The teens, to Jules, were like 'royalty and French movie stars, with a touch of something papal.' If Wolitzer decided to write a phone book, I'd pre-order it on Amazon. Most novelists use exposition to get from one point to another, but for Wolitzer, these vivid landscapes are where we see the subtle gradations of character and thought - vistas far more interesting than any destination. Meg Wolitzer is also the author of The Uncoupling.Īnd here is where Wolitzer's strength lies. 'Anaïs Nin and Günter Grass both have umlauts,' Ethan muses in one of their late-night, pot-fueled conversations. They mock themselves with the sobriquet 'The Interestings,' but members of the group, minus Jules, are certain of their place in the pantheon. Her brief time at Spirit-in-the-Woods is the only time she's ever shined - as an actress, a comic and, most miraculously, a friend. He's in love with Jules, though she can't imagine why. Then there's lumpy, homely Ethan, his humor a shield, who is already working on an animated series that will make his fortune. There's Ash, the remote beauty and her brother, Goodman, a heartthrob who builds teetering models of bridges and thinks 'Günter Grass is basically God.' There's Cathy, who wants to be a dancer despite her womanly curves and guitarist Jonah, the son of a famous folk singer. The Interestings is about a group of teens who meet in the '70s at an artsy summer camp called Spirit-in-the-Woods.ĭespite their precocious, pre-sophisticate irony, they're a group we all can recognize.

That's the story of Jules Jacobson, the heroine of Meg Wolitzer's newest novel. What happens when that charming adolescent sense of being special follows you into adulthood? Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title The Interestings Author Meg Wolitzer

The interestings by meg wolitzer