American Misadventure with Nathan Hill
Critics have likened him to John Irving; Irving has likened him to Charles Dickens; and Dickens, though very much dead, might have appreciated the humour, heart and panoramic scope of his work. Nathan Hill is the American writer of the moment.
His debut novel, The Nix, is a sprawling, postmodern social satire that skewers contemporary American politics, media and academia. In 2016, it made Hill a star; publication rights of the book have sold in 16 countries, amid some furious bidding wars. The book is remarkably of its time – featuring a viral video firestorm and a populist presidential candidate bearing more than a passing resemblance to one Donald Trump. The New York Times has described The Nix as a ‘supersize and audacious novel of American misadventure’.
Hill’s novel – at times surreal and dystopian – has arrived at an extraordinary moment in American political history. Join him in conversation with Louise Swinn for a discussion of fiction, fact, fantasy and 21st-century America.
Featuring
Featuring
Nathan Hill was born in Iowa in 1975 and lives with his wife in Naples, Florida. The Nix is his first novel.
Louise Swinn is a journalist, editor, critic and writer, co-founder of Sleepers independent publishers, the Small Press Network, and the Stella Prize. Louise edited Choice Words (Allen & Unwin, 2019), a collection of pieces demystifying abortion, and currently works as a journalist with the Aust... Read more
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