In Benjamin Markovits's shortlisted story a lonely man is struggling to come to terms with recent events which are shrouded in mystery. Kyle Soller reads. Benjamin Markovits grew up in Texas, London, Oxford and Berlin. He has published seven novels, including Either Side of Winter, about a New York private school, and a trilogy on the life of Lord Byron: Imposture, A Quiet Adjustment and Childish Loves. His most recent novel, You Don't Have To Live Like This, about an experimental community in Detroit, won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction in 2015. He won a Pushcart Prize for his short story Another Sad, Bizarre Chapter in Human History. Granta selected him as one of the Best of Young British Novelists in 2013. Now in its twelfth year, the five shortlisted stories in contention for the BBC National Short Story Award 2017 reflect an energy and excitement about short fiction from a generation of the UK's most dynamic, contemporary writers. The shortlisted stories will be broadcast from Monday, 18th September until Friday, 22nd September at 3.30pm. The authors themselves will appear on Front Row throughout the week. The winning story will be revealed at the award ceremony on 3rd October which will be broadcast live from the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House at 7.15. Abridged by Rowan Routh Produced by Elizabeth Allard.