I’m reading The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, which someone recommended to me over Twitter. The author, Jennifer 8. Lee, does some incredibly creative and intensive reporting to dig up the real origins of General Tso’s chicken and the fortune cookie, as well as many other trademarks of Chinese restaurants in America. I’m also reading Red Sorghum by Mo Yan, and within the first couple of pages you learn that a man will be skinned alive so… I’ve been reading that one very slowly but also very intently, because the language is both so visceral and so tantalisingly macho. I’ve also got an advance reading copy of an anthology from The Story Prize, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary by publishing a collection of short stories from all the past winners – one story per winner – a list that includes Edwidge Danticat, Elizabeth McCracken and George Saunders. You don’t often get collections, or even anthologies where every story knocks you out, but I’ve been bewildered in the best way over each one so far.