The New Yorker: Fiction

Karen Russell Reads Louise Erdrich

Oct 1, 2025
Karen Russell, an acclaimed fiction writer and MacArthur Fellow, joins Deborah Treisman to discuss Louise Erdrich's poignant story, 'The Stone.' They explore the captivating interplay between the unnamed woman's life and the ancient stone, delving into themes of agency and emotional resonance. Russell highlights the contrast of human experiences against geological time, revealing how Erdrich's storytelling blurs boundaries between nature and personal ritual. The conversation also touches on solitude, creativity, and the indifference of the stone, leaving listeners contemplating the cyclical nature of life.
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INSIGHT

Mastering Multiple Tones

  • Karen Russell admires Louise Erdrich's ability to hold multiple tones and compress vast timescales into short stories.
  • She calls Erdrich's work sorcerous for distilling a life's arc and geological time within a few pages.
ANECDOTE

A Text That Became A Line

  • Russell recounts receiving a text from Louise: “a stone is a heavy secret,” which appears in the story.
  • She listened to the story with her newborn, finding the stone's visibility and opacity resonant.
ANECDOTE

College Theft And Orbital Fracture

  • Russell recounts the college theft episode where Mariah steals the stone and injures herself when it falls.
  • The woman reclaims the stone immediately, showing its inextricable hold on her life.
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