The Powerful Pessimism of <em>What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky</em>
Lesley Nneka Arimah’s debut story collection takes a dystopic look at human life, but pulls back from the brink of total bleakness.
In a recent on NPR’s , Scott Simon spoke to Lesley Nneka Arimah days before the publication of her highly anticipated debut story collection. Why, he asked, did she think post-apocalyptic worlds hold so much interest for today’s readers? The answer she gave suggests her own fascination has as much to do with temperament as with our particular times. “At some point, we all know deep down that we’re doomed. And so I think we’re just sort of imagining the futures that are coming,” Arimah said, calling herself “a pessimist. I do think that human nature has sort of proven time
