In Large Animals, author Jess Arndt displays the most fresh, modern, and original voice to break on to the contemporary US literary scene in years.Jess Arndt is a protégé of Maggie Nelson and Eileen Myles, who have expressed enthusiastic support for Large Animals.The stories grapple with extremely topical issues of gender identity, sexuality and the nature of intimacy—experimental and inventive, Large Animals is an important book for this cultural moment. As enlightening as it is relatable, Arndt’s collection gives a humorous and matter-of-fact take on the experience of gender dysphoria as it manifests both personally and interpersonally.Arndt is deeply tapped into creative communities outside the literary industry, with strong ties in both the independent music scene and art world. She has worked with artists Amy Sillman and Nicole Eisenman, and she wrote the viral “biomanifesto” for Swedish band The Knife.Arndt’s experimental style and formal innovation will appeal to readers of transgressive literature, and fans of indie culture.
