Here are the first lines of the new Gary Shteyngart novel, Super Sad True Love Story, forthcoming in July: “Today I’ve made a major decision: I am never going to die. Others will die around me. They will be nullified. Nothing of their personality will remain. The light switch will be turned off.”
First Lines of the New Gary Shteyngart
Was a National Book Award Rigged?
“Percy’s victory set off a controversy that involved the most powerful man in publishing, a famous journalist eager to take credit for the award, and a cub reporter who would go on to become one of the most celebrated writers of our time.” Benjamin Hedin delves into the mysteries of a controversial award.
Flimflam
Here’s a simple poll idea we’re amazed we hadn’t thought of before: asking famous writers to pick their favorite words. In The Guardian, Hilary Mantel, Tessa Hadley and others (including Year in Reading alum Eimear McBride) choose their picks for an exceedingly odd vocabulary list.
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Never Enough Karen Russell
Karen Russell is everywhere these days. She’s sharing her favorite books about Florida with The New York Times, she’s being interviewed about her writing process on our site, and she’s publishing short fiction for Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading blog. Oh, and she has a new book out, too, as you might have heard.
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I like this whole first line from upcoming books thing you have going on. These first lines do not make me want to read this book, though. Too precious.
I can’t tell you how happy I am to see the phrase “new Gary Shteyngart novel”!
It wasn’t on most of those “books we’re excited about next year lists”, so a welcome surprise. Plus, it’s a heckuva sentence.
Oh boy! Another kinda creepy, sorta funny, odd, quirky wild ride. Never underestimate the guy who wrote the greatest circumcision story of all time.