Memo to booksellers: Avoid calling Mark Chiusano a “fresh voice in American lit.” Chiusanos voice isn’t fresh. It is knowing. Also: Piercing; clean; engaging; and wise. Use those words. Feel free to compare Chiusano to other young writers (Claire Vaye Watkins, Leslie Jamison) but comparisons to Junot Diaz and John Cheever are also accurate. Talk about how Marine Park documents the Brooklyn neighborhood that is its namesake, examining the grit without disparagement and always preserving the residents’ humanity. But assure potential readers that local knowledge isn’t a prerequisite. In the end, the book’s specificity of location is the device Chiusano uses to better show us ourselves. Alternatively, offer potential readers a chair. Invite them to sit and read one of the stories. Marine Park will then sell itself.