Either/Or A Novel
Either/Or A Novel by Elif Batuman, published by Penguin on May 23, 2023, is a reprint edition featuring 368 pages in English. This novel continues the journey of Selin, the protagonist from Batuman’s previous work, as she navigates her sophomore year at Harvard in 1996. The narrative explores Selin’s quest for self-knowledge while she grapples with her experiences abroad, her relationships, and the complexities of adulthood.
Readers will find a rich exploration of themes such as coming of age and the intricacies of women’s lives. As Selin reflects on her summer experiences, including her interactions with her crush Ivan and the peculiarities of life in the Hungarian countryside, she seeks to understand the meaning behind her choices. The novel unfolds with a blend of humor and insight, prompting readers to consider the nature of existence and the pursuit of a life that feels as vibrant as a story.
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An instant New York Times bestseller!
A New York Times Notable Book of 2022
“Batuman has a gift for making the universe seem, somehow, like the benevolent and witty literary seminar you wish it were . . .This novel wins you over in a million micro-observations.” —The New York Times
“Batuman is a genius, rendering human folly at its most colorful and borderline surreal.” —Vogue
From the acclaimed and bestselling author of The Idiot, the continuation of beloved protagonist Selin’s quest for self-knowledge, as she travels abroad and tests the limits of her newfound adulthood
Selin is the luckiest person in her family: the only one who was born in America and got to go to Harvard. Now it’s sophomore year, 1996, and Selin knows she has to make it count. The first order of business: to figure out the meaning of everything that happened over the summer. Why did Selin’s elusive crush, Ivan, find her that job in the Hungarian countryside? What was up with all those other people in the Hungarian countryside? Why is Ivan’s weird ex-girlfriend now trying to get in touch with Selin? On the plus side, it feels like the plot of an exciting novel. On the other hand, why do so many novels have crazy abandoned women in them? How does one live a life as interesting as a novel—a life worthy of becoming a novel—without becoming a crazy abandoned woman oneself?
Guided by her literature syllabus and by her more worldly and confident peers, Selin reaches certain conclusions about the universal importance of parties, alcohol, and sex, and resolves to execute them in practice—no matter what the cost. Next on the list: international travel.
Unfolding with the propulsive logic and intensity of youth, Either/Or is a landmark novel by one of our most brilliant writers. Hilarious, revelatory, and unforgettable, its gripping narrative will confront you with searching questions that persist long after the last page.
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