ridge. I don't know which part is the ceremony. I think, maybe, it is the whole thing." - Aaron Huey
"I had just settled Grandma on her folding chair and popped open our box lunch when the corpse floated by."
- Thomas McGuane
"JK: freedom is out there Banana Man
K: perhaps you'd bring me back one
JK: one freedom
K: one banana
JK: sure
K: thanks
JK: see you
[blackout, exit Jack Kerouac]" - Anne Carson
"'You mean this is a thing?'
'Yes, it's a thing. It's a thing that happens to trees. But sometimes it happens to people too.'" - Diane Cook
"Ray had the blazing prophet eyes of John Muir and like John Muir war left him nerve-shaken and lean as a crow."
- Claire Vaye Watkins
"The day I left, Ben sighed. People don't come back. Nobody wants to see her ICU nurse again. It's like being a divorce lawyer." - Mona Simpson
"'Yeah, watch.' The big fly's tone was grim. 'When they cop the spray they always take to the air and think they can fly it off. Then they're forced to land or even crash...Yeah, he's down. Watch. See the wings flicker? And how he's trying to stretch his back legs? Kid, believe me it's a terrible way to go.'" - Martin Amis
All this and more.
"'Now what the hell was that? I have no idea. Who knows where it came from and who knows how long it's been running? All I know is that there's a dentist in Dallas who would pull his own eye teeth to have that thing hanging on his wall. That's what we do here." -Callan Wink
"'...But here's some advice, fuck one and they'll think you want to fuck them all.'" - Melinda Moustakis
"Win or lose. Hit or be hit. He could control that. Sam dominated his opponent under the bright, artificial lights of the Northern Lights Casino as Waabojiig and all the other chiefs and warriors dominated their enemies before him."
- David Treuer
"You're not the black world. You're not black, Don't you get it? And listening to this shit doesn't change that. It just makes you a parasite." - Jess Row
"After the Civil War, the caste system was gradually replaced by segregation, which preserves hierachy based on skin color by imposing only two racial categories: whites and blacks. But this new system did not correspond to the fragmented and complex social reality". - Nicola Lo Calzo
"'The one thing I know I can say is that I have made this the place where wolves can howl.'"- Adam Nicolson
"I have stumbled into something sacred on Pine Ridge. I don't know which part is the ceremony. I think, maybe, it is the whole thing." - Aaron Huey
"I had just settled Grandma on her folding chair and popped open our box lunch when the corpse floated by."
- Thomas McGuane
"JK: freedom is out there Banana Man
K: perhaps you'd bring me back one
JK: one freedom
K: one banana
JK: sure
K: thanks
JK: see you
[blackout, exit Jack Kerouac]" - Anne Carson
"'You mean this is a thing?'
'Yes, it's a thing. It's a thing that happens to trees. But sometimes it happens to people too.'" - Diane Cook
"Ray had the blazing prophet eyes of John Muir and like John Muir war left him nerve-shaken and lean as a crow."
- Claire Vaye Watkins
"The day I left, Ben sighed. People don't come back. Nobody wants to see her ICU nurse again. It's like being a divorce lawyer." - Mona Simpson
"'Yeah, watch.' The big fly's tone was grim. 'When they cop the spray they always take to the air and think they can fly it off. Then they're forced to land or even crash...Yeah, he's down. Watch. See the wings flicker? And how he's trying to stretch his back legs? Kid, believe me it's a terrible way to go.'" - Martin Amis
All this and more.
December 3, 2014
I don't often read anthologies, but the 'American Wild' theme interested me. This book has a broad appeal, and I particularly enjoyed the pieces by Melinda Moustakis, David Treuer, Adam Nicholson, and Thomas McGuane.
June 21, 2020
I felt that the overall mood of this issue was sadness like a constant feeling of loss and regret, with particularly moving poetry and photography. I wonder if that means the “American Wild” is something I miss or have always missed?
