Posing and Passing in Translation: From Amara Lakhous to Elena Ferrante and Jhumpa Lahiri
The essay examines how "posing" and "passing" function as narrative and linguistic strategies in contemporary Italian literature, focusing on three exophonic works: Amara Lakhous’s *Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio* (2006), Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels (2011‑2014), and Jhumpa Lahiri’s *In Other Words* (2015). Each text explores immigrant or internal migrant identities through self‑translation, language acquisition, and the performance of Italianness, while all three share Ann Goldstein as their English translator. The analysis links these literary cases to broader debates about multilingualism, trauma, and the construction of national identity in a globalized world.
Zoulfa Katouh’s The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue Is Story of Healing
Zoulfa Katouh’s debut novel *The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue* follows 17‑year‑old Jihad Dabbagh, a Syrian‑American teen who uses a magical sketchbook to transform grief over her mother’s death into vivid art. The story unfolds at an elite boarding school...
'Poor Stylists Just Haven’t Read the Right Books Yet'
The post, part two of an interview with author Andrew Krivak, explores why many writers struggle with style, blaming market pressures, publishing trends, and limited exposure to exemplary literature rather than MFA training. Krivak argues that agents and editors prioritize...
Submit You Essays and Become a Co-Author in My Publication!
Hasif, the creator behind the Substack publication "Postcards by Hasif," has opened its August collaboration window, inviting readers to submit 500‑600‑word personal essays. Each month he selects four to five contributors, writes a 500‑word response, and publishes the joint piece...
Book Review: “The Adjunct” By Maria Adelmann
Maria Adelmann’s 2026 novel *The Adjunct* offers a bleak, first‑person portrait of an adjunct professor navigating sub‑minimum wages, crushing debt, and precarious contracts. The narrative contrasts Sam’s survival anxiety with her former advisor Tom’s comfortable tenure‑track position, highlighting gendered power...
Impact of Bay Area Book Festival 2026
The Bay Area Book Festival 2026 convened authors, readers, publishers, and community groups in Berkeley for a weekend of readings, panels, and workshops. The event featured a diverse program ranging from fiction and nonfiction talks to youth and family activities,...
Mark’s Reading List: Truth Under Siege, Trump Unhinged, and More
Mark, the founder of Stop the Presses, publishes a weekly "Reading List" that curates articles, newsletters, and occasional podcasts for his subscribers. This edition highlights pieces on the erosion of factual discourse, the chaotic post‑Trump political environment, and other timely...
J. A. Morgenstein’s League of Dangerous Young Ladies Is Exciting Mystery
J.A. Morgenstein’s debut YA novel, *The League of Dangerous Young Ladies*, hit shelves on June 2, 2026 as a $19.99 hardcover. Set in 1909, it follows the daughters of iconic literary and historical figures as they hunt monsters, blending mystery...
What to Read: A Summer Book List
Rest of World’s summer reading list spotlights eight new titles that dissect the political, social and environmental dimensions of today’s tech landscape. The selections range from Nick Srnicek’s analysis of AI power struggles between the United States and China to...
(Unedited) Podcast Transcript 581: In Good Faith
Ryan Avent, former Economist journalist turned author, discusses his new book "In Good Faith: How the Nature of Belief Shapes the Fate of Societies" on the Talking Headways podcast. The work argues that both lowercase faith (belief without evidence) and...
Top 15 Most Read Romantasy: Week of June 3rd
The weekly Romantasy readership chart for the week of June 3 revealed a surprise new #1 title, while familiar wolf‑fantasy entries held steady. Dragon‑fantasy titles entered the rankings, and fairy‑tale romance fell noticeably. Across the list, the books that most advanced...
This Is Why Your Stories Aren't Getting Published
The author recounts years of repeated rejections until she identified ten recurring story‑killing traps that sabotage even well‑crafted fiction. By using a checklist to eliminate those pitfalls, her work began appearing in respected literary magazines such as Fractured, Moon City...
June 21, 2026 Book Club: 'At Sea' With Yassmin Abdel-Magied
On June 21, 2026, the Radical Books Collective will host a live book‑club discussion of Yassmin Abdel‑Magied’s debut novel *At Sea*. The novel follows Zainab, a female drilling engineer on an offshore oil rig, confronting gender bias and environmental peril....
How I Wrote This Book: Mary H.K. Choi’s “Pool House”
Mary H.K. Choi, the bestselling author of Emergency Contact and Permanent Record, is releasing her fourth novel and first adult‑fiction work, Pool House, on June 9. In a Deez Links Q&A, she reveals she secured a publishing deal before finishing...
Book Review: Rewriting Leadership for a More Human Workplace
Ron Sosa’s *Rewriting the Rules* challenges the conventional view that leadership problems stem from flawed employees, arguing instead that many workplace systems reward conformity and mask neurodivergent talent. Drawing on his veterinary background and personal experience with ADHD and autism,...