asdfox

On the destruction of the old Nile houseboats in Cairo

June 29, 2022 asdfox

For Mada Masr

Song of the Banu Sasan

March 13, 2022March 13, 2022 asdfox

My translation of Abu Dulaf’s tenth-century thieves’ ode was just republished, now without a paywall. A wild work in praise of charlatanry, blasphemy, and other pleasures.

“Portrait of a Scaphander” up on PDR

February 2, 2022February 12, 2022 asdfox

My story on the first underwater photographic portrait — actually a story about cave-dwellers, the Antarctic night, and the proximity of the afterlife — part of Public Domain Review’s Conjectures series:

The story is here.

Lockdown Lit reading at Tatnuck Books

November 22, 2021November 27, 2021 asdfox

To Remain Nameless was released at the beginning of the pandemic, when we were all in lockdown and no one knew what was going to happen. It was not a good time to release a book. But interesting things happened as everyone tried to find their bearings. The amazing Mary South (You Will Never Be Forgotten) started a mailing list for writers who put books out at that time, and an ad hoc community formed. From relatively obscure writers like me to established writers working in all kinds of genres. We communed and bitched and celebrated any victories, gave each other advice, and read on zoom at times. Finally this week, the memoirist Meredith O’Brien (Uncomfortably Numb) organized a reading at Tatnuck Books outside Boston, and a few of us who were in the area gathered there to read together. It was wonderful to meet everyone, and fascinating to read with a diverse group of writers who would otherwise not be programmed together. Meredith introduced us, and readers–in order–were Christina Chiu (Beauty, a novel), Leslie Gray Streeter (Black Widow, a memoir), David Daley (Unrigged, a work of political reportage), Alice Early (The Moon Always Rising, a novel), and me. My reading starts at 43:30.

Video is here.

The Millions interview on To Remain Nameless

September 3, 2021September 25, 2021 asdfox

After almost two years of lead-up, through a neurological event, a bout of Ukrainian COVID, a father-in-law’s dental surgery, and other delays, Il’ja Rákoš of The Millions finally completed this interview about To Remain Nameless. It’s here.