February 27, 2024
This is the second Granta magazine that I have read and I was not disappionted with the collection of stories gathered under the title of "American Wild"
The 16 stories are a mixture of fiction, non fiction, photography and poetry.With regard to the fiction I picked two that I enjoyed - "The Fighters" and "Thing with Feathers thar Perches in the Soul". "Chasing Wolves in the Americam West" was the bedt non fiction
The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars is that the contributions by Andrew Motion[poetry] and Martin Amis[short story] are both English and the work they submitted, in my opinion. was nothing t5o do with wild America
The 16 stories are a mixture of fiction, non fiction, photography and poetry.With regard to the fiction I picked two that I enjoyed - "The Fighters" and "Thing with Feathers thar Perches in the Soul". "Chasing Wolves in the Americam West" was the bedt non fiction
The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars is that the contributions by Andrew Motion[poetry] and Martin Amis[short story] are both English and the work they submitted, in my opinion. was nothing t5o do with wild America
August 5, 2022
As usual, a very good selection of writing and photography.
August 18, 2014
Favorite Story: The Mast Year - Diane Cooke
Honorable Mention: Exotics - Callan Wink
"Thing with Feathers that Perches in the Soul" - Anthony Doerr - ***
Meditations on the history of an old cabin and the long marriage of two pioneers.
"Exotics" - Callan Wink - *****
I've thought that on more than one occasion myself.
A story on the inescapable need for an escape hatch.
"River So Close" - Melinda Moustakis - ****
Good enough to make me want to read her other Alaska stories.
"The Fighters" - David Treuer - ***
Engaging, but forgettable.
"A Confession" - Jess Row - **
A hodge podge of white guilt memories that barely hang together...
"A Meeting of Minds" - Andrew Motion - ***
This poem seemed gimmicky, but I loved these lines:
What an image.
"Chasing Wolves in the American West" - Adam Nicolson - ****
An exploration of the effect wolves have on their environment and the humans nearby. Overall, I thought Nicolson balanced his portrayals of environmentalists and ranchers... He captures the human dignity of each side, though it's clearly a conflict without the possibility of compromise.
I only took issue with his choice to indicate the accent of one rancher family, using "wooves" instead of "wolves." Though the author many have intended merely to give color to the family, I felt the transliteration came of more as a cheap-shot, portraying them as sounding stupid.
"Grandma and Me" - Thomas McGuane - **
I enjoyed the writing-style here, but the narrative didn't hold me much... in spite of drunken escapades and a floating corpse.
"Krapp Hour" - Anne Carson - *
I love absurdist theater, but this just seemed like intellectual masturbation without climax.
"The Mast Year" - Diane Cooke - *****
My favorite story of all, one that will haunt me.
Cooke takes magical realism, re-envisions it for a new era, and makes it something entirely her own. A parable of sorts, but not stilted by the over-extension of metaphor. Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply sad.
"Mirage" - Claire Vaye Watkins - ***
Each element of this sci-fi story was interesting in its own right, but ultimately didn't cohere. I'd be interested to see this fleshed out into a full novel, where there might be the opportunity to pull these elements together a bit more.
"Holiday" - Mona Simpson - **
The narrator's relationship with Ben Clerk needed to be built-out more for this story to work.
"Self-Portrait" - Martin Amis - ****
Delightfully light and playful... reminded me of Cervantes's "The Dialogue of the Dogs" as human characters are defined by animal perspective.
Honorable Mention: Exotics - Callan Wink
"Thing with Feathers that Perches in the Soul" - Anthony Doerr - ***
Meditations on the history of an old cabin and the long marriage of two pioneers.
But listen: To live for a minimum of seven years with a minimum of seven kids in two hundred square feet with no toilet paper or Netflix or Xanax requires a certain kind of imperturbability. To adopt seven kids; to not give out when snow is sifting through the cracks in the chinking; to not lose your mind when a baby is feverish and screeching and a toddler is tugging your skirts and the hairdryer wind of August is blowing 110-degree heat under your door and the mass production of electric refrigerators is still fifty-five years away - something has to hold you together through all that.
It has to be love, doesn't it?
"Exotics" - Callan Wink - *****
It had to be bad if a sixth grade girl could see that he was fucked.
I've thought that on more than one occasion myself.
A story on the inescapable need for an escape hatch.
"River So Close" - Melinda Moustakis - ****
Good enough to make me want to read her other Alaska stories.
"The Fighters" - David Treuer - ***
Engaging, but forgettable.
"A Confession" - Jess Row - **
A hodge podge of white guilt memories that barely hang together...
"A Meeting of Minds" - Andrew Motion - ***
This poem seemed gimmicky, but I loved these lines:
I was put in mind of a friend / who recently broke into the grasslands / and was impeded for a day / by a herd of bison fifty miles long / and three miles wide. / When he followed them to a ford / the gravel underfoot / was covered with moulted hair to a depth of six inches.
