Ben Marcus Knihy

“In twenty-nine separate but ingenious ways, these stories seek permanent residence within a reader. They strive to become an emotional or intellectual cargo that might accompany us wherever, or however, we go. . . . If we are made by what we read, if language truly builds people into what they are, how they think, the depth with which they feel, then these stories are, to me, premium material for that construction project. You could build a civilization with them.” —Ben Marcus, from the IntroductionAward-winning author of Notable American Women Ben Marcus brings us this engaging and comprehensive collection of short stories that explore the stylistic variety of the medium in America today.Sea Oak by George SaundersEverything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells TowerDo Not Disturb by A.M. HomesThe Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee BenderThe Caretaker by Anthony DoerrThe Old Dictionary by Lydia DavisThe Father’s Blessing by Mary CaponegroThe Life and Work of Alphonse Kauders by Aleksandar HemonPeople Shouldn’t Have to be the Ones to Tell You by Gary LutzHistories of the Undead by Kate BravermanWhen Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine by Jhumpa LahiriDown the Road by Stephen DixonX Number of Possibilities by Joanna ScottTiny, Smiling Daddy by Mary GaitskillBrief Interviews with Hideous Men by David Foster WallaceThe Sound Gun by Matthew DerbyShort Talks by Anne CarsonField Events by Rick BassScarliotti and the Sinkhole by Padgett Powell

A collection of the best short fiction being written in America, selected and introduced by Ben Marcus.

Hailed by Robert Coover as the most audacious literary debut in decades, The Age of Wire and String is unlike anything you've read before -- now appearing for the first time heightened by an artist's visual interpretation of this legendary work.

By turns hilarious and heartfelt, dark and illuminative, Ben Marcus’s Leaving the Sea is a ground breaking collection of stories from one of the single most vital, extraordinary, and unique writers of his generation. In the heartfelt “I Can Say Many Nice Things,” a washed-up writer toying with infidelity leads a creative writing workshop on board a cruise ship. In the dystopian “Rollingwood,” a divorced father struggles to take care of his ill infant, as his ex-wife and colleagues try to render him irrelevant. In “Watching Mysteries with My Mother,” a son meditates on his mother’s mortality, hoping to stave off her death for as long as he sits by her side. And in the title story, told in a single breathtaking sentence, we watch as the narrator’s marriage and his sanity unravel, drawing him to the brink of suicide. Surreal and tender, terrifying and life-affirming, Leaving the Sea is the work of an utterly unique writer at the height of his powers.

In a world where children's speech has become deadly, a devastating epidemic forces families to confront unimaginable choices to protect their loved ones. As radio broadcasts hint at widespread panic, parents in the neighborhood suffer under the weight of their children's lethal words. Sam and Claire, desperate to survive, contemplate fleeing from their daughter, Esther, who remains blissfully unaware of the danger her laughter poses. As Claire's health deteriorates, the couple grapples with the heart-wrenching decision to abandon the child they love. Just as they prepare to escape, Claire mysteriously vanishes, leaving Sam to navigate a transformed reality in search of a cure for the toxic language that threatens their family. The narrative poses a profound question: what remains of society when communication with those we cherish becomes impossible? This haunting tale blends moral complexity with gripping entertainment, solidifying the author's reputation among America's foremost novelists.

The history of the surfboard is one of innovation---innovation that has in turn shaped the sport of surfing. The Surfboard follows this history, from the first "wave-riding" redwood planks crafted by ancient Hawaiians to the vacuum-sealed, lightweight, "plastic fantastic" technological marvels of today.Beautifully illustrated with historical prints and engravings, as well as the latest surf photography and detailed closeups, this book documents the surfboards evolution as a perfect convergence of form and function.

Auf unheimliche Weise vertraut und zugleich schockierend fremd: Ben Marcus’ Storys fesseln mit klarer poetischer Prosa. Noch nie hat existenzielle Katastrophe so viel Spaß gemacht. Ben Marcus entwirft in dieser Sammlung zeitgemäße Visionen der Entfremdung in einer modernen Welt: Hier findet eine unglückliche Angestellte die Liebe, nachdem sie sich durch den Test des neuesten Nahrungsergänzungsmittels ihrer Firma verändert. Ein Vater sieht sich von der plötzlichen Abweisung seines Sohnes erschüttert, und so schleicht sich das Unheimliche in das Kinderzimmer ein, während die Kommunikation in der Familie versagt. Und Roy und Helen entwerfen Moodboards für Denkmäler, die an die Opfer von Terroranschlägen erinnern, während ihre Ehe an der moralischen Fragwürdigkeit ihres Lebenswerks zerbricht. „Erschütternd, von tiefschwarzem Humor – und voller Schönheit.“ The Guardian