Supernova (Electric Literature's Recommended Reading)

3.4/5 ( ratings)

What fascinating about Dani Shapiro's story "Supernova" is "its focus on the minor catastrophe that is Shenkman, a relatively prosperous man whose minor shortcomings feel, to him alone, monumental and impossible to overlook," writes Benjamin Samuel, Co-Editor of Electric Literature, in his introduction to this issue of Recommended Reading.

"Despite rowing everyday, obsessively racing against an old rival in a computerized simulation, nobody even knows Shenkman still competing. Worse still, he isn't even trying to win anymore, just trying to transpose his sense of defeat on anyone left in the race. Shenkman's last hope for achieving something is his son, Waldo, who spends so much time stargazing, so disconnected from the real world, that he's slipped out of Shenkman's reach.

"'Supernova' is a story that succeeds because of its remarkable treatment of the mediocre, it's focus on the middle of the pack where most of spend our days. It reminds us that we can exalt the quotidian, and that normalcy can be something to commemorate....Because most of the time existence doesn't end with a bang or even a whimper, sometimes life ends with a shrug."

About the Author:
Dani Shapiro is the author of five novels and three memoirs. Her newest, Still Writing: The Pleasures and Perils of a Creative Life, is just out.

About Electric Literature:
Electric Literature is an independent publisher working to ensure that literature remains a vibrant presence in popular culture. Electric Literature’s weekly fiction magazine, Recommended Reading, invites established authors, indie presses, and literary magazines to recommended great fiction. Once a month we feature our own recommendation of original, previously unpublished fiction, accompanied by a Single Sentence Animation. Single Sentence Animations are creative collaborations: the author chooses a favorite sentence and we commission an artist to interpret it. Stay connected with us through our eNewsletter , Facebook, and Twitter, and find previous Electric Literature picks in the Recommended Reading archives.