Here’s the thing: it’s hard to describe a Ben Lerner novel to someone without it sounding kind of terrible.
After reading his first novel, Leaving the Atocha Station, I found myself saying to people: “Well, it’s about a young American poet abroad in Madrid, trying to figure things out… no wait, come back, I swear it’s really good.” With the new novel, I find myself saying “It’s about a youngish American poet who was surprised by his first novel’s success, trying to write a second novel and figure things out… yes, that sounds like Lerner’s life… no wait, come back, I insist this time!”
This must be some kind of cosmic joke, because his novels are so, so good. I swear. … Read More
After reading his first novel, Leaving the Atocha Station, I found myself saying to people: “Well, it’s about a young American poet abroad in Madrid, trying to figure things out… no wait, come back, I swear it’s really good.” With the new novel, I find myself saying “It’s about a youngish American poet who was surprised by his first novel’s success, trying to write a second novel and figure things out… yes, that sounds like Lerner’s life… no wait, come back, I insist this time!”
This must be some kind of cosmic joke, because his novels are so, so good. I swear. … Read More
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