What an image.
"Chasing Wolves in the American West" - Adam Nicolson - ****
An exploration of the effect wolves have on their environment and the humans nearby. Overall, I thought Nicolson balanced his portrayals of environmentalists and ranchers... He captures the human dignity of each side, though it's clearly a conflict without the possibility of compromise.
I only took issue with his choice to indicate the accent of one rancher family, using "wooves" instead of "wolves." Though the author many have intended merely to give color to the family, I felt the transliteration came of more as a cheap-shot, portraying them as sounding stupid.
"Grandma and Me" - Thomas McGuane - **
I enjoyed the writing-style here, but the narrative didn't hold me much... in spite of drunken escapades and a floating corpse.
"Krapp Hour" - Anne Carson - *
I love absurdist theater, but this just seemed like intellectual masturbation without climax.
"The Mast Year" - Diane Cooke - *****
My favorite story of all, one that will haunt me.
Cooke takes magical realism, re-envisions it for a new era, and makes it something entirely her own. A parable of sorts, but not stilted by the over-extension of metaphor. Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply sad.
It was as though the world had heard what she wanted and had finally decided to deliver.
This was how her year began. And shortly after, the first people arrived."
"Mirage" - Claire Vaye Watkins - ***
Each element of this sci-fi story was interesting in its own right, but ultimately didn't cohere. I'd be interested to see this fleshed out into a full novel, where there might be the opportunity to pull these elements together a bit more.
"Holiday" - Mona Simpson - **
The narrator's relationship with Ben Clerk needed to be built-out more for this story to work.
"Self-Portrait" - Martin Amis - ****
Delightfully light and playful... reminded me of Cervantes's "The Dialogue of the Dogs" as human characters are defined by animal perspective.
September 5, 2014
This collection has some pretty solid fiction, my favorites being Exotics by Callan Wink and River So Close by Melinda Moustakis. The standouts in the non-fiction selections for me were Chasing Wolves in the American West by Adam Nicolson and Thing with Feathers that Perches in the Soul by Anthony Doerr.
I cannot recall ever reading a piece in a Granta issue that I really didn't like, save a couple of poems that I didn't feel like putting the energy into understanding. There have been stories or essays that I didn't like because I didn't like characters or wasn't engaged with the plot or didn't agree with the arguments put forth; but I usually recognize that this is my personal taste or attitude and appreciate the piece as quality writing (which is typically want I am looking for when I read Granta.) But #128, American Wild, contains one piece that I thought was just awful on all levels. This one was Krapp Hour by Anne Carson. It was, well, crap. Maybe someone can help me out with why I might want to appreciate it.
Especially in the first half of the collection, one of its strengths as a whole was how it both resonated with and challenged my notions and perception of 'American Wild'. There is certainly wilderness in the beautiful natural areas of America but also in our relationships, ideas, and histories. I kind of felt some of the pieces moving farther away from this idea towards the end of the collection though. Perhaps this Sigrid Rausing trying, once again, to tame the American wild.
I cannot recall ever reading a piece in a Granta issue that I really didn't like, save a couple of poems that I didn't feel like putting the energy into understanding. There have been stories or essays that I didn't like because I didn't like characters or wasn't engaged with the plot or didn't agree with the arguments put forth; but I usually recognize that this is my personal taste or attitude and appreciate the piece as quality writing (which is typically want I am looking for when I read Granta.) But #128, American Wild, contains one piece that I thought was just awful on all levels. This one was Krapp Hour by Anne Carson. It was, well, crap. Maybe someone can help me out with why I might want to appreciate it.
Especially in the first half of the collection, one of its strengths as a whole was how it both resonated with and challenged my notions and perception of 'American Wild'. There is certainly wilderness in the beautiful natural areas of America but also in our relationships, ideas, and histories. I kind of felt some of the pieces moving farther away from this idea towards the end of the collection though. Perhaps this Sigrid Rausing trying, once again, to tame the American wild.
September 22, 2014
First time I bought a famous Granta magazine at the Brooklyn Bookfair. The only story I liked (A LOT) was the first one by Anthony Doerr. Genius! I also liked The Mast Year (very good).
