Susan Coll Livres

Susan Coll uses her experience as both an author and bookstore employee to deliver a big-hearted and dramatic comedy about myths, real life, and the overlap between them.

A New York Times Book Review and Chicago Tribune Editors' Choice As a stager, Eve Brenner orchestrates the quick cosmetic fixes that make a house desirable to a prospective buyer. But when she steps into the home of an investment banker and her tennis-star husband, the Stager realizes that she knows too much about one of the house's occupants: The wife, beautiful and brilliant Bella, was once her best friend. While Bella's life has followed a steady upward trajectory, Eve's has unraveled-and she isn't the only one struggling with Bella's success. Lars Jorgenson was a handsome Wimbledon finalist when he first met his wife. Now he is depressed, obese, and slowly coming undone on prescription medications. Their ten-year-old daughter, Elsa, is dealing with multiple losses: her parents are preparing to move the family overseas, her rabbit has run away, and she soon will be separated from her beloved nanny. Lonely and vulnerable, she bonds with the Stager while her parents are away assessing the family's next home-and forges a new friendship that gives everyone cause for concern. A dark comedy of real estate and rabbits, The Stager questions matters of friendship, family, and loyalty to hilarious effect.

Set against the backdrop of the intense college application process, the story explores the lives of three high school students—Maya, Taylor, and "AP" Harry—as they navigate the overwhelming pressure to secure admission to elite universities. Their experiences intertwine with Olivia, an admissions officer facing the chaos of countless applications and desperate pleas. As the characters grapple with the demands of ambition and competition, the novel satirizes the lengths to which individuals will go, revealing the toll on their sanity and relationships.

Ella Kennedy grapples with the challenges of nearing 30, feeling stuck in her academic pursuits and romantic life. After three years at Columbia University, she struggles to finalize a thesis in an increasingly irrelevant field of Marxist scholarship. As she navigates her frustrations with both education and relationships, Ella's journey reflects a search for purpose and identity amidst the pressures of adulthood.

Facing an unexpected shift in life, Jane Kramer leaves her glamorous New York existence to manage her family's discount furniture store after her father-in-law's heart attack. Nestled in a suburban area near the Fitzgeralds' graves, Kramer's Discount Furniture Depot becomes a backdrop for her daily reflections on her new reality. As she navigates the challenges of her new role and the mundane routine of suburban life, Jane grapples with her identity and the choices that led her to this unexpected path.

Set during a chaotic beach week, this dark comedy follows ten teenage girls as they embark on a wild seven-day celebration filled with reckless behavior and substance abuse. While the girls indulge in smuggling alcohol and hoarding prescription drugs, their affluent parents remain oblivious, preoccupied with concerns over legal repercussions rather than their daughters' antics. The narrative explores themes of youth, privilege, and the disconnect between generations amidst a backdrop of hedonistic escapades.

A perfect storm of comedic proportions erupts in a DC bookstore over the course of one soggy summer week, punctuated by political turmoil, a celestial event, and a perpetually broken vacuum cleaner.

Volker Oldenburg lebt in Hamburg. Er übersetzte unter anderem Colum McCann, Oscar Wilde, T Cooper und Dinaw Mengestu. Für seine Arbeiten wurde er mehrfach ausgezeichnet, zuletzt mit dem Heinrich Maria Ledig-Rowohlt-Übersetzerpreis.