“Is there, for each of us, a culprit who will have had it coming when we go?” “Does it increase our chance of survival if we consciously try to live?” In “Watching Mysteries With my Mother,” a new story from Ben Marcus chosen by the editors of Electric Literature, an unnamed narrator considers his culpability in his mother’s inevitable death. Great authors inspire us. But what about the stories that inspire them? Recommended Reading, the latest project from Electric Literature, publishes one story every week, each chosen by a great author or editor. In this age of distraction, we uncover writing that's worth slowing down and spending some time with. And in doing so, we help give great writers, literary magazines, and independent presses the recognition (and readership) they deserve.Ben Marcus is the author of several books, including The Age of Wire and String, a collection of stories, and, most recently, The Flame Alphabet, a novel. His stories have appeared in Harper’s, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Tin House, and Conjunctions. He lives in New York.