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Airlift from Berlin Review · March 7 · 17 min

Writers Read: Lianna Mark on Perfection

Audio 19 In this episode of Berlin Review Audio, writer Lianna Mark reads her essay "Better Living Through Self-Curation," originally published in the winter online edition of Berlin Review. The piece responds to Vincenzo Latronico’s widely discussed novel Perfection, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize after the publication of its English translation. In her essay, Mark looks beyond the polarized reactions to the novel and examines the cultural economy behind authenticity. What does it mean to perform sincerity in a literary marketplace that rewards stories that are easily packaged and exported? And how does self-curation shape not only our lives but also the narratives that circulate globally? You can read Lianna Mark's essay "Better Living Through Self-Curation" at blnreview.de If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting our work with a subscription. Subscriptions start at 5 euros per month and give you access to: • our full archive of essays and reviews • audio versions of selected texts • new writing published regularly at blnreview.de

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show notes

Audio 19

In this episode of Berlin Review Audio, writer Lianna Mark reads her essay "Better Living Through Self-Curation," originally published in the winter online edition of Berlin Review. The piece responds to Vincenzo Latronico’s widely discussed novel Perfection, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize after the publication of its English translation.

In her essay, Mark looks beyond the polarized reactions to the novel and examines the cultural economy behind authenticity. What does it mean to perform sincerity in a literary marketplace that rewards stories that are easily packaged and exported? And how does self-curation shape not only our lives but also the narratives that circulate globally?

You can read Lianna Mark's essay "Better Living Through Self-Curation" at blnreview.de

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting our work with a subscription.

Subscriptions start at 5 euros per month and give you access to: • our full archive of essays and reviews • audio versions of selected texts • new writing published regularly at blnreview.de