All the sad young literary men
23 May 2025

All the sad young literary men

Today, Explained

About
Writer Ross Barkan says young men's voices have vanished from literary fiction. Economist Joel Waldfogel offers a reality check from the world of publishing.

This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir and Patrick Boyd, and hosted by Noel King.

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A reader by the book wall at the 2025 Turin Book Fair. Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images.



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