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Articles by John Wray
Haruki Murakami, The Art of Fiction No. 182
Interviewed by John Wray Haruki Murakami is not only arguably the most experimental Japanese novelist to have been translated into English, he is also the most popular, with sales in the millions worldwide.
FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS INVESTIGATION SPECIAL REPORT CAYMAN ISLANDS TRUST RIPS INTO HMRC: Global Owners of Angelica Kinder’s Former AI Firm Accuse Lucy Craig and John Wray of Gross Negligence and Abuse of Power
FINANCIAL FRAUDSTER NEWS INVESTIGATION SPECIAL REPORT CAYMAN ISLANDS TRUST RIPS INTO HMRC: Global Owners of Angelica Kinder’s Former AI Firm Accuse Lucy Craig and John Wray of Gross Negligence and Abuse of Power Georgetown, Cayman Islands – September 30, 2025 – In a dramatic escalation of the HMRC corruption scandal, the Cayman Islands-based owners of the technology enterprise formerly founded by UK entrepreneur Angelica Kinder (name withheld for legal purposes), have launched a blistering...
Book Review: ‘Florida Palms,’ by Joe Pan Original
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Party Drugs, Bikers, Hit Men: It’s Crime Fiction, Florida Style The two teenagers in this hard-boiled novel go to work for a narcotics gang and end up in a far more sinister trade.
Ursula K. Le Guin, The Art of Fiction No. 221
Interviewed by John Wray In the early 1960s, when Ursula K. Le Guin began to publish, science fiction was dominated by so-called hard sci-fi: speculative fiction grounded in physics, chemistry, and, to a lesser extent, biology.
Ursula K. Le Guin, The Art of Fiction No. 221
The critic Fredric Jameson died at the age of ninety on September 22, 2024, a little more than a year after the first of the three conversations that form the basis of the text below. In spite of Jameson’s years, the news came as something of a shock, given the productivity he kept up into his tenth decade.
Doctor X - Reel Film Reviews
Directed by Michael Curtiz, Doctor X follows mad scientist Jerry Xavier (Lionel Atwill) as he attempts to determine which of his colleagues is a notorious serial killer.
Biblioracle on Potter-mania and reading books for fun
In the years when I was teaching at Clemson University (2005-2011), it was a virtual guarantee that just about every student had read at least one book entirely for pleasure and under their own initiative. In fact, by 2007, I could be confident many of them had read at least seven books for pleasure because 2007 marks the publication year of the final volume of J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Resurrector: The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II: The Metal Years
Hidden halfway through The Decline of Western Civilization, Part II: The Metal Years, Penelope Spheeris’s love-it-or-loathe-it documentary about ’80s glam metal, is a modest little scene that freed my teenage brain from decades of cultural indoctrination. I’m referring, of course, to the infamous Dude-in-the-Pool interview, featuring W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, three bottles of Smirnoff, an inflatable pool recliner, and his mom.
Five Best: Rock’n’Roll Memoirs
The Rolling Stones in Paris in June 1965.
Cormac McCarthy shaped a generation of writers like me - even when we didn't admit it
For the entirety of my writing life, Cormac McCarthy has been a mountain. Some of the novelists of my generation found the mountain beautiful; others found it oppressive. But virtually all of us, whatever our position or attitude, existed in its shade. In spite of the enormity of his shadow, however, I’ve never before written about the author of so many novels I've studied and admired.
Cormac McCarthy shaped a generation of writers like me - even when we didn't admit it
For the entirety of my writing life, Cormac McCarthy has been a mountain. Some of the novelists of my generation found the mountain beautiful; others found it oppressive. But virtually all of us, whatever our position or attitude, existed in its shade. In spite of the enormity of his shadow, however, I’ve never before written about the author of so many novels I've studied and admired.
GONE TO THE WOLVES
Nick Mondelli captures the angst of three teenagers in the 1980s who share a love of heavy metal. Kip, Leslie, and Kira--all estranged from their families or their communities--build an unbreakable bond over music and move from their small town in Florida to California. Mondelli builds tension as the group is tested and begins to falter and fracture. Desperate to save his relationship with Kira, Kip takes her on a tour of European heavy-metal music. After a show Kira disappears.
Metalheads Take on the World in John Wray’s New Novel
Fiction “Gone to the Wolves” follows three young Floridians shredding their way through the heavy metal scenes of the 1980s and ’90s. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Author John Wray on finding your path, even if it takes awhile
John Wray is a writer and musician based in New York City. He is the author of several novels, including Lowboy, Canaan’s Tongue, and . He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Cullman Fellowship from the New York Library, and a Mary Ellen von der Heyden Fellowship from the American Academy in Berlin. In 2007, he was named as one of ’s Best Young American Novelists. His journalism work has appeared in the . His latest novel is the heavy metal-themed coming-of-age story .
