Synopses & Reviews
In his blazing debut novel, Andrew Lipstein blurs the lines of fact and fiction with a thrilling story of fame, fortune, and impossible choices.
Caleb Horowitz is twenty-seven, and his wildest dreams are about to come true. His manuscript has caught the attention of the agent, who offers him money, acclaim, and a taste of the literary life. He can't wait for his book to be shopped to every editor in New York, except one: Avi Deitsch, an old college rival and the novel's "inspiration." When Avi gets his hands on it, he sees nothing but theft — and opportunity. Caleb is forced to make a Faustian bargain, one that tests his theories of success, ambition, and the limits of art.
Last Resort is the razor-edged account of a young man's reckless journey into authenticity. As Caleb fights to right his mistakes and reclaim his name, he must burn every bridge, confront his deepest desires, and finally see his work from the perspectives of characters he'd imagined were his own.
Review
“Lipstein wittily captures all the savagery of the publishing industry, from Goodreads reviews to awkward author photos. But for all the metafictional layers here, at its heart [Last Resort] is a surprisingly traditional, almost Dickensian, story about the vagaries of fate. For anyone who can't look away from a juicy literary scandal.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“Lipstein gleefully scrutinizes the nature of success in an industry that runs as much on vanity as on financial gain. The book's command of contemporary-hipster details is wincingly precise. The New Yorker
Review
"Splayed across these pages is the dark terror that lurks within any creative person's breast….As Lipstein skewers the pretensions and delusions of literary ambition, he reveals the mental tricks that allow writers to imagine that they care only for art, not money or fame….[A] deliciously absurd comedy about literary fame. The Washington Post
Review
“Lipstein gleefully scrutinizes the nature of success in an industry that runs as much on vanity as on financial gain. The book's command of contemporary-hipster details is wincingly precise.” The New Yorker
About the Author
Andrew Lipstein lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Mette, and son, August.