Harare Review of Books

170 pages.

Expected publication date: Mar. 10, 2023 (NOON. Inc.)

Literary journal.

I had never encountered NOON before, and this has been a wonderful introduction to thoughtful writing and visual art (drawings, paintings, and sculpture). Writers in NOON 2023 include Brandon Hobson, Kathryn Scanlan, Lucie Elven, Christine Schutt, Susan Laier, and others.

I particularly enjoyed the snippets from writer and translator Lydia Davis’s wooden box—a kind of commonplace book, which is always a fun thing to peruse. I also enjoyed the interview with Christine Schutt about her story, The Life of the Palm and the Breast, which was written in response to Katherine Mansfield’s Bliss.

Although there are some rather confrontational pieces in here (fiction, and visual art), I found that most of the writing left me pensive, which is my favourite post-reading mood. I also enjoyed the various visual breaks very much.

Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and to NOON. Inc for this ARC.