John Wray’s Playlist for His Novel “Gone to the Wolves”
In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book. Previous contributors include Jesmyn Ward, Lauren Groff, Bret Easton Ellis, Celeste Ng, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Roxane Gay, and many others. John Wray’s masterful storytelling is at its height in his new novel Gone to the Wolves, a book so dark and funny and filled with unforgettable fully-realized characters.
John Wray on the One Book That Has Helped Him Become a Better Writer
This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. American literary discourse—especially in its plankton-rich breeding grounds across social media—is awash with foolproof tips on how to become a better writer. My Instagram feed, on certain black days, is practically choked with them; and I do my best, in spite of my annoyance, to keep my mind and options open. But this little essay isn’t about Instagram.
A hardcore coming-of-age novel nails the glitter and grime of L.A.'s '80s metal scene
Assessment Gone to the Wolves By John Wray FSG: 400 pages, $28 For those who purchase books linked on our website, The Occasions could earn a fee from Bookshop.org, whose charges assist impartial bookstores. There’s a direct relationship between the quantity of crap you’re taking for the music you like and the depth of your devotion to it. This is the reason headbangers and punks are probably the most loyal followers on the planet.
How Heavy Metal Saved My Life
How Heavy Metal Saved My LifeSarah Kim "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Of course it was Gomper who thought up the name. Patrick 'Gomper' Guinness, born and raised in South Buffalo, no relation whatsoever to the family of Irish brewing billionaires, was as close as our little crew had to a man of the world.
Gone to the Wolves: A Novel (Hardcover)
$28.00 Description “A hair-raising, head-banging, meet-the-Devil epic tale of love, youth and rock and roll." —Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less Is Lost Kip, Leslie, and Kira are outliers—even in the metal scene they love. In arch-conservative Gulf Coast Florida in the late 1980s, just listening to metal can get you arrested, but for the three of them the risk is well worth it, because metal is what leads them to one another.
And Then He Sang a Lullaby
Ani Kayode Somtochukwu. Grove/Roxane Gay, $27 (304p) ISBN 978-0-8021-6075-1 Nigerian writer Ani's auspicious debut chronicles the hope and pain of two queer students as they embark on a forbidden relationship at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. August has always struggled to live up to his “venerable” name, feeling “he was unworthy of anything but failure.” After August meets Segun at a cybercafé, he has frequent thoughts about the other man and revisits the café to see him again.
John Wray, Isaac Fitzgerald, & Susan Choi
IN-STORE: Live on Fulton St! Tuesday, May 2, 7:30 PM John Wray presents Gone to the Wolves In conversation with Isaac Fitzgerald and Susan Choi Kip, Leslie, and Kira are outliers—even in the metal scene they love. In arch-conservative Gulf Coast Florida in the late 1980s, just listening to metal can get you arrested, but for the three of them the risk is well worth it, because metal is what leads them to one another.
The Sorrows of Others
Ada Zhang. A Public Space, $18 trade paper (160p) ISBN 978-1-73637-096-4 Zhang debuts with a remarkable collection that explores the intricacies of Chinese American families. In “Any Good Wife,” a woman makes an effort to assimilate in Tucson, Ariz., in the months after emigrating from China. She gets a perm, listens to rock music, and makes a Jell-O salad for her confused husband (“ ‘The food is trapped?’ he’d asked, wondering if this was a joke or a game. ‘How do I get to it?’ ”).
Michael Haneke’s Alienation Effect
There can scarcely be a living filmmaker more revered, more reviled, or more persistently misunderstood than Austria’s Michael Haneke.
Review: ‘Sugar Street,’ by Jonathan Dee
SUGAR STREET, by Jonathan Dee Jonathan Dee, at 60 years of age and with eight books to his credit — one of which, “The Privileges,” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011 — should by now be regarded as, if not officially a national treasure, then at the very least a natural resource: a rare bird, perhaps, or a dependable supply of fresh water.
Exploring the Experience of Seeking an Autism Diagnosis as an Adult
Introduction Autism diagnosis typically occurs during early childhood, but several factors can contribute to people receiving an autism diagnosis later in life.1,2 Changes to autism diagnostic criteria mean that individuals who may have not met the criteria in childhood, may now meet the criteria for diagnosis in adulthood.3 Also, those who are now seeking an autism diagnosis as an adult may not have been identified during childhood due to a paucity of accessible diagnostic services and/or a...
