No, people, I’m not getting a tattoo. I already resolved my midlife crisis, remember? And in case it flares up again, I’m already writing the next book.
Now for the question about the best American writers of the moment. Even a couple of years ago my answer would be different but since then some of my favorite authors have gone woke, so I have to change my list.
I’d say the strongest US writer right now is Jennifer Egan. A Visit from the Goon Squad and Candyland are pretty brilliant. They are about chi-chi-frou-frou people figuring out fluidity. Very talented.
A new writer who is very gifted is Tess Gunty. I’ll write about her more soon but she’s the closest we got to a novelist of the crisis. Outstanding talent.
Bárbara Kingsolver hit it out of the park with Demon Copperhead, so I’m giving her a chance with whatever else she writes from now on. One novel isn’t a guarantee of anything but let’s be hopeful.
Jonathan Franzen is good, and Laura Lippmann is sloooowly becoming a real writer.
I feel like I’m forgetting somebody because this all sounds like extremely slim pickings. But that’s what I’ve got right now. Finding a decent American author these days is like mining for gold. I spend hours browsing shelves, reading first chapters, poring over reviews. This is hard work, folks.
Thank you for the question. It was lovely.
Clarissa's Blog 
You could give John C. Wright a try, particularly his short stories. He is America’s Cordwainer Smith.
Book of Feasts and Seasons, and Awake in the Night are two favorites.
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