Awards

• Short-listed for The International Rubery Book Award: Fiction 2018 (UK)

Overview

A creator of virtual memories struggles to distinguish real-life experience from manufactured events. A childless couple conceive two children in an online world, only for their imagined life to be infected by a computer virus. The robotic brother of an adopted Chinese child ‘dies’, and a family realises how real a son he had become. Alexander Weinstein’s debut story collection, Children of the New World, imagines a near future of social-media implants and instant connection, environmental collapse and post-revolution discord. It grapples with our unease in the modern world and how our ever-growing dependence on new technologies has changed the shape of our society. Alexander Weinstein is a visionary new voice for all of us who are fascinated by and terrified of what we might find on the horizon.

Full Product Details

9781925498387

Table of Contents

Reviews

'A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.' Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven 'Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.' Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe 'In each of the gripping stories in Children of the New World, Alexander Weinstein offers a unique glimpse into an unnerving not-so-distant and all-too-possible future. Weinstein explores what-ifs with both wit and sensitivity, and his cautionary tales demand to be read (before it's too late).' Judy Budnitz, author of Nice Big American Baby 'In Alexander Weinstein's debut collection, the future is a frightening and familiar place. Weinstein takes our uneasy truce with technology and blows it up, giving us child robots and ice worlds and the dark aftermath of failed revolutions. The collection is nothing short of a gorgeous new cold war, pitting us both with and against the science that threatens to become not-so-fictional every day.' Amber Sparks, author of The Unfinished World: And Other Stories 'Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human...This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein's collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.' STARRED Review, Publishers Weekly 'Mind-blowing...In the vein of George Saunders, Rick Bass, and Alex Shakar, Weinstein writes with stirring particularity, unfailing sensitivity, and supercharged imagination, creating nuanced stories harboring a molten core of astutely satirical inquiries.' STARRED Review, Booklist '[Weinstein's] stories look like SF-consider the childless couple living in a virtual-reality community whose child there is wiped out by a computer virus-but read like literary fiction. Calling all fans of Margaret Atwood and Emily St. John Mandel.' Library Journal 'Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered-whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.' Kirkus Reviews 'Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein's eerie sci-fi collection-featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry-fills the void brilliantly.' EW.com 'These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.' LitHub '[A] funny, discomfiting, and excellent debut... Even with a cursory reading of current events, it's difficult to deny that Weinstein's new world is the one our children will grow up in, if not the one we are already living in. Don't let anyone tell you these stories aren't real.' Bomb Magazine 'Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel...Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going - and how, for better and for worse, we're already there. NPR 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes...Weinstein subtly infuses his cautionary tales about the price of submitting so credulously to technological progress with a sense of inevitability.' Atlantic 'Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories.' Millions 'Poignant...Weinstein explores catastrophic climate change, the spiritual ramifications of digital/body interfaces, sexuality unfettered by the human body, and how over-sharing thoughts and dreams digitally could profoundly change how people experience reality. His worldbuilding is subtle and virtuosic. The characters and stories in Children of the New World will continue to affect readers deeply long after the final page' STARRED Review, Shelf Awareness 'These 13 stories artfully slam an unchecked obsession with technology and affirm the beauty of reality's texture.' New York Times 'Weinstein's collection is the most engrossing work of fiction this reviewer has read since Dave Eggers's The Circle...Using wit and intelligence, each story investigates the negative effects of technology gone awry and the subsequent effect on society. Like a prose version of the Netflix series Black Mirror, this volume encapsulates a brave and imaginative examination of possible futures. Highly recommended for all readers.' STARRED Review, Library Journal 'Future-shocked, surprisingly moving, thoroughly excellent...deeply empathetic, sneakily funny, and clearly concerned about the ever-fuzzing line between our minds, our hearts, and our gadgets; it's a little bit Kafka, and a little bit Kaufman' WIRED.com 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes. Thanks to wry prose and humor, the collection is less moody and horror-steeped than similar speculative works. But Children of the New World is no less ominous. Weinstein subtly infuses his cautionary tales about the price of submitting so credulously to technological progress with a sense of inevitability.' Atlantic 'In a world where technology is all-encompassing, Children of the New World seems to foreshadow the consequences...Each story takes on instances that may become very real in the future, making readers take a step back and question the effects of technology on our society.' Signature 'Sharp, good short story writing...This is a winner.' Radio New Zealand 'Each of these stories has its genesis in the question What if ...? and Weinstein's imaginings are far too much like the current state of the world to be anything but chilling. Yet he can also, if only in passing, be very funny.' Age 'Children of the New World is a stellar book of short stories by the American writer Alexander Weinstein, that shows how science fiction is arguably the essential genre for our age. The stories here present various futures, rooted in virtual technologies and climate change, with such urgency and humour that indulging in any other genre seems tantamount to escapism...It is startling that this is Weinstein's first book, given how ambitiously and impressively it speaks of our future.' Saturday Paper

