We’re all seduced by the idea of going back. But can we ever trust our memories? We return (or attempt to return) to places, friends, lovers, missed opportunities, and versions of ourselves that no longer exist. Or we’re haunted and shaped by the fact that returninggoing backisn’t an option. Can we ever trust our memories? In this latest issue of Granta , writers meditate on these essential questions from an exciting array of vantage points. Wendell Steavenson revisits Iraq, where she follows up with the former prisoner of war she interviewed after Saddam’s fall. Owen Sheers returns to Zimbabwe and the memories of family who lived there, witnessing how the country has changed in the past decade. The issue will feature new fiction by up-and-coming writer Claire Watkins, a profound essay on Detroit by the poet Lawrence Joseph, a photo essay on Shanghai, and startling memoirs and stories by the best writers from around the world.