franzenfreedom
A Sense of Sensibility: On ‘The Collected Essays of Elizabeth Hardwick’
In Hardwick’s criticism, we encounter an uncondescending intelligence, a humane sensibility, and a forthright independence of mind for which we, in our scatterbrained era, cannot be grateful enough.
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On Sheila Heti and (Not) Motherhood
Heti’s project seems to be to push the limits of the Female, to upend the necessity of Mother, to suggest whole worlds that might exist beyond the making of other smaller versions of ourselves. But what her book also does is remind us of the limits, both of our bodies and our thoughts.
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John Wray’s ‘Godsend’ Shouldn’t Work—but It Does
You can't court acclaim. The third rail has always been the one with juice in it, at least for me, at least so far. The best writing is the most urgent.
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