Renata Adler

One of the most acclaimed novels of the late 20th century is back.

When members of the National Book Critics Circle were polled to see which book they would most like to see republished, they chose Speedboat—“by far.” This story of a young female newspaper reporter coming of age in New York City was originally published serially in the New Yorker; it is made out of seemingly unrelated vignettes—tart observations distilled through relentless intellect—which add up to an analysis of our brittle, urban existence. It remains as fresh as when it was first published.

“It is a brilliant collage, an assemblage of tiny anecdotes, vignettes, overheard conversations, aphorisms and reflections.”
—Charles McGrath in The New York Times

“Nobody in this country writes better prose than Renata Adler's.”
—John Leonard, Harper's