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The Topeka School
The Topeka School: A Novel | Ben Lerner
From the award-winning author of 10:04 and Leaving the Atocha Station, a tender and expansive family drama set in the American Midwest at the turn of the century: a tale of adolescence, transgression, and the conditions that have given rise to the trolls and tyrants of the new right Adam Gordon is a senior at Topeka High School, class of 97. His mother, Jane, is a famous feminist author; his father, Jonathan, is an expert at getting lost boys to open up. They both work at a psychiatric clinic that has attracted staff and patients from around the world. Adam is a renowned debater, expected to win a national championship before he heads to college. He is one of the cool kids, ready to fight or, better, freestyle about fighting if it keeps his peers from thinking of him as weak. Adam is also one of the seniors who bring the loner Darren Eberheartwho is, unbeknownst to Adam, his fathers patientinto the social scene, to disastrous effect. Deftly shifting perspectives and time periods, The Topeka School is the story of a family, its struggles and its strengths: Janes reckoning with the legacy of an abusive father, Jonathans marital transgressions, the challenge of raising a good son in a culture of toxic masculinity. It is also a riveting prehistory of the present: the collapse of public speech, the trolls and tyrants of the New Right, and the ongoing crisis of identity among white men.
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BaBaBaBillyAndTheBooks
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Mehso-so

In debate, Adam must always prep for the “spread,” a confusing barrage of so much information that defense against each point is impossible. “Topeka”‘s slow set of character reflections finds narrative-changing power in repurposing language, in how debate becomes rap-battle with just a few tweaks. But there‘s peace when words and their meanings dissolve, no wires are crossed, and everyone shouts the same simple thing into the unintelligible noise.

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MuteSwan
Pickpick

A clever book, maybe too clever for me? Need to reread. The plot is pieced together through several narrative voices, jumping back & forth in time. Was totally hooked by some passages, particularly Jane's story arc, but if I'm honest, I let later themes wash over me, (and definitely skim read a few debate scenes!) Three quarters of the way through still wasn't sure if I was winning, then it came together. Quite beautifully.

Nute Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂 3y
2 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BarbaraBB
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Bailedbailed

I tried but not very hard. This just isn‘t for me. At least not now.

marleed I understand. I stayed with it because I had a connection to the location. It wasn‘t until the last third of the book that I ending up liking it. 3y
vivastory I've heard so many mixed things about this one 3y
Megabooks Well boo. I‘m sorry it wasn‘t for you. On to better things! 3y
See All 6 Comments
EmilyM I was really disappointed with it. I finished it but it was a struggle. 3y
Liz_M Hmm, I loved his 10:04. This feels like a challenge 😁 3y
BarbaraBB @Liz_M I loved that one too! Please read this one as a challenge. You owe it to Lerner, he is kind of your neighbor right?! 3y
69 likes6 comments
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BarbaraBB
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#WeeklyForecast 02/20

This week I have planned to finish Woman at Point Zero, that I started on this lazy Sunday morning and is a #1001books gift from @Liz_M
Next will be The Topeka School. I also try to make a start with two books for #ReadingAsia2022: Persepolis for Iran, Interpreter for Indonesia.

Megabooks Two I have loved there! I hope you enjoy them! 3y
Caroline2 I really enjoyed Persepolis. 👍 3y
TrishB A good plan 👍🏻 3y
See All 7 Comments
arlenefinnigan Persepolis is excellent. 3y
Cinfhen Sounds like a good plan! I bailed on this one, but I think you may enjoy it 👉🏽 3y
Cinfhen And I think your artistic brain will happily devour 3y
BarbaraBB @Megabooks @Caroline2 @arlenefinnigan @Cinfhen Thanks for the shout outs! I think I‘m in for a good week! 🤍 3y
78 likes7 comments
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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

I loved Ben Lerner‘s other books, so this one was worth the wait. A young man in late-90s Kansas is the ostensible main character, but other sections are narrated by his feminist author mother and psychologist father, both of whom had their own trauma growing up and now deal with it in different ways as adults. One main issue is: how can you raise a good son in America?

