The Office of Historical Corrections

on-site for the filming and canceled the doctor's appointment she'd already rescheduled twice, giving herself in her head the lecture she imagined the doctor would have if he answered his own phone. Her coworker Mackenzie sulked around the ship for the rest of the afternoon, flinging herself into the director's line of vision without success. Mackenzie sometimes worked the gift shop counter with her, but only sometimes. Whenever there was a princess party, Mackenzie wore the costume dress and chaperoned as the princess-on-deck. Lyssa never worked parties; the one time anyone had bothered to give her an explanation for this (she hadn't asked), it was a supervisor who mumbled something about historical accuracy, meaning no Black princesses.

 

"We'd hate for the six-year-olds having tea parties on the Titanic to get the wrong idea about history," Lyssa said, so straight-faced that the supervisor failed to call her out for attitude.

 

"I guess they must want diversity," Mackenzie said after the director left, using air quotes for diversity even though it was the literal word she meant.

 

The next day, and, as Mackenzie went, genuinely conciliatory: "Maybe he wants to fuck you? He was cute, in a New York way. I bet he thinks you're exotic."

 

Exotic, not so much: the theme of the music video was sea monsters; everyone in it, including the pop star and Lyssa, would be painted with green body paint and spritzed with shimmer and filmed through a Vaseline lens that would add to the illusion that they were underwater. The pop star didn't want a ship; she wanted a shipwreck. Lyssa was just supposed to wear her regular uniform and work the counter and be herself in costume makeup.

 

Most of the real action took place on the upper decks. In two days of shooting, Lyssa only saw the pop star from a distance, through the glass, but a longtime backup dancer gossiped about her during a coffee break. The pop star dedicated thi

tears. The Huffington Post

These stories offer the lose yourself depth of a novel in intense, digestible portions. Evans is blessed with perfect pitch when it comes to dialogue both in terms of what is spoken and what goes unsaid. Tayari Jones in The Guardian (London)

[A] collection for the moment. Evans skillfully interprets cancel culture, fake news, and political cults in order to craft a unique critique of the country s underlying racism. The success of the collection stems from balancing the gloom of racism with Evans wry commentary. The snarky narrative voice cuts deeply. These stories are now even more necessary. Chicago Review of Books

Danielle Evans dynamite new collection proves a study in the form. Slices of life, each piece in Corrections captures its own mood, hums to distinct rhythms, and locates unique spaces for empathy and pain and catharsis. They re also delectably readable, propulsive accounts of loss and fear and redemption that twist with O. Henry level glee. . . . The titular novella [is] a masterpiece of tension and mystery. Entertainment Weekly

These scorching stories . . . take a headlong plunge into the murky waters of identity, race, and love. O, The Oprah Magazine

A new collection so smart and self-assured it s certain to thrust her into the top tier of American short story writers. . . . The hands-down masterpiece of the collection is the title novella. . . . a deftly plotted mystery that  . . . thrillingly leaves the big reveal to the very end . . . Reading these stories is like that amusement park ride afterward, you feel a sense of lightness and exhilaration. USA Today

Danielle Evans unrelenting wit and compassion are on dazzling display. Star Tribune

Every story in The Office of Historical Collections is on point. . . . but the ancestral thriller novella that spawned its title is completely transformative. Vulture

Evans calmly and expertly navigates the limits and possibilities of short stories. . . . [The novella] combines uncommon storytelling with rare wisdom. . . . worth the wait. Los Angeles Times

 The Office of Historical Corrections, a novella, is presented here along with other stories that chronicle how history racial and cultural continue to reverberate through daily life. Danielle Evans continues to write provocative fiction about people of color, raising questions about who gets to dictate our national narrative. Chicago Tribune

One of the year s most timely releases. Examining second chances and no-win situations, Evans new book brings plenty of pondering to your nightstand this fall. Bustle

Danielle Evans s newest book further solidifies her well-earned reputation as one of the most incisive, resonant writers working today. . . . Evans will really blow your mind, leaving you to put the pieces back together.   Refinery 29
 
