The Paris Review, Issue 247, Spring 2024

by Emily Stokes (Editor)

Jhumpa Lahiri on the Art of Fiction: “My question is, What makes a language yours, or mine?” Alice Notley on the Art of Poetry: “Writing is not therapy. That’s the last thing it is. I still have my grief.” Prose by Elijah Bailey, Julien Columeau, Joanna Kavenna, Samanta Schweblin, Eliot Weinberger, and Joy Williams. Poetry by Gbenga Adesina, Elisa Gabbert, Jessica Laser, Maureen N. McLane, Mary Ruefle, Julian Talamantez Brolaski, and Matthew Zapruder. Art by Farah Al Qasimi and Chris Oh. Cover: Nicolas Party, Still Life, 2024, soft pastel on pastel card, 31 1/2 x 19 11/16".

Genres: Poetry, Short Stories, Fiction, Writing

247 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2024

Reviews

[Margaret Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed both the interviews - one with Jhumpa Lahiri and one with Alice Notley. Was excited to experience something by Joy Williams for the first time but remain unsure of how I feel about her haha. I LOVED all the art in this issue, especially Farah Al Qasimi's "Miracle Garden". The short stories were okay but I particularly disliked "Derrida in Lahore".

[Raffael Hirt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great issue to experience the strengths of the Paris Review. It contains prose from around the world, unconventional poetry, and interviews with two authors from different backgrounds.

[Kaiju Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal issue.

The Beautiful Salmon by Joanna Kavenna was fabulous, but An Eye in the Throat by Schweblin shocked me in the best way. Absolutely getting a collection of hers.

Ruefle's Trollope and Zapruder's (always love Zapruder) Tourmaline were excellent.

Both art selections are interesting and visually arresting, naturally, and the Notely interview well worth reading.

While Concerning the Future of Souls, Derrida in Lahore, and The Ceaseless Murmurings of Innumerable Bees didn't work for me, I far from hated them. Rarely is there an issue of anything with so many positives and so few negatives. I wish I were reviewing this in a timelier fashion so readers could rush out and grab this issue. But that said, there really isn't a better format for fiction and poetry than the Paris Review (that I've discovered anyway). Highly recommended.

[Carmen Montero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me renew my subscription, great issue. loved the art of fiction and art of poetry interviews simply for the insight into such interesting lives. and the joy williams piece has me wanting buy her book that it was an excerpt from.

[Abby C · Rating 4 out of 5]

felt like a good, hearty meal.

[Matthew Moeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are always five stars

[Stephen De]

An ultimately okay edition of the Paris Review. Stand outs for me where the interviews and the Eliot Weinberger piece tucked away at the end. See below for my breakdown. (I don't rate the poetry, just isn't my wheel house.) Ultimate Score: 2.6

The Beautiful Salmon - Joanna Kavenna : 3/5. I found this story not very memorable but very fun to read. I thought Kavenna did an outstanding job of capturing that fear that lives within anybody at a party where you're worried "am I more drunk/high than anybody else here??"

Art of Fiction No. 262 - Jhumpa Lahiri: 4/5. I've read some interviews here where the interviewer and the artist have zero chemistry, this was FAR from the case. The playful banter between Lahiri and Pacifico was a nice touch of the human, though you can tell Pacifico was really shooting for the moon with the Taylor Swift reference that, disappointedly, fell flat. Banter aside, Lahiri tells a wonderful story of her life and how she, now famously, moved to Italy while at the top of the literary world.

Concerning the Future of Souls - Joy Williams: 1/5. This really fell flat for me. I understand (I think) what Williams was going for here but it's a crime that this piece is featured in the same issue as Weinburger (more on that later) who, in my opinion, does this type of writing much better.

An Eye in the Throat - Samanta Schweblin: 2/5. A sad story that lacked any real sense of anything beyond that sadness at the heart of it. It felt like there was so much going on here, none of which really seemed to pan out.

Derrida in Lahore - Julien Columeau: 2/5. This suffers from a similar illness as An Eye in the Throat. It's not really sad, but it does definitely just build and build until eventually petering out. Real King of Comedy energy.

The Art of Poetry No. 116 - Alice Notley: 4/5. This has by far the funniest ending I've ever read to any of these interviews. Overall a very engaging interview and recounting of a life as a poet, following around one man to their death after another. I can't imagine the repeated heartbreak.

Social Promotion - Elijah Bailey: 1/5. I really just have a bias towards any story written from a child/young teen's point of view. This is very likely informed by having taught middle schoolers for a year in Queens.

The Ceaseless Murmuring of Innumerable Bees - Eliot Weinberger: 4/5. Eliot Weinberger cannot keep getting away with it. But in all seriousness, while the ultimate landing was pretty eh for this piece, it was such a damn pleasure to read. With Weinberger I am at least always impressed at what he's assembled in every piece.

[Nicole Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the interview with Jhumpa Lahiri - especially hearing about her love of Italy and her thoughts on living there as a non-Italian.

