Author:Emma Straub
** 'It's the beautifully drawn, vibrant characters that make this smart, compelling novel so irresistible.' Liane Moriarty **
From the New York Times Bestselling author of The Vacationers, Emma Straub brings us a sharply observed tale of modern love . . .
Twenty years later and they were supposed to be grown-ups...
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.
Summer in the city . . .
College friends Elizabeth, Zoe and Andrew had a band, grew up, settled in New York and now they are still living round the corner from one another (and in each other's pockets).
One hot summer as their kids come of age, making those first hesitant steps into adulthood, it's the parents who find that the lives they've so carefully stitched together begin slowly to come apart . . .
'Has all the pleasures of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits . . . with a Lorrie Moore-like sense of the absurdities of contemporary life' Michiko Kakutani, New York Times
'Really entertaining. The characters are complex and likeable. It's one of those stories that makes you realise that life really does run away from you' Guardian
'Straub's characters thrum off the page. The sort of witty and relatable summer title you'll devour with a contented smack of the lips' Independent
'Funny yet tart, warm yet incisive. I adored it' Red
** 'It's the beautifully drawn, vibrant characters that make this smart, compelling novel so irresistible.' Liane Moriarty **
From the New York Times Bestselling author of The Vacationers, Emma Straub brings us a sharply observed tale of modern love...
Twenty years later and they were supposed to be grown-ups...
Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.
Summer in the city . . .
College friends Elizabeth, Zoe and Andrew had a band, grew up, settled in New York and now they were still living round the corner from one another (and in each other's pockets).
One hot summer as their kids come of age, making those first hesitant steps into adulthood, it's the parents who find that the lives they've so carelessly stitched together begin to slowly unravel . . .
Hugely talented... intelligent holiday reading
—— Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4Smart and entertaining
—— StylistHugely talented . . . if you are looking for some intelligent holiday reading then this is the book for you
—— BBC 4 Woman’s HourStraub writes with such verve and sympathetic understanding of her characters ... Reading this novel has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits
—— The New York Times[Modern Lovers] has the smart, cool sensibility of Straub's other novels, and you're sure to love this one just as much
—— ElleA funny and insightful look at love and relationships
—— Good HousekeepingA lovely, satisfying early-summer read
—— EW.comStraub's novel might be set in well-trod modern literary territory (the parenting world of brownstone Brooklyn), but what she does with this familiar milieu is smart and fresh, offering new insights into the lives of people all around us
—— Brooklyn MagazineThoughtful and hilarious, Modern Lovers proves growing up doesn't stop in adulthood
—— Real Simple[Straub] sets her observational wit on three middle-aged friends (former college bandmates) who find themselves in a crisis of identity as their now-grown children head off to college themselves
—— Huffington PostWhat happens when you age out of your cool? It's a topic that filmmaker Noah Baumbach has explored, and Straub is his literary counterpart. . . With the multigenerational structure, it would be easy to compare Straub to other masters of the genre like Meg Wolitzer or Jennifer Egan, but she's already a master in her own right after The Vacationers, so Modern Lovers should prove to be a witty romp
—— The MillionsWise and often hilarious, Modern Lovers is a testament to how the passions and secrets of our youth can last well into adulthood
—— Buzzfeed[Straub is] a precise and observant writer whose supple prose carries the story along without a snag. Straub's characters are a quirky and interesting bunch. . . it's a pleasure spending time with them
—— Kirkus (starred review)Straub spins her lighthearted but psychologically perceptive narrative with a sure touch as she captures the vibes of midlife, middle-class angst and the raging hormones of youth. . . Readers will devour this witty and warmly satisfying novel
—— Publishers Weekly (starred review)Devilishly observed
—— Booklist (starred review)Sprinkled with humour and insight, this is a Brooklyn novel with heart
—— Library Journal (starred review)Emma Straub is consistently excellent
—— Book RiotEmma Straub is quickly making a name for herself as an author who can deftly toe the line between literary and popular writing-her books are easy to breeze through, but there's also food for thought for the discerning reader
Praise for The Vacationers
—— -Now this is what I call good holiday reading. Straub writes beautifully and amusingly . . . hard to beat for sheer charm and gentle wit
—— Daily MailEmma Straub puts the fun back in dysfunction
—— San Francisco ChronicleThere's nothing more addictive than a darkly funny dysfunctional domestic drama. Straub's novel-set during a fraught family vacation in Mallorca-is pretty much the perfect beach read