The title story, a novella . . . is the most astonishing thing I ve read this fall. BuzzFeed, 21 Best New Books this Fall

In seven sly, haunting stories, Evans reflects our madcap world back at us, delivering a dazzling dissection of our twisted attitudes about race, culture, history, and truth. . . . Incisive, nuanced, and deliciously complex, each of these stories proves that Evans is a bravura talent. Esquire

Evans is back with another collection of short stories that prove she is one of the most powerful voices in the genre. . . . Prepare for this provocative novella to stay with you long after you reach the final page. E! News
 
Danielle Evans s characters are so messy, compelling, and deeply human that you won t be able to turn away. Harper s Bazaar
 
A piercing look at race and culture, revealing how we all must reckon with our personal and shared histories. Real Simple
 
Evans tackles her characters fragility, fear, and bravery with breathtaking nuance and storytelling smarts. Apartment Therapy

Evans doesn t hold back in her timely, engrossing, and powerful new collection of short stories about race, history, grief, and culture. It s one of the best short story collections of the year. HelloGiggles

The stories are bite-sized, but you might devour this in one gulp. Good Housekeeping

The Office of Historical Corrections is a collection of stories and a novella, all dealing with complex issues of race and Black womanhood. But the standout is the titular novella, which imagines a government department that is mandated to correct historical inaccuracies. Alma

Danielle Evans demonstrates, once again, that she is the finest short story writer working today. These stories are sly and prescient, a nuanced reflection of the world we are living in, one where the rules are changing, and truth is mutable and resentments about nearly everything have breached the surface of what is socially acceptable. These stories are wickedly smart and haunting in what they say about the human condition. . . . Her language is nimble, her sentences immensely pleasurable to read, and in every single story there is a breathtaking surprise, an unexpected turn, a moment that will leave you speechless, and wanting more. Roxane Gay, The New York Times bestselling author of Difficult Women and Bad Feminist

Danielle Evans is a stone-cold genius, in possession of both a merciless eye and a merciful heart. And she keeps getting better. Rebecca Makkai, National Book Award finalist for The Great Believers

A dazzling collection. Contemporary life in Danielle Evans s stories has a kind of incandescent and dangerous energy: even in moments of somberness or isolation, her characters crackle with heat, light, and self-awareness. Kelly Link, author of Get In Trouble

To say that Danielle Evans is one of the best writers of her generation ignores the simple fact that she is one of America s best writers, period. And to limit her to her own generation overlooks the keen eye Evans has placed on the continuum of American history and all its attendant complications of race, gender, class, popular culture, and representation. Evans wields these issues like a sly, acerbic blade, and she uses it to cut to the quick. Wiley Cash, The New York Times bestselling author of The Last Ballad

Danielle Evans writes stories that make the world stop. Her work is so good that when you sit down with it, everything else ceases to exist. The stories in The Office of Historical Corrections move and breathe. The book is a beating heart. Magnificent. Kristen Arnett, The New York Times bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things

[P]romises more of Evans wisdom and finely honed ability to tell distinct, compelling tales that also say something about larger issues. BookPage

Evans solidifies her reputation as one of the most thought-provoking contemporary storytellers. . . [she] crafts her stories with a surgeon s precision. Each detail meticulously builds on the last, leading to satisfying, unforeseeable plot twists. The language is colorful and drenched with emotion. Readers won t be able to look away from the page as Evans captivates them in a world all her own. Booklist, (starred review)

The eponymous novella that closes the book is a stunner. . . . storytelling [is] gripping on every level. Necessary narratives, brilliantly crafted. Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
 
Danielle Evans brings her usual wit and keen eye to her latest. . . . While every story offers a discrete narrative, recurring themes of pain, loss, fear, and failed relationships give the collection a sense of unity. The title novella is the crowning jewel. . . . this is a timely, entertaining collection from a talented writer who isn t afraid to take chances. Publishers Weekly