BarbaraBB Intriguing review. I am starting this right now. 3y
29 likes1 comment
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Cinfhen
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About to start a new audiobook recommended by my #AudioGuru @Megabooks 🙌🏻🎧💜 Book 5 #FeastMode @Hestapleton

Megabooks I hope you enjoy it! 3y
75 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This was great the second time on audio. I loved the look at how Adam‘s life evolved in the toxically masculine culture in Topeka in the 80s & 90s and the way it was processed by his parents when Adam was an adult. I especially enjoyed the reflections of his mother.

It was interesting to choose debate as the outlet for Adam‘s masculinity. The BFF was debater in the late 90s, & she came to college with better structured arguments than I.

Megabooks My first review, which I think is better. https://litsy.com/p/azl5TEpZRWpj (edited) 3y
BarbaraBB I‘m so glad I read this one, thanks to you! 3y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I am really glad you liked it!! 3y
BarbaraBB Huh? I read my own comment here but I didn‘t read it at all, I am about to start it now! I made a mistake because I did read and enjoy another Lerner: (edited) 3y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB sometimes we all get tripped up! 💜💜 3y
70 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Therewillbebooks
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Panpan

Episode 9 of #therewillbebooks is out today! We talk about The Topeka School, which frankly isn't all it's cracked up to be. Fun to discuss though.
https://anchor.fm/peter-murphy8/episodes/Episode-9-Autofiction-in-Kansas-eiir5v

#bookstagram #podcast #litsy

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canbku
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New book! Ready for #bookspin!

39 likes1 stack add
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This is a thoughtful book on toxic masculinity and complicated psychological motivations. Adam is a 90s teen who is hot shit in a small pond. His parents are both therapists at a local hospital, and his mother is a famous pop psychology author.

Between the three narrators and frequent time shifts, this is a book that demands all your attention, but the poetic prose balanced by unrelenting testosterone make this worth reading. 4.5⭐️ 🔽🔽

Megabooks I thought a long time what to say about this because all four main characters have very complex motivations and timelines. It‘s interesting. I think you‘d enjoy it @Reviewsbylola @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @britt_brooke 4y
britt_brooke @Megabooks Thanks for the rec! #stacked 4y
Reviewsbylola Glad you liked it! Stacking 4y
See All 12 Comments
8little_paws Oohh i really want to read this!! 4y
Megabooks @britt_brooke @Reviewsbylola I hope you enjoy it!! I think you‘ll recognize some of that 90s hyper masculine high school culture. Really good book. 4y
Megabooks @8little_paws yes! You‘d enjoy it, too, I think. Very cerebral in a lot of ways with the layers of the therapists. 4y
8little_paws @Megabooks this book i also liked 4y
Megabooks @8little_paws I read it when it came out, and I can‘t remember anything about it. 😳😳 4y
Cinfhen Thanks for the recommendation,Meg! It‘s been on my radar for awhile.... I‘ll look for it more closely now 💜 4y
BarbaraBB Thank you Meg. It sounds like a book worth reading indeed. 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen 👍🏻👍🏻😁💜 (edited) 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB I hope you enjoy it if you do read it! 4y
115 likes3 stack adds12 comments
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Megabooks
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This book is really intense. At least for me. I find myself taking breaks to get a drink or scan social media or even listen to my audiobook for a bit.

Still, I‘m enjoying it, even if my reading is half its usual speed.

Reviewsbylola I feel like books like that are just too much for me right now. I‘m still reeling from Valentine and I finished it a week ago! 4y
Megabooks @Reviewsbylola I was at an all-year low in April: 20 books. If I were working, that would be a good month, but it‘s my worst this year! 👎🏻👎🏻 4y
84 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Minervasbutler
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Pickpick

Ambitious and challenging novel, a prime example of autofiction, which explores themes of toxic masculinity and white rage by going back in time to 1990s Kansas. It won't be to everyone's tastes but it's beautifully written and thought provoking.

