There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto - CM
what is man without desires, without will, and without wantings… - FD
PSA this website is not up to date !
contact me: smdesswrites@gmail.com
Professor:
Columbia University
Parsons School of Design
*but, moving to italy
sophie madeline dess
Forthcoming:
Zalmanovs, a novel
Out:
What You Make of Me, Debut novel with Penguin Press, 2025
Interview in BOMB
Interview in The Drift
Interview in Campari Soda, the Podcast
“Searching For a Crisis,” Forever Magazine
“Bringing the Chair to the Party,” Serpent Club: New Writing
“Crossing the Line,” Hobart
“Unfathomably Deep,” The Drift
“Goals for Growth,” KGB Literary Magazine
“Zalmanovs” short story, The Paris Review
“off to war” short story, Forever Magazine
On McCarthy’s Blood Meridian for The Paris Review
On Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols for The Paris Review
“The Underbelly of Performance Art,” Off Chance
Two Paths for Erotic Sculpture, The New Republic
Kierkegaard’s Philosophy, The Washington Post
“The Conundrum of Lucian Freud’s Portraits,” The Atlantic
Review of Lydia Millet’s Dinosaur, The Times Literary Supplement
The Met Museum and Modern Surrealism, The Atlantic
Review of The Creep, The Times Literary Supplement
The Design Years of Francis Bacon, The Atlantic
Philosophy of Touch, The Washington Post
Exploring Mary Cassatt, The Times Literary Supplement
Temp-work Narrative Feature, The New Republic
Review of Popkey’s Topics of Conversation, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Dave Eggers’ The Parade, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Tea Obreht’s Inland Sea, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Ridker’s The Altruists, The Times Literary Supplement
On Samuel Beckett and Deirdre Bair, Los Angeles Review of Books
On Thomas Bernhard and Fleur Jaeggy, Los Angeles Review of Books
Review of Chris Powers’ Mothers: Stories, The Millions
Review of Brian Dillon’s Suppose a Sentence, Los Angeles Review of Books
Forthcoming:
Zalmanovs, a novel
Out:
What You Make of Me, Debut novel with Penguin Press, 2025
Interview in BOMB
Interview in The Drift
Interview in Campari Soda, the Podcast
“Searching For a Crisis,” Forever Magazine
“Bringing the Chair to the Party,” Serpent Club: New Writing
“Crossing the Line,” Hobart
“Unfathomably Deep,” The Drift
“Goals for Growth,” KGB Literary Magazine
“Zalmanovs” short story, The Paris Review
“off to war” short story, Forever Magazine
On McCarthy’s Blood Meridian for The Paris Review
On Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols for The Paris Review
“The Underbelly of Performance Art,” Off Chance
Two Paths for Erotic Sculpture, The New Republic
Kierkegaard’s Philosophy, The Washington Post
“The Conundrum of Lucian Freud’s Portraits,” The Atlantic
Review of Lydia Millet’s Dinosaur, The Times Literary Supplement
The Met Museum and Modern Surrealism, The Atlantic
Review of The Creep, The Times Literary Supplement
The Design Years of Francis Bacon, The Atlantic
Philosophy of Touch, The Washington Post
Exploring Mary Cassatt, The Times Literary Supplement
Temp-work Narrative Feature, The New Republic
Review of Popkey’s Topics of Conversation, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Dave Eggers’ The Parade, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Tea Obreht’s Inland Sea, The Times Literary Supplement
Review of Ridker’s The Altruists, The Times Literary Supplement
On Samuel Beckett and Deirdre Bair, Los Angeles Review of Books
On Thomas Bernhard and Fleur Jaeggy, Los Angeles Review of Books
Review of Chris Powers’ Mothers: Stories, The Millions
Review of Brian Dillon’s Suppose a Sentence, Los Angeles Review of Books