Stuart Dybek delves into the intricate landscapes of everyday life, particularly within the vibrant setting of his native Chicago's South Side. His stories and poems are imbued with a profound sense of nostalgia, vulnerability, and a deep empathy for ordinary people and their aspirations. Dybek masterfully captures the ephemeral nature of moments and the quiet beauty found in common experiences, employing a lyrical and perceptive style. His work is a testament to human resilience and the enduring spirit.
Celebrating seven years of culinary creativity, this collection features exceptional writing from notable fiction and nonfiction authors, showcasing a diverse range of topics from humor to lyrical prose, and recipes to personal reflections. The pieces explore various aspects of food and drink, blending historical insights with contemporary experiences, all while maintaining the high-quality writing that defines the magazine. Unique in its literary approach, it stands out as the only journal with its own martini recipe, adding a playful twist to the literary feast.
Judith Slater's debut collection, selected by Stuart Dybek as the 1998 Winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, introduces a unique voice in contemporary literature. Slater's prose dances through the lives of ordinary people seeking passion and connection amidst their loneliness. Her diverse characters—a floral clerk aspiring to ballet, a photographer at his ex-girlfriend's wedding, and a father reluctantly chaperoning a school dance—are all attuned to the moments of possibility and magic lurking beneath the surface of daily life.
In her title story, a woman envisions a perfect baby, while "Phil's Third Eye" features a bizarre encounter at a Laundromat that escalates into a battle of wills. "Our New Life" explores the unexpected choices made by a former therapist, challenging notions of risk, and in "Soft Money," a corporate employee devises a creative solution to job insecurity amid downsizing. Through vivid and witty prose, Slater crafts a world where individuals navigate the oddities of existence and forge connections.
Originally from Oregon, Slater holds an M.F.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Her work has appeared in various literary magazines, and she currently teaches English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, spending summers in Ashland, Oregon.
