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by Seth Greenland
Seth Greenland's witty, clear-eyed new novel is a story of interconnecting lives, in which generations, races, and religions converge and conflict.
Jay Gladstone was born to privilege. He is a civic leader and a generous philanthropist, as well as the owner of an NBA team. But in today's New York, even a wealthy man's life can spin out of control, no matter the money or influence he possesses.
Jay sees himself as a moral man, determined not to repeat his father's mistakes. He would rather focus on his unstable second marriage and his daughter Aviva than worry about questions of race or privilege. However, he moves through a sensitive and aware world: that of Dag Maxwell, the black star forward, and white Officer Russell Plesko, who makes a decision that has resonating consequences - particularly for DA Christine Lupo, whose hopes for a future in politics will rest on an explosive prosecution.
Set during Barack Obama's presidency, this artful novel illuminates contemporary America and does not shy away from our scalding social divide: why is conversation about race so fraught, to what degree is the justice system impartial, and does great wealth inoculate those who have it? At times shocking, but always recognizable, this captivating tale explores the aftermath of unforgivable errors and the unpredictability of the court of public opinion. With a brilliant eye for character, Greenland creates a story that mixes biting humor with uncomfortable truth.
"Starred Review. An entertaining tale rich in schadenfreude as bad things happen to a hapless billionaire." - Kirkus
"Though the novel is too long and there is too much going on, Greenland is an excellent storyteller and makes his tale of selfish opportunists memorable and provocative." - Publishers Weekly
This information about The Hazards of Good Fortune was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Seth Greenland is the author of five novels. The last two, The Angry Buddhist (2011) and I Regret Everything (2015), were published by Europa Editions. Greenland is also a playwright and screenwriter and has worked as a producer for HBO. Born in New York City, he currently lives in Los Angeles.
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