Karen Russell

This tug-of-war goes on for a foamy length of time, while the crowd whoops and wahoos, cheering for our species.

He had the bellicose dignity of a kid who refuses to excuse or even to acknowledge his own extreme ugliness. I admired this trait. It reminded me of the Seths, with their scarred, alien faces and their beautiful oblivion. Like a Seth, Cubby Wallach would let you stare at his face without apologizing for it.