`Each of these stories has its genesis in the question “What if ...?” and Weinstein's imaginings are far too much like the current state of the world to be anything but chilling. Yet he can also, if only in passing, be very funny.’ * Age * `[Children of the New World] is a stellar book of short stories by the American writer Alexander Weinstein, that shows how science fiction is arguably the essential genre for our age. The stories here present various futures, rooted in virtual technologies and climate change, with such urgency and humour that indulging in any other genre seems tantamount to escapism. …It is startling that this is Weinstein’s first book, given how ambitiously and impressively it speaks of our future.’ * Saturday Paper * `A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.’ -- Emily St. John Mandel, author of * Station Eleven * `Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.’ -- Charles Yu, author of * How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe * `Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human…This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein’s collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.’ -- STARRED Review * Publishers Weekly * `Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered—whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.’ * Kirkus Reviews * `Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein’s eerie sci-fi collection—featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry—fills the void brilliantly.’ * EW.com * `These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.’ * LitHub * `Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel…Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going — and how, for better and for worse, we’re already there.’ * NPR * `By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein’s stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes.’ * Atlantic * `Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories. * Millions * `An eye-opening horror that will leave you thinking about the implications of technology long into the night…Fantastic.’ * Cosy Dragon * `To read this collection of 13 short stories is to be stunned, thrilled and terrified in equal measure. That’s because US writer Alexander Weinstein isn’t seeing into the future in a wacky sci-fi sort of way; he’s looking at what’s just over the horizon and approaching fast…An exceptional debut.’ * North & South * `A highly enjoyable collection…You will emerge with one heck of a book hangover, and it might take you a while to re-acclimate yourself to the “real” world.’ * 100% Rock Magazine * `Stories that artfully claw at our complacency and explore, with insight and wit, the human side of the human/technology equation that comprises who we are...Children of the New World is the kind of unsettling read that is a compulsive and confusing pleasure. It pulls just far enough ahead to offer perspective without straining relatability and then deposits you back into a comfortable reality that feels slightly less so.’ * ArtsHub * `A quiet achievement…Not a single word is wasted; each reality is constructed convincingly, without exposition, and the pages keep turning…You’ll find yourself thinking about these worlds later, as you go about your life, and thinking they aren’t so far from yours.’ * Aurealis *

'A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.' Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven 'Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.' Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe 'In each of the gripping stories in Children of the New World, Alexander Weinstein offers a unique glimpse into an unnerving not-so-distant and all-too-possible future. Weinstein explores what-ifs with both wit and sensitivity, and his cautionary tales demand to be read (before it's too late).' Judy Budnitz, author of Nice Big American Baby 'In Alexander Weinstein's debut collection, the future is a frightening and familiar place. Weinstein takes our uneasy truce with technology and blows it up, giving us child robots and ice worlds and the dark aftermath of failed revolutions. The collection is nothing short of a gorgeous new cold war, pitting us both with and against the science that threatens to become not-so-fictional every day.' Amber Sparks, author of The Unfinished World: And Other Stories 'Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human...This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein's collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.' STARRED Review, Publishers Weekly 'Mind-blowing...In the vein of George Saunders, Rick Bass, and Alex Shakar, Weinstein writes with stirring particularity, unfailing sensitivity, and supercharged imagination, creating nuanced stories harboring a molten core of astutely satirical inquiries.' STARRED Review, Booklist '[Weinstein's] stories look like SF-consider the childless couple living in a virtual-reality community whose child there is wiped out by a computer virus-but read like literary fiction. Calling all fans of Margaret Atwood and Emily St. John Mandel.' Library Journal 'Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered-whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.' Kirkus Reviews 'Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein's eerie sci-fi collection-featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry-fills the void brilliantly.' EW.com 'These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.' LitHub '[A] funny, discomfiting, and excellent debut... Even with a cursory reading of current events, it's difficult to deny that Weinstein's new world is the one our children will grow up in, if not the one we are already living in. Don't let anyone tell you these stories aren't real.' Bomb Magazine 'Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel...Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going - and how, for better and for worse, we're already there. NPR 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes...Weinstein subtly infuses his cautionary tales about the price of submitting so credulously to technological progress with a sense of inevitability.' Atlantic 'Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories.' Millions 'A heartbreaking vision of the future feels all too real in this slim volume of imaginative stories.' STARRED Review, Shelf Awareness

