'The oldest is 70. The youngest, 26. In between, the best list of this kind I have ever seen.' Marlon James
In three issues, the literary anthology from leading editor and literary critic John Freeman has gained an international following and wide acclaim: 'fresh, provocative, engrossing' (BBC.com), 'impressively diverse' (O Magazine), 'bold, searching' (Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Freeman's: The Future of New Writing departs from the series' progression of themes. This special fourth installment instead introduces a list — to be announced just before publication — of thirty poets, essayists, novelists and short story writers from around the world who are shaping the literary conversation right now and will continue to impact it in years to come.
Drawing on recommendations from book editors, critics, translators and authors from across the globe, Freeman's: The Future of New Writing includes pieces from a select list of writers aged 25 to 70, from over a dozen countries and writing in almost as many languages. This will be a new kind of list, and an aesthetic manifesto for our times. Against a climate of nationalism and silo'd thinking, writers remain influenced by work from outside their region, genre and especially age group. Serious readers, this special issue celebrates, have always read this way too — and Freeman's: The Future of NewWriting brings them an exciting view of where writing is going next.