[Brooks Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok to be fair I read the poetry and interviews in here but I'm still counting it, sue me.

GREAT interview with Jhumpa Lahiri, pretty good interview with Alice Notley. Found the latter a bit pretentious. Lahiri was a really interesting person to learn about, especially her origins as a writer, the choice she's made to swtich to writing in Italian, and the way she describes learning a new language.

Favorite poem: "Haptographic Interface" by Maureen N. McLane. Really great and cool. Reminded me of some the topics/stuff I'm exploring in my own writing.

[Jose Carpio · Rating 5 out of 5]

No misses in this one

[Michael Gladish · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st issue I have read, at my daughter's urging. Truly enjoyed it, especially the extended interview with Alice Notely, Joanna Kavenna's hilarious, touching "The Beautiful Salmon", and Elijah Bailey's crushing "Social Promotion". Glad I subscribed!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

After picking up random issues through the years, this is my first time finally subscribing to The Paris Review. This spring issue was a lovely time to do so. Samantha Schweblin’s “An Eye in the Throat” was incredibly captivating, unsettling, and unique. Likely, my very favorite thing about the issue. This was an overall wonderful collection of stories, art, and interviews. I look forward to many future issues of The Paris Review landing on my doorstep.

[Ben Wasson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excited to begin reading literary magazines. Some valuable stuff in this, and a lot of humor.

Joanna Kavenna’s “The Beautiful Salmon” was energetic and confident. Jhumpa Lahiri’s interview convinced me to continue my romance language studies. Samanta Schweblin’s “An Eye in the Throat” had me absolutely magnetized in the second half.

A few duds. Some poems I don’t care to understand. But still excited to start keeping in touch with contemporary voices.

[Amie]

Blah so much of this issue I feel like I didn’t get. Oh well. Especially the poetry—except for Life Poem 1 which I loved. I also did love Concerning the Future of Souls and will probably buy the book when it comes out in paperback. I enjoyed reading all of the stories, but feel like I only really “got” Social Promotion. Not sure if that’s my own failure or the stories’, ya know? And I really enjoyed the Eliot Weinberger piece on bees at the end!

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Beautiful Salmon," leading off this issue, was my favorite of the prose pieces. The interviews were enjoyable as well, in part by the stark contrast in personalities between the two subjects, though I feel like I've read something similar from Lahiri in the past.

Lots of decent and varied (if unremarkable) work otherwise.

[Ojaswi Sharma]

I think this is a very great representative issue for the Review, it’s themed well and every single piece of writing packs a punch. My favourite poems were Tourmaline and Life Poem 1, and I ended up enjoying all of the prose pieces. I loved Derrida in Lahore! Lahiri’s interview also touched on themes of belonging and translation to tie it altogether. It’s a very cohesive issue.

[Kamran Sehgal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some seriously good short stories in this issue. A fascinating interview with Jhumpa Lahiri and three wonderful short stories. Joanna Kavenna's "The Beautiful Salmon", Samanta Schweblin's "An Eye in the Throat" and Julien Columeau's "Derrida in Lahore" (an Urdu short story written by a Frenchman!) were my favourites in this issue.

[Productive Procrastinator]

"An Eye in the Throat" by Samanta Schweblin is the standout. What a story (one of the most unique narrational perspectives I've seen deployed, and it's layered in mystery yet never abstruse or pretentious, and boasts a wonderfully heartbreaking ending). Props to the translator too as it read very naturally. I'm so glad to have discovered this author. Will certainly seek out her other work now.

[Aimee Ciancarelli]

Jhumpa describing how when she’s writes in Italian the pervasive societal norms attached to life in the states is not there made me see how special language is and how much of a release it can be. One can take on different forms by simply learning another language. Very inspiring.

[Tammas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found the poetry interview especially compelling in this one. Great fiction as has been the standard the last few editions :)

[Olegs Tkacevs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first edition I received through my subscription. I enjoyed "An Eye in the Throat" and the interview with Jhumpa Lahiri, which makes me very satisfied.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interviews were great, the art was great, poetry was okay the last piece and the last story just weren't for me.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I only read the Jhumpa Lahiri interview.

But I liked it a lot.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally all good: The Beautiful Salmon/Derrida in Lahore were favourites but the Ceaseless Murmuring of Bees surprised me. Lahiri interview was great.

[Getty Hesse]

I especially liked the pieces by Joy Williams, Samantha Schweblin, and Eliot Weinberger.

[Christina]

Highlights: Jhumpa Lahiri, Samanta Schweblin, Alice Notley, Eliot Weinberger

[Natalie Feng Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked "Social Promotion" by Elijah Bailey but I can't find any info online about this writer

[angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

faves: an eye in the throat (samanta schweblin), social promotion (elijah bailey), jhumpa lahiri interview, miracle garden (farah al qasimi)

[Raena · Rating 5 out of 5]

2 fantastic stories in this one:

"The Beautiful Salmon" by Joanna Kavenna - loved the momentum and humor.

"An Eye in the Throat" by Samanta Schweblin had me weeping in public.