`A quiet achievement...Not a single word is wasted; each reality is constructed convincingly, without exposition, and the pages keep turning...You'll find yourself thinking about these worlds later, as you go about your life, and thinking they aren't so far from yours.' * Aurealis * `Stories that artfully claw at our complacency and explore, with insight and wit, the human side of the human/technology equation that comprises who we are...Children of the New World is the kind of unsettling read that is a compulsive and confusing pleasure. It pulls just far enough ahead to offer perspective without straining relatability and then deposits you back into a comfortable reality that feels slightly less so.' * ArtsHub * `A highly enjoyable collection...You will emerge with one heck of a book hangover, and it might take you a while to re-acclimate yourself to the real world.' * 100% Rock Magazine * `To read this collection of 13 short stories is to be stunned, thrilled and terrified in equal measure. That's because US writer Alexander Weinstein isn't seeing into the future in a wacky sci-fi sort of way; he's looking at what's just over the horizon and approaching fast...An exceptional debut.' * North & South * `An eye-opening horror that will leave you thinking about the implications of technology long into the night...Fantastic.' * Cosy Dragon * `Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories. * Millions * `By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes.' * Atlantic * `Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel...Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going - and how, for better and for worse, we're already there.' * NPR * `These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.' * LitHub * `Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein's eerie sci-fi collection-featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry-fills the void brilliantly.' * EW.com * `Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered-whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.' * Kirkus Reviews * `Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human...This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein's collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.' -- STARRED Review * Publishers Weekly * `Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.' -- Charles Yu, author of * How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe * `A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.' -- Emily St. John Mandel, author of * Station Eleven * `[Children of the New World] is a stellar book of short stories by the American writer Alexander Weinstein, that shows how science fiction is arguably the essential genre for our age. The stories here present various futures, rooted in virtual technologies and climate change, with such urgency and humour that indulging in any other genre seems tantamount to escapism. ...It is startling that this is Weinstein's first book, given how ambitiously and impressively it speaks of our future.' * Saturday Paper * `Each of these stories has its genesis in the question What if ...? and Weinstein's imaginings are far too much like the current state of the world to be anything but chilling. Yet he can also, if only in passing, be very funny.' * Age *

'Each of these stories has its genesis in the question What if ...? and Weinstein's imaginings are far too much like the current state of the world to be anything but chilling. Yet he can also, if only in passing, be very funny.' Age '[Children of the New World] is a stellar book of short stories by the American writer Alexander Weinstein, that shows how science fiction is arguably the essential genre for our age. The stories here present various futures, rooted in virtual technologies and climate change, with such urgency and humour that indulging in any other genre seems tantamount to escapism. ...It is startling that this is Weinstein's first book, given how ambitiously and impressively it speaks of our future.' Saturday Paper 'A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.' -- Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven 'Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.' -- Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe 'Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human...This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein's collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.' -- STARRED Review Publishers Weekly 'Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered-whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.' Kirkus Reviews 'Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein's eerie sci-fi collection-featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry-fills the void brilliantly.' EW.com 'These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.' LitHub 'Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel...Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going - and how, for better and for worse, we're already there.' NPR 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes.' Atlantic 'Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories. Millions 'An eye-opening horror that will leave you thinking about the implications of technology long into the night...Fantastic.' Cosy Dragon