It's About Joy: The Millions Interviews Rabih Alameddine
Rabih Alameddine does not write novels about easy topics, but I think that every book of his has made me laugh. At its heart, The Wrong End of the Telescope is about Mina, a Lebanese-American doctor working with refugees in Lesbos-and specifically her relationship with a woman named Samaiya, who's dying of cancer. That's not really what the book is about, though.
A Year in Reading: Uwem Akpan
This year, the year I finally finished my historical novel, New York, My Village, my reading has mainly revolved around African historical novels and mainly from Anglophone Africa. I've read some of these books before, and others I was reading for the first time. It was a limited tour of our diverse and precious continent; there is so much out there.
John Wray For Texas
Early Voting Monday, August 23 - Friday, August 27 Election Day Tuesday, August 31 7am - 7pm
Only 8 Cardinals have thrown no-hitters. It should have been 9.
Only 8 Cardinals have thrown no-hitters. It should have been 9. On April 20,1908, pitcher Bugs Raymond had a performance that the Post-Dispatch and almost everyone in the stands called a no-hitter. Except it wasn't. Here is the original story. Arthur Raymond pitched a no-hit game for the Cardinals, against the league champion Cubs at League Park, yesterday. Raymond was also beaten, 2 to 0.
Vienna Is Beloved for Its Museums, Café Culture, and Gorgeous Parks — But It’s Now One of Europe’s Most Exciting Cities for Nightlife
Editor's Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket-list adventure. Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure.
THE VIENNESE HOUR
VIENNA’S 20TH DISTRICT, a traditionally working-class neighborhood across the Danube from the city’s famous Rococo churches and Jugendstil villas, was well down the list of places I expected to have one of the most spectacular meals of my life.
John Wray's Notes to Self
John Wray sees novels as falling into one of two categories—arrowheads or fruitcakes—whose modus operandi are distinct. “There’s the kind of novel that’s formed on the principle of exclusion, in which your goal is something very flinty and sharp and generally not very long.
John Wray: ‘Barcelona: Open City,’ a Short Story
Xavi’s luck turned on Day 1 of the curfew. He’d been unemployed for a month, he told me — let go from a job selling homeowner’s insurance to defenseless little grandmothers over the phone — and he’d pretty much been in free fall since then; but the lockdown changed everything. Overnight, people stopped asking him if he’d found a new job yet, and if not why not, and how exactly he was figuring to pay next month’s rent.
The Realm of Possibility
“I have to do the wee,” announced the child. “You have to make a wee,” her mother said. “And I asked you before we got in the car, remember? It’s too late for that now. You can go at the gym.” “I have to do the wee,” the child repeated. “How many times am I going to tell you—” “It’s go wee, I’ve always thought,” Richard put in affably. “And it’s no problem, Maya. We have plenty of time.” “You spoil her,” said the mother.
Lauren Oyler · LRB
Every day I write to friends, acquaintances, colleagues and strangers using most or all the following media: Gmail, Google Hangouts, Twitter, Instagram, iMessage and WhatsApp. A message sent through Facebook still occasionally pops up; I could also communicate via Spotify, the music streaming service; Venmo, a money-sending app; Yelp, where I looked for restaurant recommendations pre...
The Art of Fiction No. 221
Interviewed by John Wray In the early 1960s, when Ursula K. Le Guin began to publish, science fiction was dominated by so-called hard sci-fi: speculative fiction grounded in physics, chemistry, and, to a lesser extent, biology.
Ursula K. Le Guin , The Art of Fiction No. 221
Interviewed by John Wray In the early 1960s, when Ursula K. Le Guin began to publish, science fiction was dominated by so-called hard sci-fi: speculative fiction grounded in physics, chemistry, and, to a lesser extent, biology.
Manhattan Times News
English Español Syllables and Solace ThriveNYC partners with NYPL to offer mental health programming By Gregg McQueen “A library is a sanctuary,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. It’s early in the morning, and Will Heller is alone on an uptown B train. The sixteen-year-old has just fled a mental hospital and is being pursued by NYPD Detective Ali Lateef – and his mother. And Will, who is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, has a busy agenda of his own.
Syllables and SolaceSílabas y consuelo
English Español Syllables and Solace ThriveNYC partners with NYPL to offer mental health programming By Gregg McQueen “A library is a sanctuary,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. It’s early in the morning, and Will Heller is alone on an uptown B train. The sixteen-year-old has just fled a mental hospital and is being pursued by NYPD Detective Ali Lateef – and his mother. And Will, who is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, has a busy agenda of his own.
