Chris Kraus in conversation with Cristina Rodríguez

Chris Kraus, author of the cult classic I Love Dick and one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary American literature, joins Hay Festival Forum Dallas to discuss her latest novel, The Four Spent the Day Together. Moving between autofiction and true crime, the book connects a murder in Minnesota’s Iron Range with stories of family, addiction, class, and the changing social landscape of America.

The conversation will explore the real events and personal histories behind the novel, Kraus’s approach to blurring the boundaries between fiction, memoir, and documentary, and the questions of violence, economic decline, and the American working class at the heart of the book. It will also reflect on a career that has continually challenged conventional ideas about what fiction can be, from I Love Dick to her latest work. The conversation will be moderated by Cristina Rodriguez, a former bookseller, 2020 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree, and former judge for the National Book Awards in Translated Literature.