This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Deborah Treesman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Nell Zink read her story The Welfare State

from the December 29th, 2025, and January 5th, 26th, issue of the magazine.

Sink has published seven novels, including Doxology from 2019, Avalon from 2022, and Sister Europe

from 2025.

Now here's Nelsink.

The Welfare State

The world beyond the ridgetop was a wall of gray cloud.

One could see down to the left or the right, at a 45-degree angle,

and see only gray. From the mist came loud moves and the clatter of cowbells. The American was

too frightened to move. She had felt cheerful on the sheltered concrete of the viewing platform,

relaxed on the broad stairway with its sturdy banister, and well enough on the sheltered concrete of the viewing platform, relaxed on the broad stairway with

its sturdy banister, and well enough on the road-like path that looped behind the reassuring mass of

the restaurant. The narrowing, roughening, and horizon-lowering that had turned that path into

this trail had been gradual. Now, its quality of teetering in space made her want to get on her

knees and crawl. The ground, composed of loose grit and softball-sized rocks, was visibly wet. Her

German friend Vroni was already 20 yards ahead. Crouching to lower her center of gravity,

Julia took three short steps and halted.

She cocked her wrists to catch herself if she fell

and stood up half straight.

Time to decelerate and deepen her breathing.

...