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The Topeka School

By Ben Lerner
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Topeka School by Ben Lerner delves into the life of Adam Gordon, a brilliant high school debate champion, and poet in Topeka, Kansas, where he struggles with the expectations and cultural tensions of late-1990s America. The novel explores themes of identity, language, and political discourse, intertwining personal and societal narratives to provide a deep, reflective look at the environment shaping young minds during this time.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are intrigued by explorations of identity and politics intertwined with the complexities of personal and familial relationships. It's particularly appealing to those interested in how language and culture shape our reality, set against an American social and political landscape.

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The most talked-about novel of the season, from the most celebrated American writer of his generation.

The most talked-about novel of the season, from the most celebrated American writer of his generation

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Adam Gordon is a senior at Topeka High School, class of '97. His parents are psychologists, his mum a famous author in the field. A renowned debater and orator, an aspiring poet, and—although it requires a lot of posturing and weight lifting—one of the cool kids, he's also one of the seniors who brings the loner Darren Eberheart into the social scene, with disastrous effects.

Deftly shifting perspectives and time periods, The Topeka School is a riveting story about the challenges of raising a good son in a culture of toxic masculinity. It is also a startling prehistory of the present: the collapse of public speech, the tyranny of trolls and the new right, and the ongoing crisis of identity among white men.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Topeka School by Ben Lerner is highly praised for its intellectual depth, social insight, and psychological sensitivity. Critics appreciate its exploration of America's past and present, artfully weaving personal and political narratives. The novel is lauded for its intelligence, subtlety, and innovation, offering both a critique and inspiration amid current social crises.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781783785377

Publisher: Granta Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 September 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Granta Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 215g

Pages: 304

Collections

Ben Lerner Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Ben Lerner was born in Topeka, Kansas, in 1979. He has received fellowships from the Fulbright, Guggenheim, and MacArthur Foundations, and is the author of two internationally acclaimed novels, Leaving the Atocha Station and 10:04. He has published the poetry collections The Lichtenberg Figures, Angle of Yaw (a finalist for the National Book Award), Mean Free Path and No Art as well as the essay The Hatred of Poetry. Lerner lives and teaches in Brooklyn.

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