On September 7, 1978, Bulgarian writer and journalist Georgi Markov was assassinated by the Bulgarian government. Since moving to London in 1970 and working as a newscaster for the BBC’s Foreign Service, he had become one of the most vocal critics of the regime, broadcasting narrative essays about life in Bulgaria. Two of those essays, translated here by Dimiter Kenarov, “Prostitution” and “Wastewaters,” expose the moral hypocrisy of the regime through the everyday stories of its forgotten...

Accompany Jill McCorkle, Allen Gee, Georgi Markov, Own King, and others as they grapple with the disappearance of body, culture, and neighbors. Visit Guatemala to witness the evolution of a past life. Meet a Bulgarian radio voice killed for telling ordinary stories. Face boisterous sideline characters and sullen internet personalities. Grapple with dinner party discussions and take a trip to Disney World.Since 1971, Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in ...