Philadelphia author unearths a radical rethinking of embodiment – and a billboard battle
Emma Copley Eisenberg’s latest collection, Fat Swim, isn’t just a series of short stories; it’s a defiant act of literary resistance, fueled by a potent mix of Miranda July’s surrealism, Raymond Carver’s stark observation, and a brilliant, unsettling fascination with the overlooked.
From novel to short stories: a delayed revelation
Eisenberg admits the journey to this collection was unexpectedly circuitous. Initially envisioning short stories, she found herself simultaneously grappling with The Third Rainbow Girl and Housemates. “It’s so weird, because this is actually my oldest book and my newest book at the same time,” she explains. The delay, prompted by Random House’s stipulation that Housemates precede Fat Swim, ultimately proved invaluable, allowing for a deeper exploration of her own evolving understanding of embodiment – a theme that now permeates the entire book.
A literary beef and a bold billboard
The collection’s dedication to Jonathan Franzen, sparked by a particularly stinging passage in Crossroads, reveals Eisenberg’s commitment to representing fat characters with nuance and agency. “He just…doesn’t see them,” she recounts, her frustration palpable. “I wanted to write a Marion who the reader wants to see from every angle, who’s also fat.” This spurred a deeply personal project: obsessing over a niche YouTuber documenting the lives of her fish – a strategy that culminated in a striking billboard campaign in Philadelphia, proclaiming: “Your gut is a terrible thing to lose.”
Echoes in the neighborhood
Fat Swim’s strength lies in its interconnectedness. A cast of characters inhabit the same Philadelphia neighborhood, their stories subtly intersecting and overlapping. “My characters are all in the same neighborhood, and if you’re a main character here, then you end up being a side character somewhere else,” Eisenberg notes. References like “Swiffer Girl” – hinting at a previous story – create a rich, textured world, inviting readers to piece together the lives of these vividly rendered individuals. It’s a deliberate choice, a desire to capture the way people exist within a shared space, constantly influencing and being influenced by one another.
Beyond the algorithm
The billboard campaign itself represents a conscious rejection of algorithmic curation. Eisenberg deliberately sought out art that challenged conventional beauty standards and sparked conversations about the body – from Jenny Holzer’s public installations to Félix González-Torres’ poignant works. “I was kind of asking people what delightfully weird books or movies or shows shaped their thinking on embodiment,” she explains, “and I was like, this is so great. Then I would scroll on my phone, and all I would see is GLP-1 ads or people being like, ‘The body keeps the score, trust your gut.’” The result? A provocative message that cuts through the noise of digitally optimized content, offering a stark, unforgettable statement.
A galvanizing inspiration
Ultimately, Fat Swim is a testament to the power of intentionality. It’s a collection born from a specific frustration – a desire to counteract the dehumanizing rhetoric surrounding the body – and realized through a series of bold, unconventional choices, from the dedicated billboard to the deeply researched characters. It’s a reminder that art, at its best, can be a form of resistance, a way to reclaim narrative and rewrite the rules.