The Paris Review, Issue 209, Summer 2014 by Lorin Stein

The Paris Review, Issue 209, Summer 2014 Reviews

• 
  Suad Shamma

  I actually bought this because I loved the idea behind it, and the look of it.
  
  I've always wanted to start my own magazine, collaborating with different writers, and making it a smarter more literature based, culturally artistic magazine. This one was all of that and more.
  
  It's my first ever issue of The Paris Review, I hadn't even heard of it before now, but I can honestly say I was very impressed by the material. The fiction stories were for the most part very enjoyable to read, in particular Close Encounters by J.D. Daniels and My Wife, In Converse by Shelly Oria. I did not enjoy Garth Greenwall's Gospodar at all, but I guess it just isn't my sort of thing, others may very well enjoy it. Joy William's interview was thoroughly entertaining and I enjoyed her honesty and blunt, straightforward attitude.
  
  The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because I'm not a huge dog fan and that seemed to be a theme, with the dog artistic gallery and dog story at the end. It's also because I'm not huge on poetry, reading it at least, I do like listening to it, and that's a big part of the magazine as well.
  
  Otherwise, a great collection that I'm sure will introduce you to many new authors and poets.
• 
  Corinne

  Yet again, a let down. I enjoyed the Henri Cole interview, Oria's "My Wife in Converse" and Greenwell's "Gospodar." The rest felt so prosaic, so trite. I might as well have been reading drafts in an Intro to Creative Writing class. Cole talks about the "volta" moment in his poetry, where there is a turn, a change, something unexpected. The stories almost universally lack a volta - they all carry the weary feel of just another short story. And with the third installment of Cusk's novel I will say for a third time just how awful that story is. It is absolutely preposterous that perfect strangers feel the need to tell this woman their deepest darkest secrets unbidden. It was bad enough when it was acquaintances, but students in a class - who don't even speak the same language - who would, on first meeting, unburden themselves in this way? No, too ridiculous to contemplate. In the end it is a lazy way for Cusk to dredge up themes without having to do the leg work of developing characters and natural relationships.
• 
  Michael Kitchen

  "Close Encounters" by J.D.Daniels: 2 stars.
  "No Place for Good People" by Ottessa Moshfegh: 4.5 stars
  "Big Week" by Zadie Smith: 4 stars.
  "My Wife, in Converse" by Shely Oria: 2 stars
  "Gospodar" by Garth Greenwell: 1 star.
  "The Art of Fiction No. 223" Joy Williams: 4.5 stars.
  
  I didn't read "Outline: Part Three" because I don't have the two previous issues with contain parts one and two.
• 
  Elena D

  First time I'have managed to get hold of an issue of the Paris Review although I'd been trying for quite a while. It was a great holiday read, and I was particularly impressed by Rachel Cusk's Part 3 of Outline, Shelly Oria's My wife, In Converse and Charles Simic's poems. I like the balance of the entire issue even though I thoroughly dislike dogs. I set off this feeling I sometimes get of having something to say my self, right at the tip of my tongue.
• 
  Michael Horan

  Introduced me to the poetry of Henri Cole which I'm thankful for. 'My Wife, in Converse' by Shelly Oria is very moving. Garth Greenwell's story is as disturbing as it is brave. Joy Williams rather frank interview made me laugh.
• 
  Jack Shoegazer

  Solid issue. The Zadie Smith story and the Close Encounters one were particularly good.
• 
  Zack Quaintance

  Best stories:
  
  >>"No Place for Good People" by Ottessa Moshfegh
  
  >>"Big Week" by Zadie Smith.
• 
  Ann Douglas

  Highlights of this issue include the two author interviews (Joy Williams and Henri Cole) and Shelly Oria's short story "My Wife, in Converse."
• 
  BJ

  Really Enjoyed the essay Dust by Andrea Barrett.
• 
  Joseph

  A really, really good issue.
• 
  Jeff

  Henri Cole interview and poems my favourite this issue. Zadie Smith story was cøøl as well. Could have done without the Andrea Barrett essay and the dog pictures.