Atlantic Fiction Issue

[AprilBoo]

Has anyone picked up the Atlantic (Monthly) Fiction Issue? What did you think? Are the stories in there worth cutting all the rest of the fiction from the magazine during the year?

I was a little disappointed by some of the stories, particularly the one by Joyce Carol Oates. But some of the essays are excellent.

[Jamesaritchie]

Has anyone picked up the Atlantic (Monthly) Fiction Issue? What did you think? Are the stories in there worth cutting all the rest of the fiction from the magazine during the year?

I was a little disappointed by some of the stories, particularly the one by Joyce Carol Oates. But some of the essays are excellent.

I think it's a great issue. Joyce Carol Oates has never written anything I didn't fall in love with. I don't like cutting fiction from the regular issues, but they say they'll actually be publishing more fiction this way. We'll see.

[maestrowork]

So they're not going to publish fiction in their regular issue?

Is the fiction issue monthly as well?

[AprilBoo]

So they're not going to publish fiction in their regular issue?

Is the fiction issue monthly as well?

No more fiction in the regular issues. The fiction issue is going to be annual, I believe.

[maestrowork]

No more fiction in the regular issues. The fiction issue is going to be annual, I believe.

Ouch, that hurts.

[Jamesaritchie]

I think it was a stupid decision bt the editor to rid the monthly issues of fiction, and I know they've lost some readers over it. They lost me. But the extra nonfiction may pick up new readers.

But yearly fiction issues have been very profitable for The New Yorker, and my guess is this is why The Atlantic is trying it.

But if you tink it's a bad idea, write the editor a letter and tell him so. Enough letters might turn things around.

[ClaudiaP]

Yeah, but the NYer does both annual and monthly fiction. In my opinion, the essays in the Atlantic are not that good. Sorta pseudo-intellectual. Except for Sandra Tsing Loh, who rocks. The OMG The Chinese are Coming! issue was particularly bogus...did you see that cover where they made Chinese soldiers look like little automaton clones with silver, demonic eyes? Incredibly tacky, not to mention hysteria-mongering. That sort of thing belies their claim to be focusing on serious political and cultural essays.

[Jamesaritchie]

Yeah, but the NYer does both annual and monthly fiction. In my opinion, the essays in the Atlantic are not that good. Sorta pseudo-intellectual. Except for Sandra Tsing Loh, who rocks. The OMG The Chinese are Coming! issue was particularly bogus...did you see that cover where they made Chinese soldiers look like little automaton clones with silver, demonic eyes? Incredibly tacky, not to mention hysteria-mongering. That sort of thing belies their claim to be focusing on serious political and cultural essays.

Yes, I agree. Without the monthly fiction, I have no reason to buy The Atlantic.

[Cabinscribe]

Has anyone picked up the Atlantic (Monthly) Fiction Issue? What did you think? Are the stories in there worth cutting all the rest of the fiction from the magazine during the year?

I was a little disappointed by some of the stories, particularly the one by Joyce Carol Oates. But some of the essays are excellent.

I did get that issue, and have read only the Joyce Carol Oates story so far.

I agree with you; I was disappointed with the story, although I have never been a big fan of her writing.

I don't really have an opinion as to whether it is better for that magazine to have a fiction issue, or to include fiction in each issue.

[GinPuddle]

I've read most of it, and I loved the short stories "The House On Kronenstrasse" by Shira Nayman and "Director's Cut" by George Singleton.

[Tish Davidson]

I don't like Joyce Carol Oats, but I didn't hate her Atlantic story. I did like the City Visit story by Adam Haslett - thought he captured the ambivalence and different emotional pulls of a gay teen and his relationship to his mom quite well. I liked the Perils of Literary Success essay by Curtis Sittenfeld.

As for dropping monthly fiction, it seems like it might narrow the type of reader the Atlantic attracts.

[maestrowork]

Yeah, I agree with James. I'm going to write them and tell them they're going to lose many readers (me included) if they get rid of the monthly fiction...