Issue 76 / Winter 2022
76 / Exploring an Expanding Genre
The evolution of creative nonfiction
In this, the newly redesigned issue of Creative Nonfiction, we explore the deep roots of the genre, as far back as the late 1600s, and celebrate the spirit of rebellion that’s always infused it. And we consider where we are now—as writers and citizens, as artists and human beings—at this moment that feels pivotal for so many.
Plus, new essays about the limitations of identity labels; what we can (and can’t) learn from dinosaur tracks; how to reintegrate after two military tours overseas; the challenges of translation; and how to approach a sibling who’s taken a deep dive into conspiracy theories.
FEATURING WORK BY
Valerie Boyd, Margaret Kimball, Bret Lott, Marisa L. Manuel, Brenda Miller, Clinton Crockett Peters, and others.
Already a subscriber?
Read this issue nowTable of Contents
I’d Like to Thank the Academy
How a rebellious genre gained credibility from an unlikely sourcePara
What can a DNA test really tell you about who you are?Tell It Even More Slant
The lyric essay escapes its hermit crab shell to wander freeHow to Reintegrate
A step-by-step guide to returning from war, utterly changedGun Bubbles
The unlikely connections between baby bumps and bulletsThe Secret History of Creative Nonfiction
A tour of pioneering women writers whom literary critics conveniently "forgot"Tracing Literary Lineage
On what's missing from most anthologies, how shared texts create soulmates, and why we need more editors of colorBeyond “Survival of the Fittest”
How cooperation sparks creative adaptation and creates a stronger literary ecosystemOur World, Ourselves
As wilderness disappears, what happens to nature writing?What We Leave Behind
Fossils tell only one small part of the storyOn Za’atar
Considering a spice mixture that is far more than the sum of its partsMy Brother Might Never Meet My Baby
What can you do when a family member falls into conspiracy theory thinking?Tiny Truths 76
Since 2009, CNF has challenged writers to tell a story in a single tweet. We asked some of our most prolific #cnftweeters to reflect on how their style and/or stories have changed over the years.