—— Entertainment WeeklyCharming and absorbing, this is a novel that demands to be read in long, satisfying gulps
—— Maggie Shipstead, author of , Seating ArrangementsEmma Straub is a magician, full of brilliance and surprise
—— Lorrie Moore, author of , BarkA gorgeous and witty storyteller
—— Elizabeth Gilbert, author of , Eat, Pray LoveWitty and big-hearted . . . leaves you smiling for days
—— Maria Semple, author of , Where’d You Go, BernadetteFor those unable to jet off to a Spanish island this summer, reading The Vacationers may be the next-best thing. . . . [A] gorgeously written novel . . . When I turned the last page, I felt as I often do when a vacation is over: grateful for the trip and mourning its end
—— The New York Times Book ReviewDelicious . . . richly riveting . . . The Vacationers offers all the delights of a fluffy, read-it-with-sunglasses-on-the-beach read, made substantial by the exceptional wit, insight, intelligence and talents of its author
—— People (four stars)I loved The Vacationers; funny and poignant and beautifully observed
—— Jojo Moyes, author of , Me Before YouStraub's novel is cast from the same mould as the likes of Liza Klaussmann's Tigers in Red Weather and Maggie Shipstead's Seating Arrangements . . . The Vacationers is a holiday read in every way with a gently witty narrative that slips down as easily as a beachside cocktail
—— IndependentEmma Straub is a gorgeous and witty storyteller
—— Elizabeth GilbertIntimate, epic, beautifully observed
—— Jennifer EganWitty and big-hearted ... leaves you smiling for days
—— Maria SempleCharming and absorbing
—— Maggie ShipsteadFunny, poignant and beautifully observed
—— Jojo MoyesBusting with witty and poignant observations about the messiness of family
—— Jenna Bush Hager , Read with Jenna Book Club PickEmma Straub has done it again! All Adults Here introduces us to the Stricks, a delightfully flawed family, with matriarch Astrid at the centre...I know I've been having trouble adulting during this time (seriously, I have to cook, again?!), and the characters in this novel feel like they're struggling right alongside me
—— Read It ForwardAll Adults Here will make you question your entire childhood
—— Marie Claire USAll Adults Here is deliciously funny and infectiously warm - a clever blend of levity and poignant insights. Straub's flair for irony and wit shine, and she puts a fresh (and progressive) spin on the age-old multigenerational family saga
—— Washington PostThe queen of the summer novel...we have turned to Emma Straub to bring us highly enjoyable, yet still thought-provoking, tales about witty protagonists in the throes of life changes
—— Entertainment WeeklyStraub's novel takes her signature wit upstate, exploring the complexities of small-town life and what it's
like to live as an adult in the same place where you grew up
If you've spent lockdown at home with the family, this one might just ring true for you. A witty, warm and thoroughly entertaining novel. Relatable
—— LuxeIt takes rare skill to make everyday family ups and downs so pleasurable to read but Straub brings both a deceptive light touch and a flinty sense of humour to this breezy big-hearted portrait of ordinary people trying to negotiate the landscape of being a grown up. A superior slice of domestic fiction for fans of Anne Tyler and Ann Patchett
—— MetroPulsating with perceptive wit . . . entertaining
—— Sunday PostGreat for fans of Liane Moriarty
—— Harpers BazaarWhips along with feel-good momentum, driven by warmth and love
—— Press AssociationWarm, witty, perceptive. Anne Tyler on laughing gas
—— Saga MagazineWritten with true warmth and wit
—— BellaPraise for Emma Straub
—— -It's the beautifully drawn, vibrant characters that make this smart, compelling novel so irresistible
—— Liane MoriartyFunny, poignant and beautifully observed
—— Jojo MoyesStraub writes beautifully and amusingly . . . hard to beat for sheer charm and gentle wit
—— Daily MailSmart and entertaining
—— StylistHugely talented . . . intelligent holiday reading
—— Woman's Hour, BBC Radio 4Warm and big-hearted . . . leaves you smiling for days
—— Maria Semple , bestselling author of Where'd You Go, BernadetteStraub writes with such verve and sympathetic understanding of her characters . . . Reading this novel has all the pleasures of reading one of Anne Tyler's compelling family portraits
—— New York TimesA funny and insightful look at love and relationships
—— Good HousekeepingWritten with true warmth and wit
—— BellaA smart, cool sensibility
—— ElleLovely, satisfying
—— EW.comSmart and fresh, offering new insights into the lives of people all around us
—— Brooklyn MagazineThoughtful and hilarious
—— Real SimpleIt would be easy to compare Straub to other masters of the genre like Meg Wolitzer or Jennifer Egan, but she's already a master in her own right
—— The MillionsWise and often hilarious
—— BuzzfeedReaders will devour this witty and warmly satisfying novel
—— Publishers WeeklyA precise and observant writer whose supple prose carries the story along without a snag. Straub's characters are a quirky and interesting bunch . . . it's a pleasure spending time with them
—— Starred Review , KirkusDevilishly observed
—— Starred Review , BooklistSprinkled with humour and insight
—— Starred Review , Library JournalStraub is consistently excellent
—— Book Riot