Fiction Night

Synopsis

Ben Greenman, an editor at The New Yorker, welcomes attendees to the seventh annual New Yorker Festival. He introduces the evening's readers, starting with Gary Shteyngart, who was born in Leningrad and immigrated to the United States as a child. Shteyngart's debut novel, The Russian Debutante's Handbook, won both a Steven Crane Award for first fiction and a National Jewish Book Award for fiction. The second reader, George Saunders, is recognized for his works including CivilWarLand in Bad Decline and Pastoralia. Saunders recently received a MacArthur Fellowship, often referred to as the 'Genius Grant.' Greenman emphasizes the humor and skill of both authors, promising an engaging night of readings that highlight their unique styles and insights.