August 30th, 2011
Having an imaginary argument with a misremembered quote by David Foster Wallace might seem totally ridiculous—and it is—but I doubt that it’s so rare. I was too old to get the full John Lennon effect from Kurt Cobain’s suicide, but DFW’s? It didn’t even seem possible. He’s my Kurt Cobain. He’s the only writer of his (my?) generation with whom reckoning is not optional. His Hendrix-like virtuousity simply can’t be ignored, even when it’s maddening.

In today’s “Plus Ça Change” column over at Google+.

plus ça change
lit

PRAISE FOR
WHY THEY CRIED



"... demonstrates real insight into the way we live now."
 –The Rumpus

"Reminiscent of George Saunders and James Thurber, Why They Cried is a great collection of modern tales."
–Hannah Tinti, author of The Good Thief and co-founder of One Story

"Jim Hanas has a remarkable talent for imagining and crafting uncanny little worlds that make me vaguely nervous. And yet I never want to leave."
–Rob Walker, co-founder of Significant Objects

"A tender and smart assembly of fiction about people trying to communicate—with each other, the world—and all the ways they fail. Fail better, fail beautifully."
–Fiona Maazel, author of Last Last Chance

Jim Hanas is the author of the short story collection Why They Cried (Joyland eBooks/ECW Press) and social media editor at The New York Observer.

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