Nathan Hill talks to Suzi Feay

Novelist Nathan Hill talks about his latest book, Wellness, the story of a marriage, a city and a society over 20 years.

The story is of Jack and Elizabeth who meet as college students in the 1990s and find a place in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene. Twenty years on they are married and facing the challenges of parenthood, cults disguised as mindfulness support groups, polyamorous would-be suitors, Facebook wars and a thing called Love Potion Number Nine. B
oth are forced to face their demons including unfulfilled career ambitions and painful childhood memories.
‘Wellness is not some naive, crunchy-granola midlife-crisis novel . . . [it] is a clear-eyed look at the difficulty to live honestly in a world where authenticity may be the most challenged idea of all.’ The Washington Post

‘A modern take on love, marriage, and society’s obsession on improving almost every aspect of our lives, and the impact technology and social media has on our culture and in our lives. This brilliant novel will leave you thinking about the truth of your own life and the stories we tell ourselves and each other.’ Oprah Winfrey

Hill is winner of Fiction journal’s annual fiction prize. He is also author of The Nix, Entertainment Weekly’s number one book of the year. Here he talks to journalist and reviewer for the FT Suzi Feay.

Part of the festival’s programme of American literature and culture.