Transcription by Ben Lerner: A characteristically discursive novella
A life in books | 10.04.2026 14:24
I reviewed Ben Lerner’s novella 10:04 here over a decade ago, commenting on its many-layered interconnections, impossible to encapsulate in a short post. Since then, I’ve read Leaving the Atocha Station which brought him a great deal of acclaim although, for me, it didn’t match 10.04. Divided into three parts, Transcription is another brief novel which contains a multitude of ideas and themes following our unnamed narrator who sets out to interview his mentor but has a mishap.