Ben Lerner's novel 'Transcription' explores art, AI, and intergenerational voice

In 'Transcription,' Ben Lerner presents an unnamed narrator whose unsuccessful interview with his 90-year-old mentor, Thomas, takes place in Providence, Rhode Island. This encounter prompts the narrator to create a fictional account for a conference in Madrid. The 144-page novel, released by Granta, wraps up in Los Angeles, where the narrator engages in a dialogue with Thomas's son, Max, touching on themes of fatherhood, technology, and the pandemic. Lerner reflects on how being a parent influences his writing, voicing doubts about literature generated by AI and favoring "writing written by humans with a heartbeat." He also mentions D Graham Burnett's concept of "attention fracking" and commends digital artist Ed Atkins. This marks Lerner's first novel in seven years, following his trilogy: 'Leaving the Atocha Station' (2011), '10:04' (2014), and 'The Topeka School' (2019).