In Bad Thoughts, Nada Alic Embraces The Humiliation of Being Human

“Being alive is humiliating,” Nada Alic tells me during our phone call earlier this month. We’re talking about the slap of embarrassment that occurs when you say goodbye to someone on the street and walk the same way as them, or when you realize nobody at the dinner party is listening to your story, the tiny moments that affirm you, however awkwardly, of your own humanity. “It doesn’t take much to have a person absolutely unravel.” It’s this acknowledgement of everyday humiliations that gives Alic’s debut short story collection Bad Thoughts, a soothing effect, like a spiritual salve for our… Read Full Article