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The Power of Silence and Sound
Selections from the Archives
This month’s interview with Gordon Hempton, reprinted from 2010 as part of our ongoing celebration of The Sun’s fiftieth year of publication, is on the search for silence in a noisy world. The selections from the archives offer other ways to think about the power of silence — and of sound.
August 29, 2023Upcoming Readers Write Deadlines
Yard Sales, Fantasy, and Taste
There’s still time to submit to Readers Write on “Yard Sales”! Be sure to get your entry to us by September 1 — we’ve suggested a few potential prompts if you still need to get your creative juices flowing. And it’s never too early to start your first draft for an upcoming topic. . . .
August 25, 2023More from the Streets of San Francisco
Joseph Johnston’s photo essay about unhoused people, “On the Streets of San Francisco” [February, 2023], struck a chord with readers. We heard from one man who lives in Joseph’s neighborhood and recognized people in the photos. . . . When we passed along all the letters we received, Joseph thanked us for lifting his spirits and sent us a new image from the series.
By Joseph Johnston • August 22, 2023Looking in a New Way
Maria Kuznetsova on Absurdity and Postpartum Insomnia
When I read Maria Kuznetsova’s story “Sandwoman,” I was immediately drawn to its offbeat tone and to the narrator’s voice, which is in turns playful, exuberant, dark, and funny. Though much of the story is fantastical, it speaks volumes about the real-life experiences of women who struggle with their physical and mental health postpartum. Maria’s imaginative and surprising perspective made me want to dig into the story’s origins when I got to talk to her.
By Nancy Holochwost, Associate Editor • August 18, 2023Removing the Mask
John Paul Scotto on Learning to Live with Autism
As someone who was a socially awkward kid — and remains a socially awkward adult — I find a lot to identify with in John Paul Scotto’s essays. He was recently diagnosed with autism, but for most of his life he knew only that he needed to hide his true self around other people if he wanted to fit in. . . . We’re pleased to have published some of his work in The Sun, including his essay in this month’s issue: “Coach’s Kid.”
By Andrew Snee, Senior Editor • August 15, 2023Chicken. Film. Youth.
An Excerpt from Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go
We are pleased to share “Chicken. Film. Youth.” an exclusive online excerpt from Cleo Qian’s new short-story collection, Let’s Go Let’s Go Let’s Go, available August 15 from Tin House.
By Cleo Qian • August 8, 2023August: This Month in Sun History
A Look Back for Our 50th Year of Publication
The Sun’s first-ever website launched in August 1999, into a world of staticky dial-up tones, GeoCities, and frequent buffering. It came about thanks to the generosity of two Sun subscribers. . . . Shelley Sherman and Meredith Tupper took it upon themselves to build a modest, stately website that perhaps undersold the magazine: “If you haven’t heard of The Sun,” the About page read, “you’re not alone.”
August 1, 2023An Excerpt from Contradiction Days
An Artist on the Verge of Motherhood
We are pleased to share an exclusive online excerpt from JoAnna Novak’s new memoir, Contradiction Days, available July 25 from Catapult, about a soon-to-be-mother whose obsession with the reclusive painter Agnes Martin threatens to upend her life.
By JoAnna Novak • July 24, 2023Musical Notes
Selections from the Archives
Just like a good mixtape, the selections we’re sharing this month blend genres as they explore a common theme. They all offer surprising answers to the questions raised in our July interview with Kelefa Sanneh on what popular music can teach us about each other.
July 20, 2023Kelefa Sanneh Interview Playlist
My conversation with Kelefa Sanneh covered so many artists and so many genres that we thought readers would enjoy a playlist. My hope is that something here gets stuck in your head long enough to prompt some investigating of your own.
By Finn Cohen, Associate Editor • July 20, 2023Request a free trial, and we’ll mail you a print copy of this month’s issue. Plus you’ll get full online access — including 50 years of archives. Request A Free Issue