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About The Book

From nationally acclaimed political commentator and multimedia personality Farai Chideya comes an intense and darkly funny debut novel about a woman who learns what you stand to gain—and lose—if you follow your dreams.

Sophie Maria Clare Lee is no stranger to reinvention. A book-smart black girl from blue-collar Baltimore, she remade herself into a Harvard hipster, and finally into an indie rock musician touring America with her mesmerizing classmate (and now ex-husband) Ari Klein.

Now, ten years after graduation, a one-night musical reunion with Ari spurs Sophie to snatch back the mic. She lands a record deal—with the help of new manager and paramour Leo Masters—but quickly discovers that her celebrity status brings new risks for her sense of self and even her safety. As she and Ari play music together again, a complicated love triangle begins. With a Greek chorus of advice from her two best girlfriends, Sophie tries to figure out how she relates to these two men, the music business, her loving but demanding extended family, and her penchant for alcohol and melancholy. As the band tours the world, will Sophie’s faith, family, and friendships crumble under the weight of her dogged fight for fame?

About The Author

Photograph by Ajit Jagdale

Farai Chideya has combined media, technology, and socio-political analysis during her twenty-year career as an award-winning author, journalist, professor, and lecturer. She is a senior writer at the data journalism organization FiveThirtyEight, and has taught at New York University and Harvard. She frequently appears on public radio and cable television, speaking about race, politics, and culture. She was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated magna cum laude with a BA from Harvard University in 1990. Find out more at Farai.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (May 18, 2010)
  • Length: 368 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781416585954

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Raves and Reviews

“[An] engaging shout-out to the rock-and-roll life.”
—Booklist

“Mesmerizing and charismatic. . . .
This imaginatively rich novel is a must-read.”
—Feminist Review

“This effervescent novel hits the right note every time. It may end up being a defining novel of the Obama generation.”
—Colin Channer, author of The Girl with the Golden Shoes

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