Local News

Author Karen Russell's new book examines memory, magic, and the stories we tell ourselves

Kansas Public Radio

Published March 14, 2025 at 4:00 AM CDT

a sepia-toned photograph of an old house with a windmill pump and vane in a location affected by drought during the Dust Bowl era, overlaid by blue, green, yellow and red. It reads, from top to bottom, "The Antidote", with the subheading of "A Novel", followed by the author's name, "Karen Russell", then "Bestselling Author of Swamplandia!" positioned above the house — Cover of Karen Russell's latest novel, "The Antidote"

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Author Karen Russell has just released a new book. The setting of The Antidote is rural Nebraska, and revolves around a handful of characters dealing with the aftermath of the notorious "Black Sunday" dust storm of 1935. It's a story about magic, secrets, and the memories that make up a community's shared experience. She spoke with KPR's Laura Lorson about what inspired her unusual take on history, storytelling, and the nature of memory.

Author Karen Russell, wearing a sleeveless black dress with a pattern of flower petals and stems in light blue, lavender, gold, green, and brown. She is wearing a double-stranded necklace of crystal beads and silver. — Author Karen Russell

Karen Russell is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, winner of a MacArthur Fellowship, and bestselling author of six books of fiction. She'll be signing books at the Raven Bookstore in Lawrence on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Raven Bookstore website, ravenbookstore.com. She spoke with KPR's Laura Lorson.

Extended version of Karen Russell and Laura Lorson's conversation, as heard on KPR Presents March 16, 2025:

2025 03 16 25 Karen Russell extended.mp3