The Stuntman
Friday, October 10, 2025, 2:00PM
This is a discussion without the author present. Reading the story is recommended to fully enjoy the conversation.
To listen to the author read the story please visit The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice Podcast or contact the King Library to receive a PDF of the story.
Author: Rachel Cusk
Moderator: Margaret Wilesmith
Story Description:Two parallel narratives explore the relationship between art and identity. An artist who paints the world upside down and his wife navigate their complex relationship, while a woman grappling with random violence discovers her "stuntman" self—the part that absorbs life's traumas. Through these intertwined stories, Cusk examines how we represent ourselves and others, the violence underlying gender dynamics, and the quest to find truth in a world that often feels inverted.
This is a discussion without the author present. Reading the story is recommended to fully enjoy the conversation.
To listen to the author read the story please visit The New Yorker: The Writer's Voice Podcast or contact the King Library to receive a PDF of the story.
Author: Rachel Cusk
Moderator: Margaret Wilesmith
Story Description:Two parallel narratives explore the relationship between art and identity. An artist who paints the world upside down and his wife navigate their complex relationship, while a woman grappling with random violence discovers her "stuntman" self—the part that absorbs life's traumas. Through these intertwined stories, Cusk examines how we represent ourselves and others, the violence underlying gender dynamics, and the quest to find truth in a world that often feels inverted.