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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
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Bailedbailed

Was really excited about this one, but noticed that by page 70 I was skimming and checking page numbers.
Great writing, but no narrative.
I can‘t read pages-long descriptions of inner monologue for the next 300 pages.
Can‘t.
One of my myriad cats, Eggy Say, sits in judgement.

marleed I could stay with this because I personally knew the Topeka of the 80s, but even with that it took me until the last couple of chapters for my experience to move from a so-so to a pick. 4y
Amiable Oh, I was intrigued by this one. Bummed to hear your description of it . Not sure I can go the distance either if that‘s how it reads. I mean, especially if Eggy doesn‘t care for it . 🤷🏻‍♀️ (edited) 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @marleed I always feel awful about bailing on a book. I keep thinking I‘m going to be missing out. Maybe I was hasty? 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @amiable 😂 Eggy doesn‘t like anything. 😂 I thought I had the endurance but feared this would be such a slog that I would be forsaking books I‘d actually enjoy to trudge through this. 4y
53 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Floresj
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Pickpick

Good multiple perspectives novel that hits on a variety of topics with a subtle hand. I liked the connection of high school debate to our current political climate. Good development of characters and a quirky ending.

SamAnne I‘m on the list at the library. You had me at “debate.” 4y
17 likes1 comment
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MelissaSue81
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Panpan

I just read 282 pages and don‘t have any idea what the purpose and meaning of that story was. Another book that I‘m not smart enough for I guess. Someone explain it to me, please?

Jennick2004 That is so frustrating, I‘ve read a few like that 🤦🏻‍♀️ 4y
ljuliel I‘ve seen many low reviews or DNF on this. Must be a tough one. 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Yikes - I just started this one and thought “I should look up Litsy reviews on this one” - maybe I‘ll continue, but at least I‘m warned! Thanks! 4y
64 likes3 comments
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Pickpick

Adam is a debater. His mother is a famous feminist. His father works at a local clinic called the foundation. He and his friends deal with growing up, being good people, and living in the shadow of the foundation.

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marleed
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Pickpick

This book is the polar opposite of chic lit. It‘s a dark, gritty, well-written story that frankly I didn‘t like. I stuck with it because I knew the Topeka, KS of the 90s. I then found myself interested in the perspective of the mother. In the last quarter of the book, I got it and understood the grit needed to get me there.

Blaire I‘m interested in reading this one having spent my teenage years in Kansas in the 90s. 4y
marleed @Blaire oh I‘ll be interested in your thoughts. Knowing 90s Topeka is what kept me invested when I was not feeling the characters. I‘m glad I had that because if you can stick with the story there‘s a lot to think about by books end. 4y
46 likes2 comments
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Godpants
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November Roundup Part One: Overall I read a lot of great books. Eye of the World was a reread, and is always good, and Your House Will Pay was excellent. Tagged my favourite of this lot! The Twisted Ones was my biggest flop here and I didn‘t like Orange World. Everything else was quite good!

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LauraJ
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The books from my indiespensable subscription have been piling up, so I‘m jumping into this one.

TheLudicReader I am curious about this one. 4y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Twocougs
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Mehso-so

I see the comparison to David Foster Wallace. Incredible writing but at times hard to keep it all straight. The ending wasn‘t what I was expecting but the again I‘m not sure what the ending should have been.

37 likes3 stack adds
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Godpants
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Pickpick

There is a lot to like in this one. I don‘t really know how to describe it, but it plays with timelines and revolves around the current political climate.

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Godpants
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Started this one before bed last night. Really digging the tone so far. #scarathlon #teamStoker 1 point.

BeansPage 🧟‍♀️ 4y
11 likes1 comment