Why people recommend it
Speedboat by Renata Adler is a fragmentary, highly influential novel defined by its sharp observations and disjointed narrative style. The book was discussed on The Book Review podcast on July 18, 2024, during two distinct episodes. In the episode featuring Thomas Friedman on 'Thank You for Being Late', John Williams referenced Renata Adler's Speedboat while discussing Elizabeth Hardwick's writing, noting formal and thematic similarities between the two works. Similarly, in the episode titled Leslie Jamison on Jenny Offill’s ‘Weather’, author Leslie Jamison brought up Speedboat when reflecting on stylistic influences and literary predecessors, placing Adler's novel in direct conversation with books like Elizabeth Hardwick's Sleepless Nights. Both literary figures invoked Adler's distinctive work to contextualize other fragmented, introspective modern narratives, highlighting the enduring resonance and unique structural qualities that continue to inspire contemporary writers navigating similar terrain in their own creative and critical projects.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Discussed
- Leslie Jamison Discussed
John Williams — 1 mention
“it reminds me a lot of things like rata Adler's speedboat and Jenny ael's Department of speculation from a couple of years ago”
Leslie Jamison — 1 mention
“but you know in a way it's it feels in conversation with books like Elizabeth Hardwick's sleepless nights and rata Adler's speedboat”