The rest was mostly 'solid fiction" and some experimental stuff, both of which that didn't engage me at all, and although I tried to read each and all the other stories, I couldn't get past the first two pages of them. Some, like "Beyond sunset" by Mary Ruefle I found pretentious to utterly silly!
Several played (well) the race card. The curators obviously aimed for variety of narrative structure, which is nice, but the pickings are filled with second rate stuff that must be redeemed by criteria other than the quality of the story and of the writing.
It happens to me a lot though: when I read the O'Henry picks for best short stories of the year, I never like more than 1 or 2; hard to explain when I hear the competition is huge and there are many talented writers out there. It just shows how subjective is this business!
The rest was mostly 'solid fiction" and some experimental stuff, both of which that didn't engage me at all, and although I tried to read each and all the other stories, I couldn't get past the first two pages of them. Some, like "Beyond sunset" by Mary Ruefle I found pretentious to utterly silly!
Several played (well) the race card. The curators obviously aimed for variety of narrative structure, which is nice, but the pickings are filled with second rate stuff that must be redeemed by criteria other than the quality of the story and of the writing.
It happens to me a lot though: when I read the O'Henry picks for best short stories of the year, I never like more than 1 or 2; hard to explain when I hear the competition is huge and there are many talented writers out there. It just shows how subjective is this business!
August 29, 2014
A sterling anthology, one of my favorites of the past several years.
Granta always takes a reader in incredibly diverse directions.
Sigrid Rausing did a rousing good job as editor.
My favorites?
Things With Feathers that Perches in the Soul (Anthony Doerr)
Exotics (Colin Wink)
The Fighters (David Treuer)
Chasing Wolves in the American West (Adam Nicolson)
Grandma and Me (Thomas McGuane)
The Mast Year (Diane Cook)
No time now to comment individually except to say that the authors' sense of purpose, detail, sardonic wit, rueful attitude and clear honesty are well appreciated by this reader.
Granta always takes a reader in incredibly diverse directions.
Sigrid Rausing did a rousing good job as editor.
My favorites?
Things With Feathers that Perches in the Soul (Anthony Doerr)
Exotics (Colin Wink)
The Fighters (David Treuer)
Chasing Wolves in the American West (Adam Nicolson)
Grandma and Me (Thomas McGuane)
The Mast Year (Diane Cook)
No time now to comment individually except to say that the authors' sense of purpose, detail, sardonic wit, rueful attitude and clear honesty are well appreciated by this reader.
September 17, 2014
One of the best issues in a long time. It's not the most original take on the topic but still well worth a read. The combination of some very enjoyable fiction, a great photo essay and snippets of reportage works well. It's worth it for David Truer's essay on violence/cage fighting on a reservation. What purports to be a straight essay contains insights into Indian culture and family life. Andrew Motion's poetic take on Walden is good fun. When Granta works, it works superb.
February 5, 2015
American Wild is a superb collection of stories, with a excellent collection of various genres. "Thing with Feathers . . " and "Chasing Wolves" are both excellent non fiction meditations on life in the American West. "The Mast Year" and "Mirage" are dystopian tales which would make JG Ballard proud. "Exotics" and "Grandma and Me" evoke the wanderlust and slovenly sides of the American character, and Martin Amis's "Self Portrait" is a clever urban romp. Highly recommended.
October 2, 2014
Ho hum. Uninspired and largely uninteresting wring in this issue. Adan Nicholson's "Chasing Wolves in the American West" was the most interesting piece, but it seemed a bit too long nevertheless. American Wild comes across as American Bore.
November 9, 2014
The American Wild still exists - even with all the urban sprawl of modern day America, there are still large swathes of land empty of human populations. Highlights in this edition include 'River So Close,' by Melinda Moustakis and the essay 'Chasing Wolves in the American West,' by Adam Nicolson.
Read
August 29, 2014An enjoyable issue. I particularly liked Diane Cook's story The Mast Year.
September 27, 2014
Especially enjoyed Mona Simpson's 'Holiday' and the non-fiction piece 'Chasing Wolves in the American West' by Adam Nicolson.
January 26, 2015
Favourite stories were The Mast Year by Diane Cook and Exotics by Callan Wink.
August 1, 2016
one of the better grantas. some good stories that were interesting but not weird
October 24, 2014
Interesting collection, some very gloomy tales there but some beautiful writing too.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews