The New Yorker: Fiction Bryan Washington Reads Yiyun Li
Jan 1, 2026
Bryan Washington, a celebrated fiction writer known for his works like "Lot" and "Memorial," joins to read Yiyun Li's captivating story "A Small Flame." He shares how he discovered Li's unique narrative style and discusses her masterful pacing and structure. The conversation dives into the complexities of the protagonist, Bella, exploring her loneliness, desire for recognition, and the contrasting memories of her past. Washington highlights the themes of unattainability and the narratives we inherit, revealing Bella's struggle for belonging in a world that often overlooks her.
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Discovery In The Library Stacks
- Bryan Washington first found Yiyun Li in university stacks of The New Yorker.
- He read much of her work there and felt it shaped his sense of narrative craft.
Structure Reveals Character
- Yiyun Li shapes character through tight structural choices rather than overt exposition.
- Bryan Washington admires how pacing and line-level decisions reveal a character's interior quietly.
Opening Scene As Character Map
- The story's opening scene compresses exposition and character through a small public encounter.
- Washington notes how that moment signals Bella's relational tensions and narrative mode.