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Speedboat

With an introduction by Hilton Als
By Renata Adler
Series: W&N Essentials
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3.76 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 7,418 ratings, 1,172 reviews)
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
Speedboat by Renata Adler offers a unique narrative style focused on the fragmented life of journalist Jen Fain. The story is a reflective mosaic of her observations and experiences, capturing the hectic pace and randomness of modern life, blending wit and sharp social commentary. Rather than following a traditional plot, the book invites readers to explore the inner workings of Jen's mind and her perspective on the fast-paced world around her.
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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 appreciate a fragmented narrative that captures the essence of modern life with wit and introspection. Its unconventional style and sharp observations provide an engaging exploration of identity and the chaos of everyday experiences, appealing to readers who relish literary fiction with a unique narrative voice.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A novel unlike anything that came before it that changed all that came after it - a cult classic for readers of Maggie Nelson, Jenny Offill, Ben Lerner and Anne Carson

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

Jen Fain is a journalist negotiating the fraught landscape of 1970s New York. Party guests, taxi drivers, brownstone dwellers, professors, journalists, presidents, and debutantes fill these dispatches from the world as she finds it.

Simultaneously novel, memoir, commonplace book, confession, and critique - Speedboat is funny, disturbing, cutting, brilliant, and unlike anything that had come before. Since it burst onto the scene in the 1970s, it has enthralled generations of readers and been a touchstone for writers including David Foster Wallace, Claudia Rankine, and Jenny Offill.

With an introduction by Hilton Als

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?

Speedboat by Renata Adler has been praised for its penetrating and hypnotic narrative, likened to experiencing a snowstorm. Critics appreciate its brilliant and observant writing, offering a dazzling portrayal of contemporary life. Renowned for its humour and urban insights, the novel has been described as thrilling and evocative, inspiring deep engagement and admiration.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781474615860

Publisher: Orion Publishing Co

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Hilton Als
  • Introduction by Hilton Als
  • Introduction by Hilton Als

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 180g

Pages: 192

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Renata Adler Series: W&N Essentials

About the Author

RENATA ADLER was born in Milan and raised in Connecticut. She received a B.A. from Bryn Mawr, an M.A. from Harvard, a D.d E.S from the Sorbonne, a J.D. from Yale Law School, and an LL.D. (honorary) from Georgetown. Adler became a staff writer at the New Yorker in 1963 and, except for a year as the chief film critic of the New York Times, remained at the New Yorker for the next four decades. She has written six works of non-fiction, and the novels SPEEDBOAT (1976; winner of the Ernest Hemingway Award for Best First Novel) and PITCH DARK (1983).

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    Jen Fain is a journalist negotiating the fraught landscape of 1970s New York. Party guests, taxi drivers, brownstone dwellers, professors, journalists, presidents and debutantes fill these dispatches from the world as she finds it. Simultaneously novel, memoir, commonplace book, confession and critique - Speedboat is funny, disturbing, cutting, brilliant unlike anything that had come before. Since it burst onto the...
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