Reading is a Kafkaesque Experience

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has named author Lesley Nneka Arimah its 2017 Artist of the Year. They note, “Arimah is at the forefront of a growing number of young authors, primarily immigrants and writers of color — in the Twin Cities, as well as across the country — who are writing some of the most original and interesting fiction and poetry being published today.” Arimah is the author of the short story collection What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky, a 2017 Year in Reading favorite. She was also honored as one of the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” and named as a finalist for the John Leonard Prize. Congratulations!

Recommended viewing: Open Culture has tracked down two animated adaptations of Dostoevksy‘s work. There’s one of his short story “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man” “in full-on existentialist mode,” and slightly more ambitious (though dramatically abridged) short film of Crime and Punishment.

In an interview with the Guardian about Canada, Richard Ford talks about America: “I  never had much conceptual idea of Canada being better. But whenever I go there, I feel this fierce sense of American exigence just relent. America beats on you so hard the whole time.” Also see: Michael Bourne’s review of the novel.