Book · 2007 · Fiction
The Emperor's Children
- mentions
- 3
- people
- 3
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 3
- recommendations
- 2
Um, The Emperor's Children by Cla Massud, The Interestings by Me Witzer, and The Secret History by Donna Tart.
The best things said about it
The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud which is a novel I read when it came out and I revisit every few years.
Patrick Radden Keefe The Book Review · Apr 2026 This is a a book that puts me in mind of clar muds The Emperor's Children.
Why people recommend it
The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud is a sharp social novel that chronicles the lives of three ambitious young cousins navigating career, romance, and intellectual pretension in pre-9/11 New York City. On The Ezra Klein Show, Derek Thompson listed the novel as one of the books he frequently rereads. Similarly, Patrick Radden Keefe mentioned on The Book Review that he read the novel when it first came out and continues to revisit it every few years as a personal favorite. Greg Cowles also discussed the book on The Book Review, comparing another author's work to Messud's signature style and thematic concerns. Readers and commentators appreciate the book for its incisive satire, well-drawn characters, and compelling examination of privilege, media, and youthful ambition. Through its focus on the children of the elite navigating the cultural landscape of Manhattan, the novel offers a memorable snapshot of a specific era in American life. The enduring praise from critics and authors highlights its status as a significant work of contemporary fiction that continues to resonate with those who enjoy character-driven stories about ambition and disappointment.
Every mention
Derek Thompson Um, The Emperor's Children by Cla Massud, The Interestings by Me Witzer, and The Secret History by Donna Tart. 1
“Um, The Emperor's Children by Cla Massud, The Interestings by Me Witzer, and The Secret History by Donna Tart.”
Patrick Radden Keefe The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud which is a novel I read when it came out and I revisit every few ye… 1
“The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud which is a novel I read when it came out and I revisit every few years.”
Greg Cowles this is a a book that puts me in mind of clar muds The Emperor's Children 1
“this is a a book that puts me in mind of clar muds The Emperor's Children”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“This is more the sort of like big bustling like social coming of age novel like Clare Massud like the emperor's children or something like that.”