by Grant Cousineau “…it was adults of course who introduced danger into the world, always adults.” Nickolas Butler’s latest novel was inspired by the Kara Neumann case of Weston, WI, where a pair of Pentecostal parents refused medical treatment for their diabetic daughter and instead attempted to cure her through prayer. Kara died in 2008, and her parents were convicted of second-degree reckless homicide. Little Faith explores this dangerous territory: the boundaries between faith and the limits of an… [Read More]
Tag » Nickolas Butler
“Freshwater Ocean” — Celebrating the Great Lakes at UntitledTown 2019
by Audrey Arnold The Great Lakes have had a special place in my heart ever since I can remember. Every summer, my family takes a day trip up to Lake Superior. We set up the grill, have a picnic, and sit on the beach afterwards. Those who are brave enough take a dive and swim in the water that is almost always chilly, even in August after the heat of summer has warmed it. One of my favorite parts about… [Read More]
#BookTalk – Beneath the Bonfire by Nickolas Butler
In Beneath the Bonfire, Nickolas Butler unmasks the “good people” of small-town America. by Grant Cousineau Nickolas Butler sees the world a little differently. Take, for instance, this moment from the eponymous story in his 2015 collection, Beneath the Bonfire. A girl named Kat is scuba diving under a frozen lake, looking up at a colossal bonfire made from dozens of dying Christmas trees: “From here, it looks like something in outer space burning, a distant collection of stars,… [Read More]