Yiyun Li, the celebrated author of The Book of Goose, delves into a poignant exploration of loss, alienation, aging, and the peculiarities of contemporary existence in her latest collection, Wednesday's Child. Each story unravels the delicate tapestry of ordinary lives, where a grieving mother compiles a spreadsheet of her losses, a professor grapples with a complicated intimacy with her hairdresser, and an annual email from a mysterious older man disrupts the routine of a restless woman.

Li's narratives capture the struggle for an ordinary existence, one that inevitably unravels as the profound and mysterious forces of death, violence, and estrangement come to the fore. Everyday moments, laden with meaning, are illuminated—whether it's a stolen jar of honey, a cluster of wounded ants, or a long-hidden photograph demanding acknowledgment.

Li's literary alchemy blends tenderness with unsentimentality, metaphysics with bluntness, humor with horror, creating a unique voice that navigates the complexities of exile, assimilation, loss, and love. Wednesday's Child, a compilation over a decade, stands as a testament to the material and emotional costs of living, showcasing Li's trademark unnerving beauty and wisdom 📚❤️