Syllables and SolaceSílabas y consuelo
English Español Syllables and Solace ThriveNYC partners with NYPL to offer mental health programming By Gregg McQueen “A library is a sanctuary,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. It’s early in the morning, and Will Heller is alone on an uptown B train. The sixteen-year-old has just fled a mental hospital and is being pursued by NYPD Detective Ali Lateef – and his mother. And Will, who is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, has a busy agenda of his own.
Summer Guide 2009 - Writers on Their Most Memorable Warm-Weather Flings -- New York Magazine - Nymag
June 15, 2009 Simon and Jessica Kissing in the Pool, Avignon, 2001Photo: Nan Goldin The Girl Who Cursed My Sex Life By John Wray My Dealer’s Girlfriend By Richard Hell Wet T-Skirt Contest By Shalom Auslander “Don’t Worry.
Transmuting Delusion: Ryan Chapman Interviewed by John Wray - BOMB Magazine
Before encountering Riots I Have Known (Simon & Schuster), Ryan Chapman’s remarkable first novel, I knew its author as a person—or, more specifically, as an enthusiast: an exceedingly well-read character, a young literary man-about-town, who could always be relied on to deliver the goods on what one should be reading at any given moment. Thinking back on it now, I should have recognized him instantly as a novelist-in-utero.
Opinion | What Does the Release of John Walker Lindh Mean?
If he becomes the terrorist we’ve always accused him of being, the fault will lie as much with us as with him. By John Wray Mr. Wray is a novelist who has traveled as a journalist in Afghanistan. May 23, 2019 Image John Walker Lindh in an undated photograph obtained from a Pakistani religious school where he studied. It’s hard to imagine now, after everything that’s happened in the brutal decades since, but there was a time when we were fairly cozy with the Taliban.
Wray co-authors bill that would eliminate tiered annexation
AUSTIN — State Rep. John Wray co-authored and voted "yea" on House Bill 347. The bill, filed by Rep. Phil King would eliminate the tiered annexation system for Texas counties, making all counties equal for purposes of municipal annexation law. "Legislating takes teamwork, and I am happy to support a great bill by my colleague,” Rep King said. “Annexation is a major topic in Ellis County, and this bill directly addresses that," Wray said.
Book review: Islamic faith inspires dreams in 'Godsend'
The American Dream has always been an elusive prize at rainbow’s end. In the 1920s, artists and writers fled to Europe in quests for worldliness. The Beats grooved on beatific dreams or trailed an Eastern guru. John Wray’s novel “Godsend” gives the pattern the strangest turn yet. Alienated from their hometown of Santa Rosa, Dexter’s and Aden’s dreams are inspired by the Islamic faith.
Recommended reading, Nov. 4
Inspired by the real-life story of John Walker Lindh, Wray’s latest novel portrays a troubled soul who finds solace in a rigid religious orthodoxy. It’s a work of great power, seamlessly elucidating the seductions of faith and violence. The Life and Work of Fred Rogers In his meaty biography, King corrals telling anecdotes and makes insightful connections between Fred Rogers’ childhood issues and his life’s work.
Review: 'Godsend,' by John Wray
John Wray is an adventurous literary traveler. It’s impossible to predict where he’s going to land next. His novels have been set in pre-Nazi Austria (“The Right Hand of Sleep”), mid-19th century America along the Mississippi (“Canaan’s Tongue”) and New York City’s subway right now (“Lowboy”). He’s also a time traveler of sorts.
Lost in the War on Terror | John Wray
Each issue of Lapham’s Quarterly, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, addresses a theme—States of War, States of Mind, Food, Youth, Animals—by drawing on primary sources throughout history, finding the rhymes and dissonances in how these topics have played out and been perceived over the centuries. In this new series, we open up the sleuthing beyond our staff and four annual themes by letting historians and writers share what they have come across in their recent visits to the archives.
When You Discover You're a Character in Someone Else's Novel
The first thing I did when I learned that I was going to appear, as a fictional character, in a novel by someone that I barely knew, was to ask my best friend what to do about it. Actually, the first thing I did was to wander around my kitchen in a mild state of shock, trying to get my head around all the possible consequences, rationales, and meta-fictional implications of what was arguably the most fiction-like event of my non-fictional life.
New Releases and More for October 9, 2018
This week, Liberty and Rebecca discuss The Witch Elm, All You Can Ever Know, Bitter Orange, and more great books. This episode was sponsored by Under My Skin by Lisa Unger, What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera, and Good Me Bad Me by Ali Land. And get personalized book recommendations at TBR. Subscribe to All the Books! using RSS or iTunes and never miss a book. Sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news.
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