Adam Johnson
September 4, 2015
The Orphan Master’s Son, Adam Johnson’s novel about North Korea, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013. In his latest book, Fortune Smiles, his stories tread many territories, including North Korea again. Kirkus Reviews says: “Safe houses, hospices, hospitals: these are the theaters where many of the stories take place, all enshrouded in a certain incomprehension—but, to Johnson’s great credit, seldom in hopelessness, for his characters are inclined to endure against the odds: ‘You turn the ignition and drop the van in gear, and you know this is no ordinary event.’ Bittersweet, elegant, full of hard-won wisdom: this is no ordinary book, either.” Stories from Fortune Smiles have already gained acclaim. “Nirvana” won the Sunday Times short story prize and “Hurricanes Anonymous” was included in Best American Short Stories.