'A darkly mesmerizing, fearless, and exquisitely written work. Stunning, harrowing, and brilliantly imagined.' Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven 'Taken together, these stories present a fully-imagined vision of the future which will disturb you, provoke you, and make you feel alive. Weinstein is brilliant, incisive and fearless, and I expect to be reading his work for years to come.' Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe 'In each of the gripping stories in Children of the New World, Alexander Weinstein offers a unique glimpse into an unnerving not-so-distant and all-too-possible future. Weinstein explores what-ifs with both wit and sensitivity, and his cautionary tales demand to be read (before it's too late).' Judy Budnitz, author of Nice Big American Baby 'In Alexander Weinstein's debut collection, the future is a frightening and familiar place. Weinstein takes our uneasy truce with technology and blows it up, giving us child robots and ice worlds and the dark aftermath of failed revolutions. The collection is nothing short of a gorgeous new cold war, pitting us both with and against the science that threatens to become not-so-fictional every day.' Amber Sparks, author of The Unfinished World: And Other Stories 'Scary, recognizable, heartbreaking, witty, and absolutely human...This is mind-bending stuff. Weinstein's collection is full of spot-on prose, wicked humor, and heart.' STARRED Review, Publishers Weekly 'Mind-blowing...In the vein of George Saunders, Rick Bass, and Alex Shakar, Weinstein writes with stirring particularity, unfailing sensitivity, and supercharged imagination, creating nuanced stories harboring a molten core of astutely satirical inquiries.' STARRED Review, Booklist '[Weinstein's] stories look like SF-consider the childless couple living in a virtual-reality community whose child there is wiped out by a computer virus-but read like literary fiction. Calling all fans of Margaret Atwood and Emily St. John Mandel.' Library Journal 'Each of the stories feels utterly possible, and the worlds are deftly rendered-whether they show us the effects of climate change or new types of sex made possible by advanced technology.' Kirkus Reviews 'Missing the vague, futuristic dread you feel watching Black Mirror? Weinstein's eerie sci-fi collection-featuring adopted robot children and the addictive fictional memory industry-fills the void brilliantly.' EW.com 'These stories are equally unnerving and tender, and a reminder that what we ultimately long for is human connection.' LitHub '[A] funny, discomfiting, and excellent debut... Even with a cursory reading of current events, it's difficult to deny that Weinstein's new world is the one our children will grow up in, if not the one we are already living in. Don't let anyone tell you these stories aren't real.' Bomb Magazine 'Weinstein writes sensitively and with deceptive simplicity, slicing into the emotional core of his haunted, self-estranged characters. The more they connect via technology, the less connected they feel...Children of the New World is a nuanced and complex vision of where we as a species might be going - and how, for better and for worse, we're already there. NPR 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes...Weinstein subtly infuses his cautionary tales about the price of submitting so credulously to technological progress with a sense of inevitability.' Atlantic 'Weinstein is a master of his craft. His stories are each elegantly constructed, many with a startling reveal at the end, both surprising and obvious, which is formally reminiscent of certain Golden Age science fiction stories.' Millions 'Poignant...Weinstein explores catastrophic climate change, the spiritual ramifications of digital/body interfaces, sexuality unfettered by the human body, and how over-sharing thoughts and dreams digitally could profoundly change how people experience reality. His worldbuilding is subtle and virtuosic. The characters and stories in Children of the New World will continue to affect readers deeply long after the final page' STARRED Review, Shelf Awareness 'These 13 stories artfully slam an unchecked obsession with technology and affirm the beauty of reality's texture.' New York Times 'Weinstein's collection is the most engrossing work of fiction this reviewer has read since Dave Eggers's The Circle...Using wit and intelligence, each story investigates the negative effects of technology gone awry and the subsequent effect on society. Like a prose version of the Netflix series Black Mirror, this volume encapsulates a brave and imaginative examination of possible futures. Highly recommended for all readers.' STARRED Review, Library Journal 'Future-shocked, surprisingly moving, thoroughly excellent...deeply empathetic, sneakily funny, and clearly concerned about the ever-fuzzing line between our minds, our hearts, and our gadgets; it's a little bit Kafka, and a little bit Kaufman' WIRED.com 'By turns satirical, jarring, ludicrous, and sad, Weinstein's stories take present-day anxieties about pornography, cloning, social media, and digital isolation, and follow them to their logical extremes. Thanks to wry prose and humor, the collection is less moody and horror-steeped than similar speculative works. But Children of the New World is no less ominous. Weinstein subtly infuses his cautionary tales about the price of submitting so credulously to technological progress with a sense of inevitability.' Atlantic 'In a world where technology is all-encompassing, Children of the New World seems to foreshadow the consequences...Each story takes on instances that may become very real in the future, making readers take a step back and question the effects of technology on our society.' Signature 'Sharp, good short story writing...This is a winner.' Radio New Zealand

Author Information

Alexander Weinstein is the director of the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. He is the recipient of a Sustainable Arts Foundation Award, and his stories have received the Lamar York, Gail Crump, Hamlin Garland, and New Millennium Prizes, have been nominated for Pushcart Prizes, and appear in the anthology New Stories from the Midwest. He is an associate professor of Creative Writing at Siena Heights University, and leads fiction workshops in the United States and Europe.

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