The Paris Review, Issue 254 , Winter 2025

by Emily Stokes

Genres: Short Stories, Poetry, Fiction, Essays

224 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Magdalena Dobinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interview with Helene Cixous was immensely inspiring for me, my favorite part of the edition. Poem translated from Arabic by Masri was another favorite and intense. Short stories were great. Had trouble with my takeaways and connection from Eleutherius but that’s a me problem, wish I had somewhere to discuss it!

[Sofia Bagdade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dream of all dreams. “But I’m a dreamer…when you dream, you are constantly connected to…the secret. Everything you don’t understand during the day, at night, you can see. It’s a permanent theatre isn’t it? - interview with Helene Cixous

“Or maybe he just wanted to send her a message. When people are close like that, they don’t have to talk” - Lala And Walsh, Elias Rodriques

the art of poetry, Alice Oswald: “poems have a way of hearing the accusations that put the heart on trial. I’ve always had the question, Why does a poem begin? I like noticing the feeing that something is already interrogating me”

[Maggi Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Poems have a way of hearing the accusations that put the heart on trial.” The Art of Poetry 119 - Alice Oswald, “Dan” drawings ❤️ - Mieko Meguro

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first physical copy of the Paris Review and I'm satisfied with it. Standouts were Eve Babitz's journals (obviously); Eleutherius (which made me think about guilt & consequences, or lack thereof); [A-Z] (which made me relive the unique and acute horror that is teenage girldom); and the interview with Alice Oswald (which made me want to read more poetry).

Overall reading in a magazine format was fun, made me feel like maybe I'm reading in real-time the Salingers, Foster Wallaces, Roths of today. Looking forward to the subsequent issues.

[Jovana · Rating 4 out of 5]

inspiring, especially the interviews. After reading the Helene Cixous interview I felt very much motivated to write freely for myself.

Eve Babitz's diary was both hard hitting and funny at times. I really liked seeing that all girls tend to be quite similar.

The short stories were a pleasant reading experience.

[Eliza Pooo Brain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting interviews with insightful and memorable information, caged poetry that rarely moved me, stiff and overly formal, non-innovative, and summary-reliant prose fiction featuring largely uninteresting characters in mostly bourgeois circles. Tackles diverse subject matters, though risks content-wise are taken within the safety of conventional form.

[Dieuwke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely enjoyed this one

[really normal · Rating 3 out of 5]

to be educated is to be read— also i am suddenly very inclined to read more of cixous

[Timothy]

some pretty good stories and a decent poetry interview although the poetry wasn't good for my taste. the other interview on art critic was interesting